‘Uncertain Smile’ is a song by English band The The. It was first released as a single in October 1982 before being re-recorded for the band's debut album Soul Mining. That version was re-released as a single in November 1983. The album version of the song is known for its extended piano outro, played by former Squeeze keyboardist Jools Holland. The song was the band's first charting song, reaching No. 68 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 43 in Australia. Upon its re-release in 1983, it reached No. 31 in the Netherlands.
In its earliest stages, the song was titled ‘Cold Spell Ahead’ while in its demo phase. Stevo Pearce, the owner of Some Bizzare Records, told bandleader Matt Johnson to keep reworking it so that it could become a single. It impressed London Recordings, and Pearce convinced the label to give Johnson an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to record the song in studio. Johnson, who felt that London was not friendly to him, ended up signing with CBS Records instead after Pearce reneged on his handshake agreement with London and initiated a bidding war on the strength of ‘Uncertain Smile’.
The album version of ‘Uncertain Smile’ maintains the xylimba intro but replaces Cioe's saxophone solo with a piano solo played by Jools Holland. Johnson said of Holland's performance: "It was a sweltering summer’s day and he turned up in full leathers on his vintage Norton bike so he wasn’t cool, he was sweltering somewhat. But he was very humble, very low key, very nice person. It was recorded on a nice piano and I still own it. It’s a Yamaha C3 baby grand and it was in a really good live room. Someone asked me why I chose to put a piano solo on that song and it was simply because we had such a nice sounding piano in such a nice sounding room."
‘Uncertain Smile’ received very positive reviews from contemporary critics. Smash Hits gave it top honors and declared, "Never mind record of the week, this is the week of the The The record... [Johnson's] sleazy Lou Reed vocals contrast beautifully with a bubbling melange of smoochy synthetics, around which a delicate, folksy flute flutters from time to time." Noise Magazine called it "one of the best dance records to come out of this country for a long time." Sounds described it as a "hypnotic recording that hooks deeper into you with its casual intrusiveness the more you hear it." However, Record Mirror criticised it for being "long and drawn out."
Labels – Epic, Some Bizzare
Songwriter – Matt Johnson
Producers – Mike Thorne, Paul Hardiman and Matt Johnson
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Peeling the skin back from my eyes
I felt surprised
That the time on the clock was the time
I usually retired
To the place where I cleared my head of you
But just for today, I think I'll lie here and dream of you
[Chorus]
I've got you under my skin where the rain can't get in
But if the sweat pours out
Just shout
I'll try to swim and pull you out
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 2]
A howling wind blows the litter
As the rain flows
And streetlamps pour orange colored shapes
Through your windows
A broken soul stares from a pair of watering eyes
Uncertain emotions force an uncertain smile
[Chorus]
I've got you under my skin where the rain can't get in
But if the sweat pours out
Just shout
I'll try to swim and pull you out
[Instrumental Outro]