"When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)"

1928. Larry Shea, Mark Fisher & Joe Goodwin.

popular standard first made famous by Louis Armstrong, later recorded by Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland and Dean Martin, and, more recently, by Rufus Wainwright.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-81SyKZFOQ

recorded at home under the apricot tree on a Mya Moe sycamore concert ukulele.

thanks for taking a look! hope you like it.

You left out Cliff Bruner...which happens to be the version of the tune that has kept me going for the last thirty or so years-
Until about 3 minutes ago, I would never have thought that this tune could get better than Cliff's version:

I mean. really, it has it all- Uke, electric guitar (very early), Dog house bass, fiddle, steel...piano.
Then I heard it under an Apricot Tree in Taz on a Mya Sycamore...
Pure magic here mate.
I have spent an entire lifetime making those words my daily mantra, and this tune plays through my head whenever I am blue. Ah- enough of that, great job on a tune that has meant a lot to me for a long time- I wish I could play it like that (until then, I play it my way and keep on smilin')
Very special stuff there mate...thank you

Played this one for two years,since I found/figured out
the chords! Always loved Louis Armstrong's version,and
have heard many others in my lifetime! Great Song...

TCK said:

You left out Cliff Bruner...which happens to be the version of the tune that has kept me going for the last thirty or so years-
Until about 3 minutes ago, I would never have thought that this tune could get better than Cliff's version:

I mean. really, it has it all- Uke, electric guitar (very early), Dog house bass, fiddle, steel...piano.
Then I heard it under an Apricot Tree in Taz on a Mya Sycamore...
Pure magic here mate.
I have spent an entire lifetime making those words my daily mantra, and this tune plays through my head whenever I am blue. Ah- enough of that, great job on a tune that has meant a lot to me for a long time- I wish I could play it like that (until then, I play it my way and keep on smilin')
Very special stuff there mate...thank you

Click to expand...

Wow! Cliff Bruner and his Texas Wanderers...that was AWESOME. Instantly favorited for me. Just magnificent. :rock:Thank YOU Dave for that one brother. Just loved it!!!

And thanks for your kind words about my bash at it mate. They mean lots.

Aloha Eugene,
Love the song, and you're playing it on your concert sycamore,,,,sounds awesome......do ya have the chords mate?? thank you for sharing...MM Stan

Bless up mate- I knew you would like what Cliff did with it...swung it way out west Your job on it is a cracker though- no denying...just call it like I see it.

mm stan said:

Aloha Eugene,
Love the song, and you're playing it on your concert sycamore,,,,sounds awesome......do ya have the chords mate?? thank you for sharing...MM Stan

Click to expand...

hey Stan! Thanks for the comment Bruddah.

Sure I got the chords. Goes a little something like this...


"When You're Smiling"


When you're (G)smiling, when you're (G7)smiling
The (E7)whole world smiles with (Am)you
When you're laughing, when you're laughing
The (D7)sun comes shining (G)through
But when you're (G7)crying, you (C)bring out the rain
So stop your (A7)sighing: be (D7)happy again!
And keep on (G)smiling, cause when you're (E7)smiling
The (Am)whole world (D7)smiles with (G)you!

Aloha Eugene,
wow ...mahalo... I am copying it down now...whoo woo thanks again...MM Stan

mm stan said:

Aloha Eugene,
wow ...mahalo... I am copying it down now...whoo woo thanks again...MM Stan

Click to expand...

no probs Stan.

Except with this caviat: some guy just posted a comment saying I was playing the wrong second chord...he says it isn't G7 but reckons it's Bm. He could be right too. Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about a chord...Try em out and see what you reckon mate...

Hi guys:
Try Gmaj7 for the second chord. That's what all the tabs have that I have seen

Just realised that I do this in F! The chords
I found & worked out are:

When You're Smiling:

(F) When You're smiling,When You're smi(Am)ling
the wh(D7)ole world smiles with (Gm)you
when you're la(Gm)ughing,when you're laugh(C7)ing
the (C7)sun (C)comes shi(F)ning through
But when you're cry(F7)ing,you br(Bb)ing on the rain
so stop your si(G7)ghing,be ha(C7)ppy again
(C)Keep on smi(F)ling,Cos when you're (D7)smiling
The (Gm)whole world (Am)smiles (F)with you

But I'm going to try it in the key shown earlier in
this thread! Always satisfying to mess about with
key changes to suit individual voices!

Edit:Just tried it in the key shown earlier in this thread
and I reckon the second chord IS Bm.I just transposed
the chords I have been using into the key of G and the
whole song comes out as:

(G)When You're smiling,When You're (Bm)smiling
the (E7)whole world smiles with (Am)you
when you're (Am)laughing,when you're (D7)laughing
the (D7)sun comes (D)shining (G)through
But when you're (G7)crying,you (C)bring on the rain
so stop your (A7)sighing,be (D7)happy again
(D)Keep on smi(G)ling,Cos when you're (E7)smiling
The (Am)whole world (Bm)smiles with (G)you

And having played both,I reckon I will stick to 'my'
original version in F as it suits my voice better!

Well done mate , loved it you are a great player,wish you was in the UK so i could learn from you lets hope one day im back in Oz anyway keep up the fantastic playing and look forward to the next one, im going to try and do a slowed down relaxed version of five foot two tyonight at uke club and try a bit of amaetur picking but the nerves take over anyway have a great week mate all the best from a pin pong pom who wants to ping back to Oz , anyway have a great week

Great job, Eugene. However, I can never hear this song without thinking Mel Torme (The Golden Fog!!!) singing it with Kramer on "Seinfeld". I laugh every time I even think about it.

Very nice cover of one of my favourite songs! Tempo is a bit faster than normal but you pull it off well

Just checked out your other videos and have to say I love your old tunes - a man after my heart haha. It's very unexepecting from an old Tasmanian dog like yourself, subscribed! Easily one of my favourites now

vintage version

A long time ago was this version :