Faces
Rebels Without A Cause & York Lyrics
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You try to crack a smile as I ask how you've been
But you can't hide it anymore I know what's there
And what lies behind that empty blank stare
Fresh off your two minutes of hate
Your red face reflecting off the plates
Who is the man that I don't recognize
Has what I've what I've know of you all been a lie
Two faces
Two Faces
Which one is the real you
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Please tell me I haven't got a clue
Your silly antics they were so unreal
Driving to school with the dog at the wheel
Laughter from the back seat at what was going on
The confused horror of the soccer moms
You got two faces
Two faces
Two Faces
Which one is the real you
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Please tell me I haven't got a clue
Sitting round the table now I'm back home again
I try to crack a smile as you ask how I've been
My sticks and stones might break your bones but bruises don't last
Like vitriol I'm spittin from behind my mask
I got two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Which one is the real me
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
There's only one that I want you to see
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
Two faces
The lyrics of "Faces" by Rebels Without A Cause & York explore the theme of duality and the complexity of human nature. The song begins with a scene of familiarity as the singer sits around the table at home, trying to reconnect with someone. However, there is a sense of unease as the other person's true emotions are revealed through their "empty blank stare." The imagery of "fresh off your two minutes of hate" suggests pent-up anger and frustration within this person, creating a sense of tension in the relationship.
The concept of "two faces" is repeated throughout the song, symbolizing the idea that people often present different personas or masks to the world. The singer questions which version of the person is genuine, highlighting the difficulty of discerning someone's true identity. This theme is reinforced through anecdotes of absurdity, such as driving to school with a dog at the wheel, which juxtapose the lighthearted facade with a deeper sense of internal conflict.
As the song progresses, the narrative shifts, and the singer admits to their own duality and struggle with authenticity. They acknowledge their own façade and the masks they wear to conceal their inner feelings. The lines "My sticks and stones might break your bones but bruises don't last / Like vitriol I'm spittin from behind my mask" express a sense of frustration and inner turmoil, as they grapple with their own complexities.
In the final repeated chorus of "Two faces," there is a sense of resignation and acceptance of the multiplicity of identities within oneself and others. The song captures the complexity of human relationships, the struggle to reconcile different aspects of our personalities, and the difficulty of truly knowing someone else's inner self. Through introspective lyrics and introspective imagery, "Faces" delves into the intricacies of identity and the masks we wear in our interactions with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting round the table yeah I'm back home again
Returning to familiar surroundings, feeling a sense of comfort and nostalgia
You try to crack a smile as I ask how you've been
Attempting to appear happy despite inner turmoil that is difficult to conceal
But you can't hide it anymore I know what's there
The facade is slipping, revealing hidden emotions and truths
And what lies behind that empty blank stare
Unveiling the thoughts and feelings that linger beneath the surface
Fresh off your two minutes of hate
Recently expressing intense anger or frustration towards someone or something
Your red face reflecting off the plates
Physical manifestation of strong emotions such as embarrassment or anger
Who is the man that I don't recognize
Facing the realization that someone you thought you knew is different than expected
Has what I've what I've know of you all been a lie
Questioning the authenticity of past interactions and relationships
You got two faces
Portraying different personas, hiding one's true self
Two faces
Dual identities that are difficult to reconcile
Two Faces
Hiding behind a mask, concealing true emotions and intentions
Which one is the real you
Questioning the authenticity and sincerity of a person's actions
Please tell me I haven't got a clue
Seeking clarification and honesty in a confusing situation
Your silly antics they were so unreal
Recognizing behavior that seems out of character or exaggerated
Driving to school with the dog at the wheel
Describing a situation that feels chaotic or nonsensical
Laughter from the back seat at what was going on
Reacting with amusement to absurd or unexpected events
The confused horror of the soccer moms
Eliciting a mix of surprise and shock from onlookers
My sticks and stones might break your bones but bruises don't last
Acknowledging the impact of hurtful words or actions that leave lasting scars
Like vitriol I'm spittin from behind my mask
Expressing bitterness or anger from a hidden or guarded place
I got two faces
Admitting to having conflicting sides to one's personality or character
Which one is the real me
Questioning personal authenticity and integrity in different situations
There's only one that I want you to see
Desiring to show a specific side of oneself while hiding others
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: James Linscheid
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marieroberts5664
I haven't gotten very far in the comments section, but something Matt said about there not really having been a youth culture prior to the Fifties (and he did a tremendous job laying out the reasons why that decade was a watershed moment in this country) I believe that there's room for a discussion on why the parents and grands didn't have a youth culture.
Going back millennia, every culture had a mechanism for determining when childhood ended and adulthood began. It became know as puberty.
For girls, it was easy. Girls would be marriageable, once their menses began. Boys might be harder, but hair and height growth, smell and hormones all seemed to increase around age 13, so many cultures and religions used that age as a litmus test and proceeded with manhood rituals, ready or not.
Once you passed whatever test, rite or age group, you would take up the beginner's place in the adult hierarchy. It was a very bright line, a before and after, and all knew when, where and how.
Just as importantly, children often worked besides their parents, doing whatever tasks that they could physically handle, as soon as they were out of diapers, and could walk steadily and understand instructions. Survival of the family was paramount, and there was no time for "finding yourself"; those eggs had to be gathered, the back 40 plowed and planted, fruit picked, cows milked. There may be time for introspection while you are carding wool, but 'woolgathering' was generally frowned upon, especially when keeping your mind on the task is vital to not ruining the batch or not getting yourself killed. Daily life was constant motion, just to have enough to eat.
Formal education for the masses was not a thing. You did as your parents taught you, as they were taught previously by their parents. Boys new come to manhood would be apprenticed in any number of vital skills, most of which were hands on learning. Literacy was not required. Anyone that could read and write was sure of employment in literate societies, but not all societies were literate. Thus it was.
Sure, there were those that bucked the status quo, pushed the envelope and moved whole societies forward
However, the rituals in the west by the end of world war two had atrophied; religious folk still had the age limit and the rites of passage for the religious community, but that didn't translate into adulthood in the wider world.
And even ignoring the rites of passage, people in the West were slowly becoming aware that making small children pick cotton, shuck oysters, stoke the fires, and work the coal mines instead of becoming educated was not good for the children or the country. It took decades and the creation of social safety nets, but eventually it was illegal for children not to be in school, be they rich or poor, and illegal for them to work in most places and trades. It was gradual. In the beginning of the education push, you had to go to school to the end of eighth grade, around thirteen years old. So-called secondary education, was optional; for youngsters who wanted a profession - teacher, preacher, doctor. My grandmother was born in Canada in 1894, and when she graduated from high school to become a teacher (and high school education was all she needed to teach all the grades) she was not only one of the most educated women around, she was more educated than most of the men!
By the time we get to WW2, the GI Bill enables the high school boys that came back war weary men to get the added education they would need in the new era. Now, high school was a necessity, the minimum to run complex machines, complex organizations, complex social interactions...anything from bookkeeping to zoo keeper, you needed more and more studies and credentials. But you would only be able to get a good job, even as a blue collar person, if you finished high school as a bare minimum.
So now, it is only the post WW2 generation, the Beats/Beatniks and going on, that as Matt so clearly stated, now had both the time and the means to be aimless, to have fun, to have time to wonder about themselves and the universe.
So the Rebel without a cause exists only when a society or just a family becomes nuevo riche and the teens have no clear direction, because they have too many choices and parents (bad and good, with good intentions or bad ones) want to push their kids to do or be this! As they were set up and before, or as they had to grasp for themselves without help. Read "The Good Earth" for an example of the poor farmer's sons, after he became wealthy, and his boys, who no longer need to beg or be chained to a plow, all doing the emo 'nothing means anything'...the Farmer asks his wife, O-Lan what the heck? He never moped around the live long day...she replied that he was too busy not starving to worry about his fate in the world, and that she only saw this malaise in the sons of the rich.
The solution they found for the oldest son was getting him married off. Early marriage also ages people; no slacking or goofing off when you have to support a family. And the pre-war (WW1 & 2) got married young - a girl didn't want to hit her twenties and be unmarried, why she'd be a spinster! For another bird's eye view, read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".
And now you know why the oldsters didn't have teen angst and why they were never really teens.
@juliannehannes11
To all you Gen Z, Natalie Wood was newly 17 when the film was made, she was not in her 20s, she was her character's exact age. You are looking at an actual 1950s school aged teen when you see her.
@marieroberts5664
And Sal too, if I recall correctly, he couldn't get a driver's license yet, he was so young.
@philipfrancis2728
@@ville__Huh? I don’t understand your response?
@adlegacy56
@@philipfrancis2728 Ignore @ville_, he's a troll who thinks being a "jack of all trades" is impressive, but doesn't realize that makes him "a master of none" .
@kotoseki7355
They somehow look so old omg
@juliannehannes11
@@kotoseki7355 Because teens then smoked and drank from age 11 and tanned with baby oil during the summer. That is why they look older. Also it's the heavy movie technocolor makeup they did on her, they put layers and layers of thick foundation on her.
@Resilient_Sage88
Also a guy giving his jacket was 'A thing' back then. It basically meant they were a couple.
@OneRandomLeo
I wasn't aware but the way they filmed it and the way Plato caressed the jacket before putting it on sure looked meaningful in a romantic way (imagine if Plato had been a girl, that would have been a clear sign they're flirting, if not more)
@damenwhelan3236
It's still a thing. Depends on context.
It can also mean to make an excuse to see each other again which can be a social declaration.
@carbine090909
I think in Jim's case, it was just a humanitarian gesture - young, old, male, female - you're cold, here's my jacket. Remember, his outstanding characteristic was his sincerity. I don't think he played social chess games. That said, it was established that Plato and Natalie's character did, Plato dancing around his homosexuality, and Natalie's character trying to fit with the in-crowd. Both were very aware of social signals, because they had to use them themselves. So, absolutely, good point, giving a jacket was "a thing." But not necessarily for Jim. He lived off the chess board, and didn't dance around the fact that he loved them both as friends, people, fellow humans first, before anything else.