 "Sensitive to a Smile" was written by Dilworth Karaka and Charlie Tumahai with the American poet Todd Casella, who had moved to New Zealand and was a fan of the band.Karaka calls it "very much a family song".The song and album were originally set to be released in 1986, but the success of the song "Slice of Heaven", that Herbs had recorded with Dave Dobbyn, meant that they held back the release of "Sensitive to a Smile" and the album.