Backstabbers or Smiling Faces Sometimes

2 of the greatest soul songs ever, imo, about a similar subject.

I think I prefer Backstabbers, it's such a musical tour de force, has everything.

 

I enjoy them both, though I can see how "Back Stabbers" would have been written along the lines of "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (especially since the former name-checks the latter in the lyrics near the end).

 

I chose Back Stabbers, but I love both songs. The O'Jay's were outstanding in the 70's. The work holds up.

 

SFS. More sinister, haunting, thus conveys the subject very well

 

Back Stabbers.

And it's note even a little close - Back Stabbers is a truly great song.

 

The O'Jays were one of Gamble and Huff's greatest platforms for their production genius. The whole album is terrific.

 

I own only two cds by The O'Jay's, actually their first two: Back Stabbers and Ship Ohoy. Both are most enjoyable. This made my selection easy.

 

Back Stabbers. I first heard it on a K-Tel collection I had when I was a kid and its been a favorite ever since.

 

Both are great, but my preference is the original recording of SFS by the Temptations which runs for 12:35.

 

like both - prefer Smiling Faces Sometimes - long version on Temptation's Sky's the Limit LP.

Also love the SFS version by Rare Earth - LP named Ma. And rare earth's live version on the hard to find Made in Switzerland CD is great.

 

I've gotta add some O'Jays to my collection, those toons are great...

Both of those songs made me uncomfortable when I was a little kid because I had no idea what they were about. I imagined a gang of creepy people (the Backstabbers) following you around a city, waiting to stab you in the back.

 

For me, SFS has more personal impact. Both are superb songs and classics.

 

yup Backstabbers is too good to pass up

 

Wow. Both are fantastic, but the intro to Backstabbers alone - piano, then drums leading everybody in - elevates it for me.

 

SFS......like the more haunting tune.

As everyone else has said, both are great songs.

 

yeah the intro to Backstabbers is just classic. I never heard the Tempations version of Smiling Faces, I'll have to look that one up.

 

Both are great, great songs.

Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I always heard "Smiling Faces Sometimes" as being about whites' hypocrisy toward blacks, while "Backstabbers" was more about hypocrisy within the black community. Thoughts?

 

Love both. Chose SFS due to overplay of BS on oldies stations.

 

I agree

 

I agree

 

A quasi-answer song, perhaps?

 

Backstabbers by a hair.

 

Smiling Faces...........now if you put Ship Ahoy, For the Love of Money or Put You Hands Together. I might have leaned O'Jays. Both great songs!!

 

IMO Backstabbers is much stronger musically.

 

I agree.