Joseph Arthur — A Smile That Explodes
Album: Our Shadows Will RemainAvg rating:
Your rating:
Total ratings: 188
Length: 3:14
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Too young to fall
For a light I think I see
Can't say for sure
The plants have died,
My hair has grown
From the thought of you
Coming home
Cuz it ain't easier
Waking up at dawn
To find I lost my crown
If I found you there
With flowers in your hair
I'd hold you in my arms
Till we came back down
A smile that explodes
I could never understand
My room too small
To get by without the help of alcohol
Pin my arm to the wall
Now I'm too gone to fight
Not afraid to fall
Cuz it ain't easier
Waking up at dawn
To find I lost my crown
If I found you there
With flowers in your hair
I' d hold you in my arms
Until we came back down
A smile that explodes
I could never understand
I write one more
Letter I won't send
Except for across the floor
For a light I think I see
Can't say for sure
The plants have died,
My hair has grown
From the thought of you
Coming home
Cuz it ain't easier
Waking up at dawn
To find I lost my crown
If I found you there
With flowers in your hair
I'd hold you in my arms
Till we came back down
A smile that explodes
I could never understand
My room too small
To get by without the help of alcohol
Pin my arm to the wall
Now I'm too gone to fight
Not afraid to fall
Cuz it ain't easier
Waking up at dawn
To find I lost my crown
If I found you there
With flowers in your hair
I' d hold you in my arms
Until we came back down
A smile that explodes
I could never understand
I write one more
Letter I won't send
Except for across the floor
Comments (43)add comment
Not everyone who writes good songs can sing, and vice versa. Like the song, think someone else should sing it. Laura Veirs is the same way.
Does anyone know who the female voice is on this track? She sounds familiar...
Very nice but if it was after another slow song I'd probably find it boring. However, I like it after the African song
I just bumped this one up to a 10.
YYYYYAAAAAAWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNN
Mari wrote:
A Smile That Explodes from your soul, without effort or fear is a smile indeed. such a smile just exploded and i am in a state of mirth, how about you?...
Something inside me smiled when I read your post. I discovered Joseph Arthur when I heard one of his songs playing on my favorite crime drama, Without a Trace. This, however, is the first song I've heard by him in it's entirety. The music is passive, but the lyrics are passionate and beautiful/insightful.
I've heard some of his older work and liked it more than this. This is like Sominex.
Man, enough of this Nick Drake-type stuff. (And Nick Drake.) Snoohoohooooooze.
One of the most haunting, beautiful and depressing songs he's done. Real pick-me-up on a crappy day. 
Does anyone else hear Billy Corgan? I mean the steady guitar tempo droning, and the melody just screams Corgans melodromatic acoustic ballads. Thats not a bad thing though, i'm digging this!
Joe Art is a genius. Anyone who has seen him perform live can attest. He's a one-man show and even throws in live painting as well. The obvious comparisons are Howie Day (the one-man show), John Lennon (his appearance) and Nick Drake (sedated voice)
nice voice.... 
What IS this? 
Time to sleep 
Time to sleep Would love to hear Honey and the Moon from Redemption's Son some day but it's nice to hear any JA.
dolfan wrote:
For a minute there I thought this was Nick Drake. That's a good thing. :nodhead:
For a minute there I thought this was Toad the Wet Sprocket.
physicsgenius wrote:
This comment tickled my funny bone... Physicsgenius made me laugh!
Good music, but back away from the mic, Closey McClose
This comment tickled my funny bone... Physicsgenius made me laugh!
great singer/songwriter, but never cared for his paintings he uses for album art.
Mr. Joseph Arthur gives night-time classes in the local school titled "The art of "Almost Singing" - How to sing in a as-boring-as-possible, pretentiously husky voice"...
Pass. Down from 4 to 3 on second listen.
For a minute there I thought this was Nick Drake. That's a good thing. :nodhead:
Tux wrote:
Anyone surprised that I rate this a 2?
I'm only surprised that you have the hubris to actually expect anyone to keep track of or give a damn about what you do or don't like.
Red_Dawn wrote:Very beautiful!! Is the whole album as nice as this track?
I enjoy this song, though I have the same question as the Dawnster re: the album. I bought Redemption's Son and while I like a few tracks, I don't find myself listening to it all that often the whole way through. Edit: whoops, missed Tosko's entry. Thanks for that.
Tux wrote:
* My rated are not automated, and probably never will be
* A rate is only chosen if I hear the song (some exceptions to the rule are records I know very well - which excludes the low ratings - and just missed on RP)
I just wasn't surprised to hear yet another piece of rubbish from someone I am by now used to have seen produced the same rubbish over and over again.
It appears one persons rubbish is another persons treasure. Personally, I rather enjoys his rubbish.
I appreciate that kind of dreamy atmosphere ; very beautiful...
I think this is one of the weakest songs on the new album. Although it does sound like typical Joseph Arthur, the rest of this album is much more lively and upbeat. Ironically, a few of the tunes off this new album sound Cure-ish, and Bill played the Cure right after this! Play some other tunes from this release, Bill!
I like vocals I can decipher. In general, too, I cannot appreciate whispering as a substitute for singing. This is a nice way of saying that this vocalization style is tiresome and nonmelodious.
Nice song. Great background vocals.
dirtroosters wrote:
Surprised because it's not an auto-mute 1? Or sarcastically surprised because it's yet another low rating for an artist we know you're not fond of? No and no.
* My rated are not automated, and probably never will be
* A rate is only chosen if I hear the song (some exceptions to the rule are records I know very well - which excludes the low ratings - and just missed on RP)
I just wasn't surprised to hear yet another piece of rubbish from someone I am by now used to have seen produced the same rubbish over and over again.
Beautiful, great background
this is really beautiful
Tux wrote:
Anyone surprised that I rate this a 2?
Surprised because it's not an auto-mute 1? Or sarcastically surprised because it's yet another low rating for an artist we know you're not fond of? No and no.
Anyone surprised that I rate this a 2?
Wow :meditate.gif:
Platypus wrote:
damn. 
Uh, exactly!
Very beautiful!! Is the whole album as nice as this track?
Well damn that was nice.
Very nice.
This is why I love this station. You get great music like this.
Good music, but back away from the mic, Closey McClose
I don't understand why people are so harsh on this guy...And they praise Santana...whose last album was absolute overproduced crap. Has anyone listened to "Come to where I am from" and "Redemption's Son", just incredible albums from a very musically gifted artist. And "Our shadows will remain" is not bad either. Give it a chance. This is a strong song from this album.
is there any justice?
wonder if Dido knows he nicked one of her melodies for this one...
damn.
oh CRAP it's 9:30 in the morning!!!!!