You Can’t Tell How Much Suffering (On A Face That’s Always Smiling)

Brave face, an English illusion
Stiff lips soft and creamy inside
I'm hip to your pain and confusion
You can't tell how much suffering
On a face that's always smiling
I swore I would always be with you
But now I'm afraid of your tears
I fear that you might take me with you
You can't tell how much suffering
On a face that's always smiling

I've grinned my way through beatings
I've smiled my way through school
But underneath this grinning
Is the sadness of the fool
No longer know my feelings
Been fooling for too long
Born of desperation in an effort to look strong
Look strong, look strong
Hey there monkey face you look so strong

That joke could crack you with laughter
Release from the edge of despair
Success is the god that I'm after
In jokes, I'm a millionaire

I've grinned my way through beatings
I've smiled my way through school
But underneath this grinning
Is the sadness of the fool
No longer know my feelings
Been fooling for too long
Born of desperation in an effort to look strong
Look strong, look strong
Hey there monkey face you look so strong
You look so strong
You gotta look so strong

You can't tell how much suffering on a face that's always smiling
You can't tell how much suffering on a face that's always smiling
You can't tell how much suffering on a face that's always smiling

Open in Spotify

• Gold Mother (white label) :Promo, Album, 1990
• Gold Mother (Japan) :Studio, Album, 1990
• Gold Mother :Studio, Album, 1990
• James (USA Promo) :Studio, Album, 1991
• James (USA, Canada) :Compilation, Album, 1991
• Gold Mother (reissue CDR) :Promo, Album, 2001
• Gold Mother (Simply Vinyl white label) :Promo, Album, 2002
• The Gathering Sound :Compilation, Box Set, 2012
• The Greenpeace Palace Concert :Live, Album, 2016

Played at:

• Manchester Free Trade Hall – 17th December 1992
• Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – 13th December 1992
• Los Angeles The Palace Theater – 23rd November 1992
• The Other Side – September 1992
• Stockholm Moderna Museet – 27th June 1992
• Glastonbury Festival – 26th June 1992
• Lisbon Coliseu dos Recreios – 8th May 1992
• Bern Stufenbau – 4th May 1992
• Radio Europe Black Session – 30th April 1992
• Berlin Quartier Latin – 28th April 1992
• Paris Bataclan – 23rd April 1992
• Glasgow Barrowlands – 6th November 1991
• London Brixton Academy – 25th October 1991
• Portsmouth Guildhall – 22nd October 1991
• Lausanne Dolce Vita – 22nd June 1991
• Seinajoki Festival – 8th June 1991
• Paris La Cigale – 18th October 1990
• Blackpool Empress Ballroom – 4th August 1990
• Blackpool Empress Ballroom – 3rd August 1990
• London Kilburn National – 19th June 1990
• Norwich UEA – 17th June 1990
• Sheffield University – 14th June 1990
• Bristol Studio – 10th June 1990
• Exeter University – 9th June 1990
• Hull City Hall – 8th June 1990
• Lancaster University – 6th June 1990
• Glasgow Barrowlands – 5th June 1990
• St Andrew’s University – 4th June 1990
• Brighton The Event – 14th May 1990
• Cambridge Corn Exchange – 13th May 1990
• London Town And Country Club – 28th November 1989
• Liverpool University – 25th November 1989
• Edinburgh Carlton – 17th November 1989
• Bradford Futurama Festival – 1st October 1989
• Halifax Piece Hall – 20th August 1989
• London Marquee Club – 3rd July 1989
• London Dominion Theatre – 22nd March 1989
• Birmingham Powerhouse – 21st March 1989
• Sheffield University – 15th March 1989
• Newcastle Riverside – 14th March 1989

Unavailable