"Sensitive to a Smile" is a single from the New Zealand reggae band

Herbs In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

from the '' Sensitive to a Smile'' album. The single reached #9 in the New Zealand chart.

Background

"Sensitive to a Smile" was written by Dilworth Karaka and Charlie Tumahai with the American poet Todd Casella, who had moved to New Zealand and was a fan of the band. Karaka calls it "very much a family song". The song and album were originally set to be released in 1986, but the success of the song "

Slice of Heaven "Slice of Heaven" is a single by New Zealand singer-songwriter Dave Dobbyn with the band Herbs, released in 1986 on the soundtrack of the animated motion picture, '' Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail Tale''. The single reached 1 on the New Zealand ...

", that Herbs had recorded with

Dave Dobbyn Sir David Joseph Dobbyn (born 3 January 1957) is a New Zealand musician, singer–songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash. Since then he ...

, meant that they held back the release of "Sensitive to a Smile" and the album.

Music video

The video was made in

Ruatoria Ruatoria ( mi, Ruatōria) is a town in the Waiapu Valley of the Gisborne Region in the northeastern corner of New Zealand's North Island. The town was originally known as Cross Roads then Manutahi and was later named Ruatorea in 1913, after the Mā ...

so that the band could give support to the Rastafarian protests happening in the area. The video was shot by

Lee Tamahori Warren Lee Tamahori (; born 17 June 1950) is a New Zealand filmmaker best known for directing the 1994 film ''Once Were Warriors'', the 2001 film '' Along Came a Spider'', and 2002's James Bond film ''Die Another Day''. Upbringing and early career ...

, the future director of ''

Once Were Warriors ''Once Were Warriors'' is New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling first novel, published in 1990. It tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and portrays the reality of domestic violence in New Zealand. It was the basis of a 1 ...

''.

Track listing

# "Sensitive to a Smile" # "Station of Love"

Awards and critical acclaim

At the 1987 New Zealand Music Awards, the single won the best video award and Charles Tumahai and Dilworth Karaka the best songwriter award. In 2001, the song was voted 80th most popular New Zealand song as part of the APRA Best New Zealand Songs of All Time.

Year-end charts

Aotearoa Reggae All Stars version

In June 2013, a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of "Sensitive to a Smile" was released on iTunes by the Aotearoa Reggae All Stars, a

supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to: * Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields * Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry * Supergroup ...

of New Zealand reggae artists.
- It debuted at #2 in the Official New Zealand Music Chart singles chart, and at #1 in the Official New Zealand Music Chart New Zealand singles chart. The single re-entered the New Zealand chart in February 2014 at number 30. The song was released as a

charity single A charity record or charity single is a song released by musicians with most or all proceeds raised going to a dedicated foundation or charity. George Harrison's " Bangla Desh" single in 1971 is commonly acknowledged as the first ever purpose-mad ...

, with proceeds benefiting the violence-free parenting advocacy charity Mana Ririki. The project was conceived by Avina Kelekolio of Tomorrow People and Rio Panapa of

Sons of Zion Sons of Zion is a six-member New Zealand reggae band who formed in 2007 in Pakuranga, Auckland. They became widely famous in New Zealand in early 2018, due to the popularity of their single "Drift Away". Biography Band members Sam Eriwata and ...

. The group features Sons of Zion, Tomorrow People, Three Houses Down, House of Shem,

Ria Hall Ria Hall is a Māori recording artist and presenter on Maori TV's ''AIA Marae DIY'' in 2012-13. Life and career Hall was born in 1982 or 1983 and is of Ngāi Te Rangi/Ngāti Ranginui ancestry, and has three older sisters. She grew up in Maungat ...

, Majic Paora,

Che Fu Che Kuo Eruera Ness (born 1974), better known by his stage name Che Fu, is a New Zealand hip hop, R&B and reggae artist, songwriter and producer. A founding member of the band Supergroove, as a solo artist he has gone on to sell thousands of ...

Katchafire Katchafire are an all Māori New Zealand roots reggae band from Hamilton, New Zealand. History Katchafire formed in Hamilton in 1997, originally as a Bob Marley tribute band.Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013)Katchafire keeping NZ reggae scene ...

, 1814, Chad Chambers, NRG Rising and Tasty Brown. The single release was accompanied by a behind-the-scenes documentary broadcast on

Māori Television Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

Chart performance

Hollie Smith version

In 2008, to celebrate the song's 20th anniversary, Herbs' 30th anniversary and the release of their career best-of album, the New Zealand singer

Hollie Smith Hollie Smith (born 17 November 1982) is a New Zealand soul singer-songwriter based in Auckland, New Zealand. Her four solo albums ''Long Player, Humour and the Misfortune of Others, Water or Gold,'' and ''Coming In From The Dark'' have all reach ...

recorded a version of the song with the

Mount Roskill Mount Roskill is a suburban area in the city of Auckland, New Zealand. It is named for the volcanic peak Puketāpapa (commonly called "Mount Roskill" in English). Description The suburb, named after the Mount, is located seven kilometres to ...

Primary School choir. The song peaked at number 33 in the New Zealand singles chart. The song was included on Herbs' 2008 best-of album, ''Lights of the Pacific - The Very Best of Herbs''.

References

External links

Herbs - "Sensitive to a Smile" music video (NZ On Screen)

Behind the Scenes documentary (NZ On Screen)
{{authority control 1987 singles 2013 singles APRA Award winners Herbs (band) songs 1986 songs