This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Right there...cool
Come here
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen a million of em
They look at me for a split second
Then they grin, never to be seen again
But it's locked in, so I can read every line
Its written all over your upside down mind
With an upside down smile
Whoops upside your head, well hey now
I never forget a face, especially your's
Because the mirror is the only dimension without flaws
I look out till again
And then begin to look out for the faces of men
Cause I done been face to face with a serpent
Demon is the same think it is when it aint
White like snow or black like coal
Yellow like the moon and red(read) like a book
To live or die is the plot but the face is the hook
So meet the face from left field
3 eyes two ears one nose and a grill, but still remain faceless
oh ya
(chorus)
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
So can I take a poloroid? -say cheese-
Of the face that got you employed -please-
Same face your momma enjoyed as a boy
Will be the same face that will get you destroyed
Now you got to face the facts, face the music
You cannot about face it and turn back when you abuse it
So wisdoms use it wise, bat thoses eyes, show them teeth
Lick them lips even powder them cheeks
So while your passin', im askin' myself
I wonder if she knows what I'm looking at
Well look at that, a face that got me looking back
I can see the history in your bone structer
I can see the misery in your frown
So smile now and cry later
Or just walk around with the face of a clown and still remain faceless
I said smile now and cry later
Or just walk around with the face of a clown and still remain faceless
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
Do you know how far a face can take you?
It can make you or break you, or inflate you
They're either going to love you or hate you
Or never notice you if you're a face they don't relate to
You fear my face, don't wanna get near my face
You get judged by your mug, they didn't hear your case
Now face the wall -face the wall!-
Your face is against the law
You look at me I look at y'all
I recelect everything I saw in the face of the prowl
But im just another face in the crowd -just another face in the crowd-
To figure that at face value is not allowed
Tell it to my face, and tell it to me now
Tryin' to mad dog, but you got the face of a puppy dog
Like a puppet, just like a baby doll
Ain't that right baby face? cutie pie?
Good lookin'? twinkle in your daddies eye?
And then scarface replied I was born with a face I can't hide
-a face I can't hide- a face full of pride
A face that's been denide on sight
I reconize the face but the name slips by
But still your not faceless
Yo
Come here
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen a million of em
They look at me for a split second
Then they grin, never to be seen again
But it's locked in, so I can read every line
Its written all over your upside down mind
With an upside down smile
Whoops upside your head, well hey now
I never forget a face, especially your's
Because the mirror is the only dimension without flaws
I look out till again
And then begin to look out for the faces of men
Cause I done been face to face with a serpent
Demon is the same think it is when it aint
White like snow or black like coal
Yellow like the moon and red(read) like a book
To live or die is the plot but the face is the hook
So meet the face from left field
3 eyes two ears one nose and a grill, but still remain faceless
oh ya
(chorus)
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
So can I take a poloroid? -say cheese-
Of the face that got you employed -please-
Same face your momma enjoyed as a boy
Will be the same face that will get you destroyed
Now you got to face the facts, face the music
You cannot about face it and turn back when you abuse it
So wisdoms use it wise, bat thoses eyes, show them teeth
Lick them lips even powder them cheeks
So while your passin', im askin' myself
I wonder if she knows what I'm looking at
Well look at that, a face that got me looking back
I can see the history in your bone structer
I can see the misery in your frown
So smile now and cry later
Or just walk around with the face of a clown and still remain faceless
I said smile now and cry later
Or just walk around with the face of a clown and still remain faceless
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
Let me holler at you face to face
See ace been place to place
I seen plenty of em
But don't let the face fool ya
There's so many of em, but still remain faceless
Do you know how far a face can take you?
It can make you or break you, or inflate you
They're either going to love you or hate you
Or never notice you if you're a face they don't relate to
You fear my face, don't wanna get near my face
You get judged by your mug, they didn't hear your case
Now face the wall -face the wall!-
Your face is against the law
You look at me I look at y'all
I recelect everything I saw in the face of the prowl
But im just another face in the crowd -just another face in the crowd-
To figure that at face value is not allowed
Tell it to my face, and tell it to me now
Tryin' to mad dog, but you got the face of a puppy dog
Like a puppet, just like a baby doll
Ain't that right baby face? cutie pie?
Good lookin'? twinkle in your daddies eye?
And then scarface replied I was born with a face I can't hide
-a face I can't hide- a face full of pride
A face that's been denide on sight
I reconize the face but the name slips by
But still your not faceless
Yo
Lyrics submitted by Ice
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings

Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo

I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.

Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.

Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.

Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.