In addition, Belew is well-regarded for his contributions, particularly on guitar, to various other artists' recordings. In 1977, he performed with Frank Zappa, appearing in Zappa's 1979 concert film Baby Snakes, as well as Zappa's controversial album Sheik Yerbouti. He also supported David Bowie on his "Heroes" tour that was released as "Stage". He also played on the 1990 Sound + Vision tour. On both tours he was musical director, playing guitar and singing backing vocals.
Belew's other session credits include the 1980 album Remain in Light by the Talking Heads, Lights Out by Peter Wolf, and Paul Simon's landmark 1986 album Graceland. He worked with Laurie Anderson during the mid-1980s, appearing in her concert film Home of the Brave. During the 1990s, he contributed to three Nine Inch Nails albums, The Downward Spiral, The Fragile, and Ghosts. He played synthesized guitar on the song "God Shuffled His Feet" by Crash Test Dummies in 1993.
In the late-1980s, Belew formed the pop band The Bears with ex-Raisins members and released two albums, The Bears and Rise and Shine. A third album, Car Caught Fire, followed in 2001.
He features prominently on Tori Amos's 2001 cover album, "Strange Little Girls". He also contributed his lead guitar stylings to Porcupine Tree's album Deadwing (2005) as well as to a track ("I Can't Get Behind That", also featuring Henry Rollins) on the 2004 Ben Folds-produced William Shatner album Has Been.
Face To Face
Adrian Belew Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we await your embrace
and to know what it's like
when we meet face to face
And to know what it's like
when we meet face to face
Is it a beginning, a continuing
is it a beginning, a continuing
toward the end
Most of our lives
we await your embrace
and to know what it's like
when we meet face to face
is it a beginning toward the end
The lyrics to Adrian Belew's song Face to Face are deeply contemplative and philosophical in nature. The first stanza begins with the notion that most of our lives are spent waiting for something, for someone, to embrace us—to accept us for who we are. This yearning for acceptance is a fundamental human trait, one that navigates our souls and instills within us an innate desire to be loved. The second stanza expands on the first, questioning what it will be like when we finally meet—when we finally come face to face with that which we have been waiting for. Will it be a beginning, a continuation, or the end? These are questions that have plagued humans for centuries and draw attention to our existential awareness—the search for meaning and purpose in life. Ultimately, the song is an expression of the human condition, the quest for connection and understanding, and the desire to know what lies beyond.
Line by Line Meaning
Most of our lives
For a majority of our existence
we await your embrace
We long for your embrace (presumably death or a higher power)
and to know what it's like
And to experience
when we meet face to face
When we come into direct contact with it
Is it a beginning, a continuing
Is it a start or journey that
toward the end
leads to an inevitable conclusion
is it a beginning, a continuing
Is it a start or journey that
toward the end
leads to an inevitable conclusion
Most of our lives
For a majority of our existence
we await your embrace
We long for your embrace (presumably death or a higher power)
and to know what it's like
And to experience
when we meet face to face
When we come into direct contact with it
is it a beginning toward the end
Is it a journey that ultimately leads to a final destination
Contributed by Camilla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.