Page "Smiley" Paragraph 10

In the 1970s, the happy face ( and the accompanying " have a nice day " mantra ) is also said to have become a zombifying hollow sentiment, emblematic of Nixon-era America and the passing from the optimism of the Summer of Love into the more cynical decade that followed.

This motif is evidenced in the era of " paranoid soul " such as " Smiling Faces Sometimes " ( released by The Temptations in April 1971, and made a hit by The Undisputed Truth in July 1971 ), " I'll Take You There " ( The Staples Singers, 1972 ), " Don't Call Me Brother " ( The O ' Jays, 1973 ), " Back Stabbers " ( The O ' Jays ), and " You Caught Me Smilin ( Sly and the Family Stone, 1971 ).

The origins of this was parodied in a famous scene from the movie Forrest Gump when Forrest is on his multiple jogs across America, and wipes his face on a T shirt given him by a struggling salesman, and on the shirt, as if transferred there by Forrest's face, is the image of the happy face, whereupon the man gets his idea.