Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters, having written fourteen Number 1 singles and twenty four top 10 hits. He has had three Number 1 singles, six top 10 singles and two Number 1 albums as a solo artist, and has had seventeen top 5 hits, twelve Number 1 singles and seven Number 1 albums with Take That. He is also a six-time recipient of the Ivor Novello Award and has sold over 50 million records worldwide. He was appointed an OBE in 2012 for services to music and charity.
Barlow's solo career was predicted to be very successful, being described as 'the next George Michael'. His first two solo singles "Forever Love" (released July 1996) and "Love Won't Wait" (composed by Madonna and Shep Pettibone) both leapt to the number one spot in his home country. "Forever Love" was also used as the soundtrack to the film The Leading Man. His debut album "Open Road" reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and went on to sell 2 million copies worldwide. Barlow's first single to be released in the United States as a solo artist was "So Help Me Girl", which reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 1 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. He then achieved another top ten hit in the UK with "Open Road" peaking at number 7 and number 8 in the Netherlands with "Are You Ready Now".
After the success of his first solo album he released his second LP "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" in 1999. Barlow released "Stronger" as the lead single preceding the album. However, due to an expected backlash against Barlow, it received minimal support and airplay and only peaked at number 16. The second single "For All That You Want" again was subjected to minimal radio play and peaked at number 24, however it peaked just outside the top 5 in Finland. "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" was released soon after the first single to little promotion and peaked at a disappointing number 35, which led to Sony recalling Barlow's 'greatest' song according to critics, the scheduled third single from his second album "Lie to Me". This resulted in both Barlow and BMG parting company. To date Barlow has sold 5 million records worldwide as a solo artist.
On September 2013, Barlow announced via his Twitter account that he would be releasing his first full-length solo album in 14 years, on 25 November 2013. Barlow encouraged his followers and fans to tweet #GBSOLO to reveal the album artwork and title, with their profile pictures being used to create a collage of the album cover. On 4 October 2013, Barlow revealed his new album would be called "Since I Saw You Last", and would be preceded by his first single from the LP, titled "Let Me Go", released worldwide on 17 November 2013. He also announced that he would be touring the album in April 2014, playing some of the biggest arenas in the UK.
Face to Face
Gary Barlow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Taking care of the hearts around us
And the whole world loves a hero
A leader and a shoulder to cry on
That's what you are to me
Everyone around can see yeah
When we're face to face oh I
Standing side by side
Put the past behind us
No one can take your place
When we're face to face
Yeah we do know
You can measure the strength of a human
By the weight of the love around them
One sweet light in the darkness
Guided us all like a pilot
That's what you are to me yeah
Everyone around believes yeah
When we're face to face oh I
When the music plays oh I
Standing side by side
Put the past behind us
No one can take your place
When we're face to face
When you live your life with the passion
Taking nothing for granted
You made me believe if you give love, you will find it oh oh oh oh oh
You, you are the world to me yeah
A heart as wide as the ocean
You aim to climb every mountain
And the unknown in you understand it
Yeah you do, oh yeah
When we're face to face oh I
When the music plays oh I
Standing side by side
Put the past behind us
No one can take your place
When we're face to face oh I
When the music plays oh I
Standing side by side
Put the past behind us
No one can take your place
When we're face to face
The lyrics to Gary Barlow's song "Face to Face" is an anthem dedicated to those who are brave enough to take care of the hearts around them. The song speaks about the power of human love and the true strength of a person, which can be measured by the weight of the love around them. The song celebrates human connection and pays tribute to heroes who guide and lead us through the darkness like a pilot. The lyrics speak of a person who is a true leader, a shoulder to cry on, and a friend to all.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of being face to face with your loved ones. The line "put the past behind us, no one can take your place" speaks about the irreplaceability of human connection and how it can stand the test of time. The song also speaks to love and the endless possibilities of connection with "when you live your life with passion, taking nothing for granted, you made me believe if you give love, you will find it." The lyrics of "Face to Face" are an emotional tribute to the power of love and human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a true sign of a soldier
A person who takes care of those around them demonstrates true strength
Taking care of the hearts around us
Nurturing the emotional well-being of others
And the whole world loves a hero
People admire those who lead, inspire and provide comfort
A leader and a shoulder to cry on
Someone who can guide and provide emotional support
That's what you are to me
You possess these qualities to me
Everyone around can see yeah
Others also recognize these traits in you
You can measure the strength of a human
One's strength can be gauged by the amount of love they receive and give
By the weight of the love around them
The quantity and quality of love one has is a measure of their strength
One sweet light in the darkness
A comforting presence during difficult times
Guided us all like a pilot
Led and directed us with skill and care
That's what you are to me yeah
You are this kind of person to me, as well
Everyone around believes yeah
Others also have faith in your leadership and compassion
When you live your life with the passion
When you approach life with great enthusiasm
Taking nothing for granted
Appreciating all that life has to offer
You made me believe if you give love, you will find it oh oh oh oh oh
You showed me that giving love is a way to receive it in return
You, you are the world to me yeah
You mean everything to me
A heart as wide as the ocean
A capacity for love that is vast and deep
You aim to climb every mountain
You set ambitious goals for yourself and strive to achieve them
And the unknown in you understand it
You have a sense of adventure and are comfortable with taking risks
Yeah you do, oh yeah
Indeed, you possess these qualities
No one can take your place
You are unique and irreplaceable in my life
When we're face to face oh I
When we are physically in each other's presence
When the music plays oh I
At times when music is present
Standing side by side
Being together and supporting each other
Put the past behind us
Putting aside any past conflicts or disagreements
Yeah we do know
We both understand this truth
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: GARY BARLOW, JOHN SHANKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve News
I just don’t understand why good songs like this rarely get radio play. Good job Gary & Elton!!
Karen Cassady
I don't understand why good songs like this rarely get radio. Play good job
John Cunningham
I heard it on ken Bruce radio show about 3 years ago
GB
This song takes me back in time, but that feels so good, because that's what real music should sound like. And their voices blend so well. It's a magical moment seeing Gary pay tribute to his idol.
Mel_Ann
Two amazing Living Legends...Brilliant vocals...wonderful song...face to face 🎤🎶💖💕💕💕
Ismael Duarte
Sensacional ! ! 👂🎶🎵🎼
Douglas Neves
Show de bola esta música. Belo dueto!
Borja Valiente
I’ve had discovered this amazing song and I’m in love with it!! What a masterpiece!
Rochelle O.S
Two of the finest artists & we are so proud of them. They are nations treasures 🇬🇧🤗🤗💯🙏 beautiful song, ❤🙏
Cristina
Two genius together, two genius I so admire... I love Elton John and Gary Barlow of course... I can't believe it, this is a personal dream come true. Two fine pianists, songwritters and singers. I knew this duet would happen one day and this is the day... excelent!!!