Face the Face

Last updated
"Face the Face"
Townie Face the Face.jpg
Single by Pete Townshend
from the album White City: A Novel
B-side "Hiding Out"
Released1985
Recorded1985
Studio
Genre Rock
Length5:51 (album version)
4:23 (single edit)
Label Atco
Songwriter(s) Pete Townshend
Producer(s) Chris Thomas
Pete Townshend singles chronology
"Uniforms (Corps d'Esprit)"
(1982)
"Face the Face"
(1985)
"Give Blood"
(1986)

"Face the Face" is a song by Pete Townshend. The song is the third track on Townshend's fourth solo album, a concept album titled White City: A Novel, and was released as a single. The UK and US single edit features Pete Townshend's daughter Emma Townshend singing some parts on the song.

Contents

The single reached number 26 on the US singles chart and number 3 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, along with achieving top 20 status in Australia, New Zealand and several European territories, but did not share the same success in the UK, only peaking there at number 89.

Background

When Pete Townshend was asked about the song he said:

Face the Face was done on a new keyboard, which was a form of DX7, and I was very keen to get something very, very fast and upbeat knocked out, and I knocked out a few sections that I couldn't play all together. I could play bits of it, but try and do it all together and it confounded me, so I did a bunch of building blocks and said to Rabbit, "I want forty of them" — this is a Mozart technique — "five of those, six of these, seven of those," and he wrote it all out and played it to a drum loop that we got from a box, and that became the beginning of the track. This was very much a new age type of recording, and that's why it sounds pretty modern, I think. Simon Phillips overdubbed the drums, we later overdubbed the brass, we overdubbed backing vocals, we overdubbed everything. It was all overdubbed onto Rabbit's synthesizer playing. [1]

Release

In the US, the single had a different take which had inferior sound compared to the UK release and the packaging for the US promo single said: [2]

Dear Programmer: Enclosed is a reservice of the Pete Townshend single "Face the Face." While Pete was visiting us here in the States, he remarked to us that the British single sounded a bit hotter. We checked... he was right. Same edit. Same mix. Hotter sound. Maybe you wouldn't notice. Maybe you would. Time to re-cart the record. Happy Holidays, Atco Records.

Reception

Cash Box called it a "playful upbeat track...with strong emphasis on a high energy marching drum groove and playful vocal mix." [3] Billboard called it a "a high-powered explosion at a feverish tempo." [4] Spin said, "when you hear lyrics such as [these] performed in 'fashionable' rap style, well, you're reminded why the Who's strongest point was never their James Brown covers." [5]

Music video

Geoffrey Giuliano in his book, Behind Blues Eyes: The Life of Pete Townshend (2002), described "[T]he highlight of the video is the poolside staging of the electric 'Face the Face', in which director Richard Lowenstein effectively captures the excitement of a big-band performance and Townshend's joyous jitterbugging ... in a gold lamé, forties-style tuxedo Lowenstein reveals more story line in these five minutes than the entire video". [6] It was released with Townshend's concept album, White City: A Novel, and included his discussing the music. [7]

Chart performance

Related Research Articles

<i>Binaural</i> (album) 2000 studio album by Pearl Jam

Binaural is the sixth studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released May 16, 2000, through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Yield (1998), Pearl Jam took a short break before reconvening toward the end of 1999 to begin work on a new album. During the production of the album, the band encountered hindrances such as singer Eddie Vedder's writer's block, and guitarist Mike McCready's entrance into rehabilitation due to an addiction to prescription drugs. This is Pearl Jam's first album to feature former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, who joined during 1998's Yield Tour to replace Jack Irons.

Mel and Kim were an English pop duo, consisting of sisters Melanie and Kim Appleby. Originally managed by Alan Whitehead, they achieved success between 1986 and 1988, before Melanie died of cancer in January 1990 at the age of 23.

<i>A Day Without Rain</i> 2000 studio album by Enya

A Day Without Rain is the fifth studio album by Irish singer-songwriter and musician Enya, released on 20 November 2000 by WEA in Europe and on 21 November 2000 by Reprise Records in the US. Following a promotional tour in support of her compilation albums Paint the Sky with Stars and A Box of Dreams in late 1997, Enya started work on a new studio album in mid-1998 with her longtime recording partners, producer and arranger Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan. In a musical departure from her keyboard-oriented sound, Enya incorporates a string section in her songs.

<i>White City: A Novel</i> 1985 studio album by Pete Townshend

White City: A Novel is the fifth solo studio album by the English rock musician Pete Townshend, released on 11 November 1985 by Atco Records. The album was produced by Chris Thomas and it was recorded by Bill Price at three separate recording studios in London, England: both of the Eel Pie studios, and AIR.

<i>About Face</i> (album) 1984 studio album by David Gilmour

About Face is the second solo studio album by the English singer and musician David Gilmour, released on 5 March 1984 by Harvest in the UK and Columbia in the United States, a day before Gilmour's 38th birthday. Co-produced by Bob Ezrin and Gilmour, the album was recorded in 1983 at Pathé Marconi Studio, in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. The lyrics of two tracks, "All Lovers Are Deranged" and "Love on the Air", were written by Pete Townshend of The Who. Townshend's version of "All Lovers Are Deranged" appears on his solo compilation album Scoop 3 (2001).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technotronic</span> Belgian electronic music project

Technotronic was a Belgian electronic music project formed in 1987 by Jo Bogaert, best known for the 1989 single "Pump Up the Jam", which features vocals by Ya Kid K. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Later that year, the single was followed by the album of the same name, which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200. They achieved further success with the singles "Get Up! " and "Move This". Technotronic went on to release the albums Body to Body (1991) and Recall (1995).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manic Monday</span> 1986 single by the Bangles

"Manic Monday" is a song by the American pop rock band the Bangles, which was the first single released from their second studio album, Different Light (1986). The song was written by American musician Prince, under the pseudonym "Christopher". Originally it was intended for the group Apollonia 6 in 1984. Lyrically, it describes a woman who is waking up to go to work on Monday, wishing it was still Sunday so that she could continue relaxing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)</span> 1984 single by Dead or Alive

"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" is a song by the English pop band Dead or Alive, featured on their second studio album, Youthquake (1985). Released as a single in November 1984, it reached No. 1 in the UK in March 1985, taking 17 weeks to get there. It was the first UK No. 1 hit by the Stock Aitken Waterman production trio.

<i>Diamonds and Pearls</i> 1991 studio album by Prince and the New Power Generation

Diamonds and Pearls is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first with his backing band The New Power Generation. It was released on October 1, 1991, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album produced several hit singles, including "Gett Off", "Cream", "Money Don't Matter 2 Night", "Insatiable", and the title track. Dancers Lori Werner and Robia LaMorte, known as "Diamond" and "Pearl" respectively, appeared on the holographic cover. Diamond and Pearl also appeared in the music videos for "Cream", "Strollin'", "Gett Off", and the title track, and also participated in Prince's Diamonds and Pearls Tour.

Definition of Sound was a London-based dance-music group, consisting of Kevin Clark and Don Weekes, working with musicians Rex Brough and later Mike Spencer. Their second and fourth singles, "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" (1991) and "Moira Jane's Café" (1992) were top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart. The group also had several songs enter the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, including "Moira Jane's Café", which hit No. 1 in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Jackson singles discography</span>

This is the singles discography of American singer Janet Jackson. Janet has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Billboard ranked her as well as the third greatest female artist of all time on Billboard Hot 100 history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Explain</span> Original song written and composed by Pete Townshend

"I Can't Explain" is a song by English rock band the Who, written by Pete Townshend and produced by Shel Talmy. It was released as a single in the United States on 19 December 1964 by Decca and on 15 January 1965 in the United Kingdom by Brunswick. It was the band's second single release and first under the Who name.

<i>The Dream of the Blue Turtles</i> 1985 studio album by Sting

The Dream of the Blue Turtles is the debut solo album by English musician Sting, released in June 1985. The album reached number three on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the US Billboard 200.

<i>In Square Circle</i> 1985 studio album by Stevie Wonder

In Square Circle is the twentieth studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released in 1985. The album features the hit singles "Part-Time Lover", "Go Home", "Overjoyed", and "Land of La La". The album earned Wonder a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 1986 Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead or Alive discography</span>

The discography of Dead or Alive, a British dance-pop group, consists of six studio albums, seven compilation albums, twenty-eight singles, and two video albums. Formed by frontman Pete Burns in 1980 in Liverpool, the band were first signed to the independent Rough Trade label in 1982, though moved to Epic Records the following year. Their debut album, Sophisticated Boom Boom, was released in 1984, producing a series of minor hits in the UK, most notably their version of "That's the Way " which gave them their first UK Top 40 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Lies</span> 1987 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Little Lies" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their 14th studio album, Tango in the Night (1987). It was written by band member Christine McVie and her then-husband, Eddy Quintela, with lead vocals performed primarily by McVie; the chorus features backing vocals by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The song was released in August 1987 by Warner Bros. Records, as the third single from Tango in the Night. McVie recalled that she wrote the song at her pool with a pad and paper; while Quintela was listed as one of the songwriters, McVie stated in an interview with MOJO that his role in the creation of "Little Lies" was minimal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Townshend discography</span>

The following is the solo discography of British rock musician and recording artist Pete Townshend. Townshend's career as a published musician and songwriter began in 1964 as a member of rock band the Who, before branching out as a solo artist in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Door Cinema Club discography</span>

The Northern Ireland indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club have released five studio albums, four extended plays, 23 singles and 18 music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falco discography</span>

Austrian singer Falco released nine studio albums, four live albums, 13 compilation albums, and 38 singles.

<i>Who</i> (album) 2019 studio album by The Who

Who is the twelfth studio album by the English rock band The Who, released on 6 December 2019. The band's first new studio album in thirteen years, and the second overall comprising the duo of vocalist Roger Daltrey and instrumentalist Pete Townshend, it comprises ballads, rock music, electronic experimentation and "classic Who-ish" songs, according to Townshend.

References

  1. "The Hypertext Who › Bill's Pete Townshend Pages › Coolwalkingsmoothtalking Liner Notes". Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  2. "Photographic image" (JPG). Thewho.info. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  3. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. November 2, 1985. p. 15. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  4. "Reviews". Billboard. November 2, 1985. p. 73. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  5. Billy Altman (February 1986). "Spins". Spin . No. 10. p. 28.
  6. Giuliano, Geoffrey (2002). Behind Blues Eyes: The Life of Pete Townshend. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-0-81541-070-6.
  7. Mousoulis, Bill. "Richard Lowenstein". Melbourne Independent Filmmakers. Innersense. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  9. "ultratop.be" (ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  10. "Top Singles - Volume 43, No. 22". RPM . 22 February 1986. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  11. "germancharts.de/" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  12. "top40.nl". Dutch Top 40format=ASP. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  13. "dutchcharts.nl". Hung Medien. MegaChartsformat=ASP. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  14. "charts.nz" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand . Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  15. "Pete Townshend – Face The Face". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  16. "hitparade.ch > Pete Townshend in der Schweizer Hitparade" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  18. "Billboard: The Hot 100, 18 January 1986". billboard.com. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  19. "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report . No. 650. December 1986. Retrieved 24 January 2023 via Imgur.
  20. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – 1986". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 May 2017.