From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Smile (Laura Nyro album)
Smile (Laura Nyro album)
Smile full-band tour in 1976, which was documented the fol-
lowing year on the live album Season of Lights.
Studio album by Laura Nyro
Released February 1976
Overview
Recorded New York City, 1975
After Nyro’s huge burst of creativity between 1966 and
Genre Pop 1971, when she recorded five well-received albums and
well over 40 original songs, she retreated from the lime-
Length 31:57
light, partly stung by her lack of major commercial suc-
Label Columbia (UK) cess in her own right but also because of the lure of love.
Columbia (US) Nyro married Vietnam War veteran David Bianchini
Producer Laura Nyro, Charlie Calello in 1972 after a whirlwind romance and spent the next
three years living with him in a small town in Massachu-
Professional reviews setts. The marriage ended after three years, during which
time Nyro grew accustomed to the country life as op-
The reviews parameter has been deprecated.
Please move reviews into the “Reception” section
posed to the city life where she had recorded her first five
of the article. See Moving reviews into article records.
space. In 1975, she split from Bianchini and also suffered the
• Allmusic link trauma of the death of her mother Gilda Nigro to ovari-
• Robert Christgau (B-) link an cancer at the age of 49 — Nyro herself died from the
• Rolling Stone (mixed) link same disease at the same age two decades later. She con-
Laura Nyro chronology soled herself largely by recording a new album, enlisting
arranger and producer Charlie Calello, with whom she
Gonna Take a Miracle Smile Season of Lights had collaborated on Eli and the Thirteenth Confession.
(1971) (1976) (1977) Musically, Smile begins the "mellow period" that Nyro
stayed with on her studio albums for the rest of her ca-
Smile is the sixth music album by New York singer, song- reer, although it continues her fascination with mysti-
writer, and pianist Laura Nyro. cism with various exotic instruments and arrangements.
The album was released in early 1976 following a The title track, particularly, explores a deep flirtation
four-year hiatus from the music industry during which with Japanese music.
time Nyro both married and divorced and lived away
from the spotlight. Her return came at a time when her
chief musical rival Joni Mitchell had ascended into the
Track listing
public eye with a series of successful jazz-pop albums, All tracks composed by Laura Nyro; except where indi-
and as a result Nyro’s popularity had waned. cated
The music of Smile is smooth jazz-pop, and Nyro was Title Time
reunited with producer and arranger Charlie Calello, who Sexy Mama"
"Sexy Mama 2:41
had worked with Nyro on her 1968 opus Eli and the Thir- (Al Goodman,
teenth Confession. Sylvia Robin-
Musically, Smile finds Nyro exploring Japanese cul- son, Harry
ture with traditional Oriental instrumentation and lyric Ray)
allusions, particularly on the mildly controversial "Chil-
Children
"Children of 2:49
dren of the Junks." Elsewhere, Nyro rails against the mu-
Junks"
the Junks
sic industry ("Money") and sings of her new laidback
lifestyle away from the glare of the media. Money"
"Money 4:59
Despite her long absence, Columbia Records had re- I
"I Am the 5:44
signed Nyro and the album became a small chart success Blues"
Blues
during 1976, peaking at #60 on the Billboard 200, then Stormy
"Stormy 4:29
known as the Pop Albums chart. It produced Nyro’s first Love"
Love
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Smile (Laura Nyro album)
"The Cat
The 2:34 8. "Smile"
Song"
Song 9. "Someone Loves You" [demo] Bonus track
10. "Get Me My Cap" [demo] Bonus track
Midnite
"Midnite 3:05
11. "Coffee Morning" [demo] Bonus track
Blue"
Blue
Smile"
"Smile 5:36
References
The Japanese Remastered version with Bonus Tracks • Michele Kort’s biography Soul Picnic: The Music and
1. "Sexy Mama" Passion of Laura Nyro (ISBN 0-312-20941-X)
2. "Children of the Junks"
3. "Money"
4. "I Am the Blues"
External links
5. "Stormy Love" • Allmusic Laura Nyro biography entry.
6. "Cat Song" • Laura Nyro official web site.
7. "Midnite Blue"
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smile_(Laura_Nyro_album)&oldid=414482160"
Categories:
• 1976 albums
• Laura Nyro albums
• Albums produced by Charles Calello
• Columbia Records albums
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