Discover the story of the song > Smiley Faces – Gnarls Barkley

The song is about someone asking the protagonist whether they are happy or not and how they manage to keep smiling even when life is tough. The protagonist is asked about their past experiences, both good and bad, and how they dealt with them. The singer encourages them to keep on smiling and not to lose hope, and reminds them of something positive to smile about, like the irony of their partner's love for them despite their annoying habits. The chorus repeats the message that even though life is hard, the protagonist should keep on smiling.