In the Melody Maker, the Stud Brothers wrote : "it's a slow, heavily orchestral & sensuously tense piece with Siouxsie first tapt, then cracked and finally spiralling off into the ether".
The song features strings which build to a dramatic conclusion. Thanks to Danny Elfman's involvement the song features elements from his score to the film. Lyrically the song makes indirect references to Batman Returns characters Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. "Face to Face" is heard in the film during a ballroom scene in which the characters are dancing together, not realizing that, as their alter-egos (Batman and Catwoman), they are enemies. The lyrics reflect the characters' conflict ("...Cheek to cheek / the bitter sweet / commit your crime / in your deadly time / It's too divine / I want to bend / I want this bliss / but something says I must resist..."). At one point Siouxsie can be heard purring like a cat, a reference to Catwoman.
"Face to Face" peaked at number twenty-one in the UK singles chart. It also performed well on American alternative rock radio, where the single peaked at number seven on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart. Remixes of "Face to Face" were produced by 808 State.
Face to Face
Siouxsie & The Banshees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My lovely foe
Mouth to mouth
Raining heaven's blows
Hand on heart
Tic tac toe
Under the stars
Naked as we flow
The bitter sweet
Commit your crime in your deadly time
Commit your crime in your deadly time
It's too divine
I want to bend
I want this bliss but something says I must resist
Another life
Another time
We're Siamese twins writhing intertwined
Face to face
No telling lies
The masks they slide to reveal a new disguise
You never can win
It's the state I'm in
This danger thrills and my conflict kills
They say follow your heart
Follow it through
But how can you
When you're split in two?
And you'll never know
You'll never know
One more kiss
Before we die
Face to face
And dream of flying
Who are you?
Who am I?
Wind in wings
Two angels falling
To die like this
With a last kiss
It's falsehood's flame
It's a crying shame
Face to face
The passions breathe
I hate to stay but then I hate to leave
And you'll never know
You'll never know
The lyrics in Siouxsie & The Banshees's song "Face to Face" paint a picture of a intimate, yet dangerous relationship. The first verse suggests a passionate encounter, " Face to face, My lovely foe, Mouth to mouth, Raining heaven's blows, Hand on heart, Tic tac toe, Under the stars, Naked as we flow". The lyric "Commit your crime in your deadly time" suggests that the relationship is thrilling, but also illicit and possibly harmful. The chorus encapsulates the conflict at the heart of the song, "You never can win, It's the state I'm in, This danger thrills and my conflict kills, They say follow your heart, Follow it through, But how can you, When you're split in two?".
The second verse builds on this tension, describing the couple as "Siamese twins writhing intertwined". The masks they wear hide their true selves, adding another layer to the danger and lies in the relationship. The third verse suggests that the conflict is tearing the singer apart, "They say follow your heart, Follow it through, But how can you, When you're split in two?". The final verse adds a tragic note, "Face to face, And dream of flying, Who are you? Who am I?, Wind in wings, Two angels falling, To die like this, With a last kiss, It's falsehood's flame, It's a crying shame". The ending of the song is uncertain but full of passion and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Face to face
Being in close proximity
My lovely foe
My attractive enemy
Mouth to mouth
Kissing
Raining heaven's blows
Embracing the feeling of being struck by something beautiful
Hand on heart
A display of sincerity
Tic tac toe
A game, perhaps associated with the unpredictability of the situation
Under the stars
Outside, in nature, feeling completely exposed
Naked as we flow
Vulnerability in motion without any physical cover
Cheek to cheek
Closeness, intimacy
The bitter sweet
The mix of contraries (pleasure and pain, love and hate)
Commit your crime in your deadly time
Seize the moment while it's still possible, without worrying about consequences
It's too divine
The feeling is too powerful or wonderful to resist
I want to bend
I want to give in, submit to what is happening
I want this bliss but something says I must resist
The desire for pleasure is in conflict with principles/beliefs
Another life
A different experience, existence or mindset
Another time
A different moment, period or era
We're Siamese twins writhing intertwined
We are inseparable, connected to each other to our core
No telling lies
Being honest and straightforward
The masks they slide to reveal a new disguise
Our behaviors or attitudes may change according to the situation or context
You never can win
There's no escaping the dilemma, no perfect solution
It's the state I'm in
The situation has taken control of me, making me feel helpless or trapped
This danger thrills and my conflict kills
The possibility of negative outcomes is exciting, but it also generates inner turmoil
They say follow your heart
A cliché that advises to act based on one's feelings or desires
Follow it through
Carry out the decision, even if it seems risky or unpopular
But how can you
It's not simple to act according to one's heart and avoid negative consequences
When you're split in two?
When there are conflicting interests or values, making it hard to make a decision
And you'll never know
The consequences of our choices are always uncertain and unpredictable
One more kiss
An attempt to prolong the moment, keep the pleasure alive
Before we die
Before the situation or the relationship ends
And dream of flying
Aspirations of freedom, escape or transcendence
Who are you?
Reflecting on the other person's identity, motivations or intentions
Who am I?
Questioning one's own identity, motives or intentions
Wind in wings
A metaphor for transcendence or escape from reality
Two angels falling
The downfall of something or someone that was believed to be divine, beautiful or perfect
To die like this
To end the experience or the relationship in this way
With a last kiss
A final act of affection or intimacy
It's falsehood's flame
The passion or love that fades away, only to reveal its artificiality
It's a crying shame
A regrettable situation, a pity
Face to face
Close proximity
The passions breathe
Emotions are intense and alive
I hate to stay but then I hate to leave
Being in a dilemma, unable to make a clear decision
And you'll never know
The future and the consequences of one's decisions are uncertain and unpredictable
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir One Music
Written by: SUSAN BALLION, STEVEN SEVERIN, PETER EDWARD CLARKE, DANIEL ELFMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JJONNYREPP
@@john.66 Siouxsie And The Banshees - Face To Face (Official Music Video) 0138am 13.12.23 i always wondered if rock bands wrote their own reviews... lest spats occur with other more literary minded kiddies...(?) still; i was of the int everything great school of artistic appreciation.... so i think i might have been deemed he's alright, him. how many read that and think the specific insight referred to them and them alone? jeeeeeeez; musicians and artistes, eh...
nearly xmas.
so i wonder what those who felt and meant more themselves and themselves alone feel when taking stock - as we are liable to do when things take another aged turn? she might be a decent dinner guest this lady who starred in a band which allegedly had never played a note in it's life and which has been doing the rounds a lot longer than more seasoned and more talented musicians could ever hope to achieve...
i bet if the other members of the original act deign to write or speak you can hear her nibs within it. she must permeate evey pore....
depending on how you feel, what!?
maybe she's hoping for an xmas invite? granted. as i say, for anecdotal evidence you could do worse. and it beats listening to the family bore waffle on about ingrained dirt and the lack of sexual exploits...
it's just...y'know.... anothe fucking year has gone by and..............fuck all's happened whether musically or socially...
i do know, an insight made circa 1991, that there's allus a doble act grubbing about in one's life.... using yourself (myself...herself...himself..your selves) as a springboard to bounce whatever dire odes they have flitting about between their own mucky personas usually to the singular chappy's detriment.
any idea what to do this xmas? probably await Siouxsie dressed as Santa arriving with gifts and tales of high jinx....
on that note i will make a point of listening to motorhead and Siouxsie.
as for kissing her ass. i think i will leave that to other more kiss ass people. i mean, theres admiration and then there's ADMIRATION and joy upon joys kindda ADMIRATION.
there are certainly worse people to enjoy.
one wonders, though, if she aint some damnable chameleon-like personage who seems to alter with every passing glance???
merry xmas and happy new year or somat...
@adelamariness9676
Face to face
My lovely foe
Mouth to mouth
Raining heaven's blows
Hand on heart
Tic tac toe
Under the stars
Naked as we flow
Cheek to cheek
The bitter sweet
Commit your crime in your deadly time
Commit your crime in your deadly time
It's too divine
I want to bend
I want this bliss but something says I must resist
Another life
Another time
We're Siamese twins writhing intertwined
Face to face
No telling lies
The masks they slide to reveal a new disguise
You never can win
It's the state I'm in
This danger thrills and my conflict kills
They say follow your heart
Follow it through
But how can you
When you're split in two?
And you'll never know
You'll never know
One more kiss
Before we die
Face to face
And dream of flying
Who are you?
Who am I?
Wind in wings
Two angels falling
To die like this
With a last kiss
It's falsehood's flame
It's a crying shame
Face to face
The passions breathe
I hate to stay but then I hate to leave
And you'll never know
You'll never know
@SilverJackLeg
30 years later, this song still gives me sweet melancholy goosebumps.
@MsJp467
ya it better then alll the forget able shit that out there now iam say this in 2021 the best is in the past
@jozefmak1268
@@MsJp467 and especially in 90s (&60s)
@ariescustom
@@MsJp467 Nah, you just stopped paying attention and are now stuck in nostalgia.
There are just as many amazing musicians out there now as there ever were. More even.
@dandrogynous
I know what you mean . Me to Love this song .
@hannibalAndWill
30 años después???
@Editorvid
Siousxie looked so beautifull and breathtaking here. This woman is a living legend.
@willglo
Yes, she is. Dear sir, you have excellent taste.
@NazriB
Lies again? Expensive Face Free Of Wrinkles
@celebrityrog
Still looks good today.