OPTIMISM: 3 Songs

OPTIMISM

Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Pessimism is the belief that things will get worse.
    There's a famous saying that the pessimist sees a glass half filled with water and says the glass is half empty while the optimist says it's half full. So one views the facts hopefully and the other views the facts hopelessly, though they're the same facts.
    These three songs view the world with hope. Two of them encourage the listener to smile. The other encourages the listener to hope until tomorrow, which is only a day away.

WHEN YOU'RE SMILING

This is a song from the 1920s, one of thousands of American pop songs that have stood the test of time. It's been recorded by many singers. This version is by Nat King Cole, but Judy Garland also recorded the song, as did Frank Sinatra.

When you're smiling, when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. When you're laughing, when you're laughing, the sun comes shining through. But when you're crying you bring on the rain, so stop your sighing, be happy again. Keep on smiling, cause when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. (Repeat).

SMILE

This song was written by the legendary film actor, director, writer, producer, and composer Charles Spencer Chaplin, known throughout the world as "Charlie." At one time Chaplin was probably the most famous man in the world, seen everywhere on silver screens or on sheets neighbors hung up outdoors to view his films on. Chaplin wrote the melodies of three film themes that were later set to words and became very popular. These include "Eternally," "This Is My Song," and "Smile," probably the most popular of the three. The theme was taken from Chaplin's film, Modern Times and set to the text below. It was supposedly Michael Jackson's favorite song and he recorded it on his HIStory collection. Judy Garland sings the song in this video. Garland was one of the great voices of the 20th century and, like Michael Jackson, started as a child star in The Wizard of Oz. But even in her midteens she belted out songs like a much older person. Her double LP, Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall (1961) was the first double album to sell a million copies. Today it may be available on a single CD. If you want to hear a vocalist captue an audience, listen to that album.

Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it's breaking. When there are clouds in the sky you'll get by if you smile through your fear and sorrow, smile and maybe tomorrow you'll see the sun come shining through for you. Light up your face with gladness, hide every trace of sadness, although a tear may be ever so near. That's the time you must keep on trying, Smile, what's the use of crying, you'll find that life is still worth while, if you just smile. Light up your face with gladness, hide every trace of sadness, although a tear may be ever so near. That's the time you must keep on trying, smile what's the use of trying, you'll find that life is still worth while, if you just smile.

TOMORROW

This song is from the Broadway and film musical, Annie, based on a popular early comic strip, Little Orphan Annie. The lyrics are in the video.

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