Faces In Disguise

i think this song is a lot about how the world of people is so strange, fast paced, a loss of desire, a love for the world, anything. modern people don't often look at passing strangers, and when they do, they don't see people. it's people in disguise of how they really feel, afraid to be honest, afraid to feel passion. in this song he is speaking of a faith or a person who he wants to escape from this monotonous black and white world and be amazed by how incredible things are again.

totally concur with sliponshoe except that, to me, the scenario feels less like a crush and more like ex-lovers crossing paths: "Where we could lay aside our past." the "past" is the relationship gone awry. there's too much baggage here for it to be a crush. as they see each other there's still an attraction there, but the narrator dares not get involved for fear of where it may lead again. the other person is hurt by being ignored, hence the last two lines. "I see a tear inside when you're turned away." the narrator won't acknowledge the other, and the narrator knows the other feels hurt by this. "Another wound that I'd take back" is comparing the pain the narrator brings the other right now by ignoring them with the hurt that the narrator feels they brought upon the other in their failed relationship. "but you'll remember me..." without exchanging any words, the narrator knows the other will always remember what they once had. sometimes saying nothing at all is saying everything.

Holy Crap, why has no one commented on this song... this is the BEST SDRE song ever. Not sure what this song means, Sunny Day Real Estate has a lot of weird lyrics to go with good meanings... I think it's about past history with other relationships, and how he wants to start over again with this other girl he's with.

this song makes me feel sad... i love it, it's beautiful

This is definitly my favorite SDRE song....for the next 10 minutes....

it is beautiful....and I've never heard that momment described better...

this song is sooo awesome. I love it, always mellows me out, sometimes makes me a little sad, but i love it.

I always thought the lyric was "faces in disguise, not a trace of design" It never made much sense to me because I always felt the song was very much about his spirituality, and if all that is around us was created, it would make sense for this song of discovery (which is how it always felt to me: a sense of awakening or rebirth or what-have-you). "go face the day, go and see new things"

Very uplifting and beautiful song.

to me the lyrics are quite straightforward:

"These fears come rushing in when I enter here Another layer on my back A blazing fire where our glances meet The largest feeling towering over me"

you always see this one person you have a crush on but you've never spoken to them for ex. in a club. so you enter the club full of "fear" and anxiety wondering what's gonna happen when you see your crush again.

and your eyes meet all the time and you know you're attracted to each oother but you don't dare to make the first move nor do you show any emotions,ie. you disguise 'the largest feeling' which is love, and you also hide your desire hence 'faces in disguise.' you just keep exchanging surreptitious glances. no smile, nothing.

"I long to take you to a secret place Where we could lay aside our past We'd throw the world away with all its pain To shine like stars through storm and clouds and rain"

i wish i could be with you and forget everything else that preys on me.

"Go face the day Go and see new things Go face the day But you'll remember me..."

we'll keep on disguising our desire from each other and we might never ever come together because we dare not make the first move. we'll go away and see new things but there's always gonna be this huge regret of having been too cowardly to approach each other.

"I see a tear inside when you're turned away Another wound that I'd take back"

whenever you don't look at me i feel like crying but i cry only on the inside. i'm so wounded internally and i could only make it heal if i were with you.

Sliponshoe, your take on it hit it right on the head, except the thought of Jer going to a "club" puts me on the floor..

pfinarffle, i completely agree.. ex-lovers, not a crush.

such a beautiful song.