Released October 22, 1991 Label Motown2093 | Recorded 1991 | |
Format CD single, 7" single, 12" single, cassette single Length 4:19 (album version)3:56 (radio version)3:50 (Driza Bone single remix) | ||
"I Love Your Smile" is a hit single recorded by American singer Shanice and released in 1991 as the first single from her album Inner Child. The song features a saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis. The radio and video version of the song removes the rap bridge from the album version. Janet Jackson and René Elizondo, Jr. can be heard laughing at the end of the song. The track was produced Louis Biancaniello, and the vocals were produced by Narada Michael Walden.
Contents
To date, "I Love Your Smile" is Shanice's best known and most successful hit. Talib Kweli referenced the song in his single "Hot Thing". It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 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. In the Netherlands, the song peaked at the top of the Dutch Top 40. The song also peaked within the top ten on the charts in France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Australia and Austria. In 1992, the song 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. It features Shanice in a studio having several pictures taken by a photographer.
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
- "I Love Your Smile" (radio version) — 3:46
- "I Love Your Smile" (extended version) — 4:14
- "I Love Your Smile" (instrumental) — 4:14
- "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone single remix)
- "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone club mix)
- "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone dub mix)
- "I Love Your Smile" (original single version)
- "I Love Your Smile" (radio version) — 3:46
- "I Love Your Smile" (instrumental) — 4:14
- "I Love Your Smile" (Driza Bone single remix) — 3:50
- "I Love Your Smile" (original version) — 3:46