I Love Your Smile



"I Love Your Smile" is a song by American singer Shanice, released in 1991 as the first single from her sophomore album Inner Child. The song features a saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis as well as laughter from Janet Jackson and René Elizondo, Jr. near the end of the song. The track was produced Louis Biancaniello, and the vocals were produced by Narada Michael Walden. The radio version of the song removes the rap bridge from the album version.

To date, "I Love Your Smile" is Shanice's best known and most successful hit. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by George Michael and Elton John and "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred. It topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks for 4 weeks in December 1991 and January 1992. In the United Kingdom, "I Love Your Smile" peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as reaching the top of the Dutch Top 40 in the Netherlands. The single also peaked within the top ten on the charts in France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Australia and Austria. In 1992, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Shanice performed this song as the first musical guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on May 25, 1992. A music video was made for the song, featuring Shanice in a studio having several pictures taken by a photographer.

Talib Kweli referenced the song in his song "Hot Thing", from his 2007 album Eardrum.

Cover versions
"I Love Your Smile" was covered by Dutch r'n'b group duo R'n'G in 1998 for a tribute album "Hands on Motown", by Tiffany Evans in 2004 for her self-titled first EP, by Kaori Kobayashi in 2005 for her debut album "Solar, Kaori's Collection", by Jakob Elvstrøm in 2009 for his album "SaxClub vol.1" and by Ukrainian singer Julia Voice in her 2010 song "Vse o lyubvi". The song was also sampled by Zimbabwean Artist Rockford Josphat 'Roki' in his track "Zuva neZuva" which featured SK and Pauline.

Track listings

 * CD single 1
 * 1) "I Love Your Smile" (radio version) — 3:46
 * 2) "I Love Your Smile" (extended version) — 4:14
 * 3) "I Love Your Smile" (instrumental) — 4:14


 * CD single 2
 * 1) "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone single remix)
 * 2) "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone club mix)
 * 3) "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone dub mix)
 * 4) "I Love Your Smile" (original single version)


 * 7" single
 * 1) "I Love Your Smile" (radio version) — 3:46
 * 2) "I Love Your Smile" (instrumental) — 4:14


 * 7" single - Driza Bone remix
 * 1) "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone single remix) — 3:50
 * 2) "I Love Your Smile" (original version) — 3:46

Personnel

 * All vocals and rap by Shanice Wilson
 * keyboards, drum programming, programming and synthesized bass by Louis Biancaniello
 * drums and programming by Narada Michael Walden
 * saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis
 * background vocals by Alyssa Lala, Crystal Wilson, David A. Miguel, David Lee, Diamond D, Eric Daniels, Jarvis La Rue Baker, Kathy Horton, Label Atkinson, Lisa Walden, Mike Mani

Weekly charts
1 Driza Bone remix