Man Of A Thousand Faces
spektor regina Lyrics
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Sits down at the table
Eats a small lump of sugar
And smiles at the moon like he knows her
He begins his quiet ascension
Without anyone's steady instruction
To a place with no religion
His words are quiet like stains are
On a tablecloth washed in a river
Stains that are trying to cover
For each other
Or at least blend in with the pattern
Good is better than perfect
Scrub till your fingers are bleeding
And I'm crying for things that
I tell others to do without crying
He used to go to his favorite bookstores
And rip out his favorite pages
And stuff 'em into his breast pockets
The moon, to him, was a stranger
Now he sits down at a table
Right next to the window
And begins his quiet ascension
Without anyone's steady instruction
To a place with no religion
He's found a path to her likeness
He eats a small lump of sugar
Smiles at the moon like he knows her
The song "Man Of A Thousand Faces" by Regina Spektor is a beautiful and thought-provoking piece that speaks to the human experience of growth and transformation. The lyrics describe a man who has undergone a profound change in his life and now sits at a table, eating a small lump of sugar and smiling at the moon like he knows her. The man has found a path to a place with no religion, where he has connected with something greater than himself. His transformation was not guided by anyone's instruction, but rather by his own inner voice.
The man's words are quiet like stains, as he tries to cover for each other or blend in with the pattern. This speaks to the idea that sometimes we try to hide our true selves or conform to societal norms, but we all have our own unique "stains." The lyrics "good is better than perfect" and "scrub till your fingers are bleeding" suggest that the man has learned the value of hard work and that sometimes it's better to strive for progress rather than perfection. The man used to rip out his favorite pages from bookstore books and stuff them into his breast pockets, but now he sits at a table, at peace and without the need to take anything from the outside world.
Overall, "Man Of A Thousand Faces" is a powerful reflection on the human journey of self-discovery and transformation.
Line by Line Meaning
The man of a thousand faces
Refers to the singer of the song who is a versatile person with many different sides to his personality
Sits down at the table
Symbolizes the singer's desire to take a moment for himself and reflect on his life
Eats a small lump of sugar
Represents the small pleasures in life that the singer enjoys
And smiles at the moon like he knows her
Demonstrates the artist's appreciation of nature and its beauty
He begins his quiet ascension
Implies the artist's spiritual journey towards personal growth and enlightenment
Without anyone's steady instruction
Suggests that the singer is self-motivated and driven to find his own way
To a place with no religion
Refers to a spiritual state that is not bound by any particular religious beliefs or dogmas
He's found a path to her likeness
Implies that the artist has connected with a higher power or spiritual truth that is similar to the moon he admires
His words are quiet like stains are
Compares the artist's words to stains on a tablecloth that are discreet but noticeable
On a tablecloth washed in a river
Refers to the act of cleansing or purification that the artist is going through on his spiritual journey
Stains that are trying to cover
Suggests that the singer is trying to hide or mask his flaws, mistakes, or past regrets
For each other
Emphasizes the interconnectedness of the different aspects of the artist's persona
Or at least blend in with the pattern
Implies that the singer wants to fit in or conform to societal norms, despite his unique identity
Good is better than perfect
Expresses the idea that it is more important to strive for excellence and growth than to seek perfection or flawlessness
Scrub till your fingers are bleeding
Emphasizes the effort and pain that the singer is willing to endure in order to improve and cleanse himself
And I'm crying for things that
Implies that the artist is emotionally invested and compassionate towards his own and others' struggles
I tell others to do without crying
Suggests that the artist is a mentor or a guide to others who need spiritual or emotional support
He used to go to his favorite bookstores
Shows that the singer's habits and hobbies have changed over time
And rip out his favorite pages
Symbolizes the singer's past tendency to be selective and possessive of his knowledge or ideas
And stuff 'em into his breast pockets
Implies that the artist used to hide or store his ideas in a private and personal place
The moon, to him, was a stranger
Suggests that the artist used to be disconnected or unaware of nature and its power
Now he sits down at a table
Shows that the artist has adopted a new routine or lifestyle that involves self-reflection and spiritual contemplation
Right next to the window
Symbolizes the singer's desire to have a clear and unobstructed view of the world and its beauty
And begins his quiet ascension
Reinforces the idea that the artist is on a spiritual journey towards growth and enlightenment
He's found a path to her likeness
Suggests that the singer has discovered a spiritual truth or power that resonates with his own identity and values
He eats a small lump of sugar
Shows that the singer continues to find joy and pleasure in the small things in life
Smiles at the moon like he knows her
Demonstrates the singer's sense of connection and admiration towards nature and its mysteries
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: REGINA SPEKTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@raspberry481
The man of a thousand faces
Sits down at the table
Eats a small lump of sugar
And smiles at the moon like he knows her
And begins his quiet ascension
Without anyone's sturdy instruction
To a place of no religion
Has found a path to our alikeness
His words are quiet like stains are
On a table cloth washed in a river
Stains that are trying to cover, for each other
Or at least blend in with the pattern
Good is better than perfect
Scrub til your fingers are bleeding
And I'm crying for things that I tell others to do without crying
He used to go to his favorite bookstores
And rip out his favorite pages
And stuff them into his breast pocket
And the moon to him was a stranger
Now he sits down at the table
Right next to the window
And begins his quiet ascension
Without anyone's sturdy instruction
To a place of no religion
Has found a path to our alikeness
And eats a small lump of sugar
And smiles at the moon like he knows her
@matszz
Regina Spektor should be nominated for a nobel prize of litterature. All her songs are just amazingly beautiful and throught-provoking.
@zzzcocopepe
Really though
@thenheartscollide
yes totally agreed , i am super thankful for her existence
@mayacotton6672
When I was little maybe 10 or so, I thought this song was about an old, dying God who literally had a thousand faces. People wanted to come help him but he refused every attempt
@bettyshorts
this interpretation is so adorable but also a little sad.
@soup9669
@@bettyshorts I agree.
@wessw
That's actually sort of interesting
@zzzcocopepe
That is what it's about. Divinity is an invention of humans. It's the unattainable ideal.
@kikiloorose7741
The way I see it Regi is telling a story about a man that is trying really hard to figure out the meaning of life and where he belongs. He would rip pages from books and stuff them into his pockets, he tried on a thousand faces and beliefs. But no matter how hard he’d try to understand no matter how many perspectives he’d look through, he still didn’t know where he fit in. I think the lump of sugar represents the sweet little things. “He eats a lump of sugar” he finally started taking in each bittersweet moment as they came to him. The moon represents the unknown all the places he will never get to see or things he’ll never understand. “He smiles at the moon like he knows her” He now knows he doesn’t have to understand the meaning of life or make some sort of mark. “Good is better than perfect” He’s finally happy with just being himself.. he has found his peace.
@ellcally508
My interpretation too.