Smiling Tears (Thalia)
A warm, uplifting, and incredibly catchy acoustic indie folk-pop anthem. The style is a blend of HHozier's soulful delivery with the layered harmonies and intricate acoustic arrangements of Fleet FFoxes. The track is driven by a bright, fingerpicked acoustic guitar, a simple, shuffling drum beat, and a warm, melodic bassline. The male vocal is relaxed, confident, and full of a newfound, gentle wisdom. The chorus explodes into beautiful, layered, multi-part harmonies that are infectious and joyful. The song has a feeling of dawning sunlight after a long storm. It's acoustic, organic, deeply melancholic in its lyrical wisdom, but overwhelmingly hopeful in its sound.
Smiling Tears (Thalia)
A warm, uplifting, and incredibly catchy acoustic indie folk-pop anthem. The style is a blend of HHozier's soulful delivery with the layered harmonies and intricate acoustic arrangements of Fleet FFoxes. The track is driven by a bright, fingerpicked acoustic guitar, a simple, shuffling drum beat, and a warm, melodic bassline. The male vocal is relaxed, confident, and full of a newfound, gentle wisdom. The chorus explodes into beautiful, layered, multi-part harmonies that are infectious and joyful. The song has a feeling of dawning sunlight after a long storm. It's acoustic, organic, deeply melancholic in its lyrical wisdom, but overwhelmingly hopeful in its sound.
Lyrics
Intro
A single, bright, fingerpicked acoustic guitar melody, clear and hopeful
The sound of a gentle, relieved exhale
Male Vocals, a warm, relaxed voice, with a slight smile in it
I met a girl today.
She had a funny mask.
She asked me if my ghosts… still pay rent.
Verse 1
A simple, shuffling drum beat and a warm, melodic bassline enter
The acoustic guitar drives the song forward
I used to think that tragedy was noble and profound
A crown of thorns I wore so well as I walked the hallowed ground
I built a church to my own pain, I polished every tear
And memorized the epitaph of every wasted year
And then you come along and trip upon a loose floorboard and laugh
And say my grand opera is just a silly photograph
Pre-Chorus
The music builds slightly. A gentle tambourine is added. A hint of vocal harmony
You point at all my demons that I painted on the wall
And ask me if I've named them all, from biggest to the small
You say the greatest joke of all, the punchline to the pain
Is how we think the hurricane will never end the rain
Chorus
The song blossoms. Beautiful, rich, multi-part vocal harmonies enter, creating a joyful, layered sound
The acoustic guitar is strummed with more energy
And these are smiling tears, the kind that finally see
The beautiful absurdity of what it is to be
This isn't a redemption song, it’s just a sweet release
To find a little bit of comedy, and a little bit of peace
Oh, the irony.
Verse 2
The warm, relaxed groove continues
My muse of sorrow was so chic, in velvet and in black
My muse of history was deep, there was no turning back
My muse of passion was a fire, my muse of dance a storm
But you just showed up in ripped jeans to keep my spirit warm
You say the darkest shadows make the funniest of shapes
And all my epic failures were just brilliant escapes
Bridge
The music strips back to just the acoustic guitar and a single, sustained vocal harmony
The vocals are intimate, a moment of pure realization
She whispers, “Laughter, my dear boy… is the last line of defense.”
“It doesn't make it better. It just starts to make some sense.”
Outro
The final chorus comes back, full of life, warmth, and acceptance
The vocal harmonies are soaring and infectious
THESE ARE SMILING TEARS, THE KIND THAT FINALLY SEE
THE BEAUTIFUL ABSURDITY OF WHAT IT IS TO BE
THIS ISN'T A REDEMPTION SONG, IT’S JUST A SWEET RELEASE
TO FIND A LITTLE BIT OF COMEDY, AND A LITTLE BIT OF PEACE
OH, THE IRONY.
The music fades out with the repeating, layered vocal harmonies of "Oh, the irony..."
A final, happy strum of the acoustic guitar, followed by the sound of soft, genuine laughter.