Faces and Names
John Cale & Lou Reed/John Cale & Lou Reed Lyrics
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Faces and names only cause trouble for me
Faces and names
If we all looked the same and we all had the same name
I wouldn't be jealous of you or you jealous of me
Faces and names
I always fall in love with someone who looks
the way I wish that I could be
And the one they hurt is me
Faces and names, to me they're all the same
If I looked like you and you looked like me
There'd be less trouble you see
Faces and names I wish they'd go away
I'd disappear into that wall and never talk
Faces and names
I wish I was a robot or a machine
Without a feeling or a thought
People who want to meet the name I have
Are always disappointed when they meet me
Faces and names I wish they were the same
Faces and names only cause problems for me
Faces and names
I'd rather be a hole in the wall - looking out on the other side
I'd rather look and listen, listen and not talk
To faces and names
I had a breakdown when I was a kid
I lost my hair when I was young
If you dress older when you are not, as you really age
you look the same
If we all looked the same, we wouldn't play these games
Me dressing for you and you dressing for me - undressing
for me
Faces and names if they all were the same
You wouldn't be jealous of me or me jealous of you
Me jealous of you - I'm jealous of you
Your face and your name
Your face and your name
Faces and names
The lyrics to "Faces and Names" by John Cale and Lou Reed delve into the complex relationship between identity, appearance, and envy. The song suggests that faces and names often cause trouble and jealousy, indicating a longing for a world where everyone looks and is named the same. The repetition of the line "If we all looked the same and we all had the same name" expresses a desire for equality and the elimination of comparison and competition.
The song explores how the singer, seemingly dissatisfied with their own appearance and identity, tends to fall in love with individuals who possess the qualities they wish they had. This unrequited love leads to pain and hurt, with the singer feeling like a victim of the very people they are attracted to.
"Faces and Names" also touches on the frustration of being defined by one's appearance and name. The singer expresses a longing for anonymity, wishing they could disappear into a wall and avoid the complications that come with faces and names. The desire to be a robot or machine devoid of emotions and thoughts suggests a yearning for escape from the complexities of human relationships.
The chorus emphasizes the problems that arise from faces and names, suggesting that if everyone looked the same and had the same name, envy and jealousy would cease to exist. The final lines reveal a personal insecurity and jealousy towards someone specific, with the singer expressing envy towards their face and name.
Overall, "Faces and Names" explores themes of identity, envy, and the internal struggle caused by societal expectations and comparisons based on appearance and names.
Line by Line Meaning
Faces and names, I wish they were the same
I desire for people's appearances and identities to align
Faces and names only cause trouble for me
People's appearances and identities constantly create difficulties for me
Faces and names
Appearances and identities
If we all looked the same and we all had the same name
If everyone had identical appearances and names
I wouldn't be jealous of you or you jealous of me
There would be no envy between us
Faces and names
Appearances and identities
I always fall in love with someone who looks the way I wish that I could be
I consistently develop affection for individuals who embody my desired appearance
I'm always staring at someone who hurts
I frequently find myself fixating on individuals who cause me pain
And the one they hurt is me
I am the one they inflict harm upon
Faces and names, to me they're all the same
I perceive all appearances and identities as indistinguishable
If I looked like you and you looked like me
If our appearances were interchangeable
There'd be less trouble you see
There would be a reduction in complications, you understand
Faces and names I wish they'd go away
I desire for appearances and identities to cease existing
I'd disappear into that wall and never talk
I would vanish into the background and remain silent
Faces and names
Appearances and identities
I wish I was a robot or a machine
I yearn to be an emotionless entity
Without a feeling or a thought
Devoid of emotions or thoughts
People who want to meet the name I have
Individuals who crave to encounter my given identity
Are always disappointed when they meet me
They are invariably let down upon meeting me
Faces and names I wish they were the same
I desire for appearances and identities to coincide
Faces and names only cause problems for me
Appearances and identities solely create difficulties for me
Faces and names
Appearances and identities
I'd rather be a hole in the wall - looking out on the other side
I would prefer to be an observer, separated from the world
I'd rather look and listen, listen and not talk
Observation and listening take precedence over speaking
To faces and names
Towards appearances and identities
I had a breakdown when I was a kid
I experienced a psychological collapse during my childhood
I lost my hair when I was young
I began balding at an early age
If you dress older when you are not, as you really age
If one dresses in a mature manner before their actual aging process
you look the same
They appear indistinguishable
If we all looked the same, we wouldn't play these games
If our appearances were identical, we would not engage in these manipulative behaviors
Me dressing for you and you dressing for me - undressing for me
We engage in a cycle of dressing and undressing to please each other
Faces and names if they all were the same
If appearances and identities were uniform
You wouldn't be jealous of me or me jealous of you
There would be no envy between us
Me jealous of you - I'm jealous of you
I am envious of you
Your face and your name
Your appearance and identity
Your face and your name
Your appearance and identity
Faces and names
Appearances and identities
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE, LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind