(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees were comprised of ¾ of long-d… Read Full Bio ↴(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees were comprised of ¾ of long-defunct Pohgoh. They released a 6 track EP "Songs from the Weakest Link" on New Granada records.

(2) The Maccabees (2002-2016) were an indie rock band from London, UK. The line-up consisted of Orlando Weeks (vocals), Hugo White (guitar), Felix White (guitar, vocals), Rupert Jarvis (bass) and Sam Doyle (drums), who replaced Robert Dylan Thomas. Weeks stated once that the band came up with the name by flicking through the Bible and picking out a random word. Despite adopting a name with religious connotations, he affirmed that none of the band are religious.

Debuting in 2004 with the You Make Noise I Make Sandwiches EP (released on Haircut Records), they released their first single X-Ray on Promise Records on November 28, 2005. Receiving just little significant exposure - some evening play on XFM London radio station - the band however scored a minor indie hit with their second post-punk influenced single Latchmere released in April 2006 on Fierce Panda Records.
Then inking a deal with the Polydor imprint (and former home of The Cure) Fiction Records the bands first studio album, Colour It In, was released on May 4, 2007 .
To date (late September 2007) they have released three (widely available) singles from the album (First Love, About Your Dress and Precious Time) with a fourth and final single Toothpaste Kisses released on October 8, 2007.

On May 4, 2009 the band released Wall of Arms, their second album. Preceded by the single Love You Better on April 27th. Markus Dravs, who collaborated in the past with artists such as Björk, Arcade Fire and Coldplay, produced the album. The album has been recorded in various cities including Liverpool and Paris, unlike their first long-player which was recorded in "dribs and drabs" like frontman Orlando Weeks said.

On January 9, 2012 the Maccabees released Given To The Wild, their third album. The band worked on the album at both Rockfield Studios in Wales and their rehearsal space in London's Elephant and Castle district, before decamping to Suffolk to finish the record.

Marks to Prove It, their last album, was released in 2015.

Official Website

Guitarist Felix White was initially in a band called Jack's Basement with fellow friend Jack Peñate. Felix and Hugo White are brothers, along with Will White, who is the frontman of another band called Talk Taxis. Former drummer Robert Dylan Thomas left the band in 2008.

Happy Faces
The Maccabees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Run boy run
Run boy run
Run boy run
Run boy run

Here she comes
Here she comes
She's coming for you

So run boy run
Run boy run

Here she comes
Here she comes
She's coming for you

These are tears of joy not woe
Cause woe-betide I open wide and let inside the flow
These are cries of pain, rejoice
They are heartfelt and coarse
Can you not tell from the pain

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

In these, the times of unhealthy regret,
It's the last cigarette and all the lonely days ahead

These the times of you wish you would
When all the bridges have been burned
And she slowly turns

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

Happy face

So run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run

So run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run

Overall Meaning

The Maccabees's song Happy Faces is a powerful and evocative piece that speaks to the human experience of pain, regret, and the desire for escape. The refrain of "Run boy run" creates a sense of urgency, as if the singer is on the cusp of a dramatic decision, and the repeated line "Here she comes, she's coming for you" adds a menacing tone to the piece.

The lines "These are tears of joy not woe, cause woe-betide I open wide and let inside the flow. These are cries of pain, rejoice. They are heartfelt and coarse. Can you not tell from the pain?" speak to the complexity of human emotion, suggesting that even in moments of extreme pain, there may be a sense of joy or release. The juxtaposition of tears of joy and cries of pain emphasizes this duality.

The repeated line "Happy faces alone" suggests the isolation and loneliness that can come with struggling within oneself, and the line "In these, the times of unhealthy regret, It's the last cigarette and all the lonely days ahead" speaks to the desperation of trying to escape a difficult situation. The final flourish of the song, with the repeated line "Happy face" and the frenzied repetition of "Run boy run," creates a powerful sense of catharsis as the singer is finally able to break free.

Line by Line Meaning

Run boy run
The singer is urging the boy to run away from someone or something

Here she comes
The person that the singer is warning the boy about is approaching

She's coming for you
The person approaching has a specific intent or purpose towards the boy

These are tears of joy not woe
The emotions being expressed are not sadness or despair, but rather happiness and contentment

Cause woe-betide I open wide and let inside the flow
If the artist were to express sadness or despair, it would be overwhelming and uncontrollable

These are cries of pain, rejoice
The vocalizations being made are a form of release or celebration despite the pain they may represent

They are heartfelt and coarse
The expressions are authentic and raw

Can you not tell from the pain
The pain being expressed is evident and should be easily recognizable

Happy faces alone
Even in the midst of difficult times, there can be joy and happiness found in solitude

In these, the times of unhealthy regret,
During periods of self-doubt or guilt

It's the last cigarette and all the lonely days ahead
Symbolic for the end of a relationship or a difficult chapter

These the times of you wish you would
These are the moments you wish you could take back

When all the bridges have been burned
When all connections and options have been exhausted

And she slowly turns
An ominous warning of something coming to an end

Happy face
A simple phrase possibly indicating a desire to focus on positive emotions

So run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run
The final urgent plea to the boy to flee from danger

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FELIX WHITE, HUGO WHITE, ORLANDO THOMAS PENHALE WEEKS, ROBERT DYLAN THOMAS, SHEPHERD RUPERT ALEXANDER J. JARVIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01Good Old Bill2:11

02X-Ray3:16

03All In Your Rows2:35

04Latchmere3:01

05About Your Dress2:14

06Precious Time4:17

07O.A.V.I.P.2:22

08Tissue Shoulders2:29

PT2M51S

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Comments from YouTube:

Moss Paca

4y↑2

This song always makes me put on a happy face

Wesal

3y↑1

I love this song

Eni Shodeinde

4y↑6

Run boy run
Run boy run
Run boy run
Run boy run

Here she comes
Here she comes
She's coming for you

So run boy run
Run boy run

Here she comes
Here she comes
She's coming for you

These are tears of joy not woe
Cause woe-betide I open wide and let inside the flow
These are cries of pain, rejoice
They are heartfelt and coarse
Can you not tell from the pain

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

In these, the times of unhealthy regret,
It's the last cigarette and all the lonely days ahead

These the times of you wish you would
When all the bridges have been burned
And she slowly turns

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

So run boy run boy run boy run
She's coming for you

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone
Happy faces alone

Happy face

So run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run

So run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run boy run

arni0202

11y↑8

It really makes me sad when this has 4772 views yet crap music played on the radio constantly are viewed millions or billions of times. This is so much better!!!!!!!!!!