Kings of Leon is an American rock band formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1… Read Full Bio ↴Kings of Leon is an American rock band formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill, and their cousin Matthew Followill. The band's early music was a blend of Southern rock and garage rock with blues influences, but it has evolved throughout the years to include a variety of genres and a more alternative, arena rock sound. Kings of Leon achieved initial success in the United Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in 2008, and all three of the band's albums at the time peaked in the top five of the UK Albums Chart. Their third album, Because of the Times, reached No. 1.

After the release of Only by the Night in September 2008, the band achieved chart success in the United States. The singles "Sex on Fire", "Use Somebody", and "Notion" all peaked at number one on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album was their first platinum-selling album in the United States, and the best-selling album of 2008 in Australia, being certified platinum nine times. The band's fifth album, Come Around Sundown, was released on October 18, 2010. Their sixth album, Mechanical Bull, was released on September 24, 2013. The seventh studio album, Walls, was released on October 14, 2016. Their eighth studio album, When You See Yourself, was released on March 5, 2021. The group has 12 Grammy Award nominations, including 4 wins.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Leon

Studio albums
Youth & Young Manhood (2003)
Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004)
Because of the Times (2007)
Only by the Night (2008)
Come Around Sundown (2010)
Mechanical Bull (2013)
Walls (2016)
When You See Yourself (2021)

The Face
Kings of Leon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Beneath the dance hall lights,
You seem a girl so sound
Lights up the ground,
If you give up New York,
I'll give you Tennessee,
The only place to be

The cowboy's burning eyes,

Don't like the sight of me
Just straight, enough to breathe
I like your point of view,
So don't you shy away

Ride out the wave
Ride out the wave
Ride out the wave

Ride out the wave
Ride out the wave

You had me holding on
All of the time in place
Ride out the wave
Bury yourself away
The one and only face

Ride out the wave

Ride out the wave
Ride out the wave

Overall Meaning

The song 'The Face' by Kings of Leon starts with a mix of descriptive and imaginative lyrics, as the singer describes how the girl under the dance hall lights seems to be sound, and how the lights illuminate the ground. This acts as a metaphor for how the bright lights of the city can make everything seem better than it actually is. The singer then offers the girl an alternative, if she gives up New York (the glittering lights), he'll give her Tennessee (a quieter, more personal life).

The second verse talks about the cowboy who seems to disapprove of the singer's intentions. He likes the girl's point of view, so he asks her not to shy away. The chorus then features the repetition of "Ride out the wave", which possibly refers to riding out the chaos and struggles that life throws at you. The final lines of the song indicate that the singer was holding on to the girl's memory while she was gone, and now that she's back, it's time to bury herself away and embrace the present moment.

In conclusion, 'The Face' seems to be about the singer's desire to escape the chaos of the big city and embrace a more fulfilling and peaceful life. The mentions of the cowboy's burning eyes and the offer to give up New York for Tennessee convey a sense of desperation to find a way out of the city's illusions.

Line by Line Meaning

Beneath the dance hall lights,
In the midst of a festive atmosphere,

You seem a girl so sound
You appear to be a steadfast and reliable person

Lights up the ground,
Bringing the setting to life

If you give up New York,
In the event that you decide to leave the fast-paced city of New York

I'll give you Tennessee,
I will offer you a more peaceful alternative in the state of Tennessee

The only place to be
A great location for you to live and be happy in

The cowboy's burning eyes,
The eyes of someone with a passionate and intense demeanor

Don't like the sight of me
Does not approve of me for some reason

Just straight, enough to breathe
Simply honest and direct without any pretense

I like your point of view,
I appreciate the way you see things

So don't you shy away
Do not be hesitant or afraid to express yourself

Ride out the wave
Stay strong through any challenges or obstacles

You had me holding on
You had my complete attention and devotion

All of the time in place
Every moment felt significant and worthwhile

Bury yourself away
Retreat from the world and isolate oneself

The one and only face
The unique and distinct identity of a person

Ride out the wave
Enduring through difficult times

Ride out the wave
Persisting and remaining steadfast

Ride out the wave
Overcoming adversity and challenges

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANTHONY CALEB FOLLOWILL, IVAN NATHAN FOLLOWILL, JARED FOLLOWILL, MATTHEW FOLLOWILL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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