Sensitive to a Smile (album)

Sensitive to a Smile
Studio album by
Released1987
RecordedMascot Recording Studios, Auckland
GenrePacific reggae
LabelWarrior
ProducerBilly Kristian
Herbs chronology
Long Ago
(1984)
Sensitive to a Smile
(1987)
Homegrown
(1990)
Singles from Sensitive to a Smile
  1. "Sensitive to a Smile"
    Released: 1987
  2. "Rust in Dust"
    Released: 1987
  3. "Listen"
    Released: 1988
  4. "No Nukes (The Second Letter)"
    Released: 1989

Sensitive to a Smile is a 1987 album by New Zealand reggae band Herbs. It reached number 10 and spent 30 weeks in the New Zealand album chart[1] and was awarded Album of the Year at the 1987 New Zealand Music Awards.[2] The album included the four singles "Sensitive to a Smile", "Rust In Dust", "Listen" and "No Nukes (The Second Letter)", all of which charted.[3] Sensitive to a Smile was re-released digitally in 2012 with extra tracks from Herbs' 1984 album Long Ago and their 1982 single "French Letter (A Letter To France)".[4]

The album was launched at Mangahanea marae in Ruatoria, as a gesture of unity to Ruatoria after it had seen conflict between local Rastafarian groups and the community, as well as arson attacks.[5] The launch concert was filmed by director Lee Tamahori and became the basis of the music video for the first single "Sensitive to a Smile".[6]

Fred Faleauto and Dilworth Karaka first recorded a version of "E Papa" with the Pātea Māori Club who released it as a reggae pop single in 1985.[7][8] The song is a traditional composition sung during tītī tōrea (stick games).[7]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."E Papa"Traditional2:06
2."Travellin In Style"Tama Lundon/Willie Hona4:18
3."No Nukes (The Second Letter to France)"Dilworth Karaka/Charlie Tumahai4:13
4."Sunshine at Night"Willie Hona/Tama Lundon/Todd Casella3:31
5."Sensitive to a Smile"Dilworth Karaka/Charlie Tumahai4:29
6."Rust in Dust"Dilworth Karaka/Charlie Tumahai3:25
7."Listen"Willie Hona/Tama Lundon/Todd Casella4:31
8."Station of Love"Willie Hona/Thom Nepia/Fred Faleauto3:53
9."Pay The Man"Dilworth Karaka/Charlie Tumahai3:54
10."Jah Knows"Dilworth Karaka/Willie Hona3:03
2012 digital bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Karanga Ra"Miro Hawke/Dilworth Karaka0:29
12."Long Ago"Willie Hona/Tama Lundon4:19
13."Nuclear Waste"Willie Hona/Tama Lundon/Rob Van De Lisdonk4:25
14."French Letter (a Letter to France)"Toni Fonoti4:35
15."Repatriation"Peter Stretch/Dilworth Karaka4:14

Personnel

[edit]
  • Fred Faleauto – drums/vocals
  • Dilworth Karaka – guitar/vocals
  • Morrie Watene – sax/vocals
  • Willie Hona – guitar/vocals
  • Tama Lundon – keyboards/vocals
  • Charles Tumahai – bass/vocals
  • Thom Nepia – percussion/vocals
  • Billy Kristian – producer
  • Victor Grbic – engineer
  • Hugh Harawira Lynn – executive producer

Awards

[edit]
Year Nominee / work Award Result
1987 Sensitive to a Smile 1987 New Zealand Music Awards – Album of the Year Won[2]
1987 Billy Kristian for Sensitive to a Smile 1987 New Zealand Music Awards – Best Producer Won[2]

Charts

[edit]

Weekly charts

[edit]
Chart (1987) Peak
position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[9] 10

Year-end charts

[edit]
Chart (1987) Position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10] 23

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "HERBS – SENSITIVE TO A SMILE (ALBUM)". charts.nz. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "1987 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  3. ^ "HERBS IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  4. ^ "Herbs albums being released digitally". 3 News. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  5. ^ Kara, Scott (22 November 2008). "Politics, peace and love (stories behind 5 songs as told by Karaka)". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Herbs Profile". Audio Culture. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Shake Summation". Rip It Up. No. 101. 1 December 1985. p. 30. Retrieved 12 November 2021 – via Papers Past.
  8. ^ Poi E (booklet). Patea Maori. Maui Records, WEA Records NZ. 1987. MAUILP 14.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ "Charts.nz – Herbs – Sensitive to a Smile". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1987 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
[edit]