"Face the Face" is a song by the English rock musician Pete Townshend. The song is the third track on Townshend's fifth solo studio 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.
The single reached number 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (Townshend's most recent American top 40 hit as a solo artist) and number 3 on Billboards 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 at number 89 on the UK singles chart.
Background When Pete Townshend was asked about the song he said:
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:
Critical reception Cashbox called it a "playful upbeat track...with strong emphasis on a high energy marching drum groove and playful vocal mix." Billboard called it a "a high-powered explosion at a feverish tempo." 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." Reviewing the song for Music Week, Jerry Smith said that "Face to Face" was "a bright, lively single" that "shows a welcome return to a wilder vein than Townsend's most recent work".
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". It was released with Townshend's concept album, White City: A Novel, and included his discussing the music.
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1985–86) Peakposition Australia (Kent Music Report) 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50) 14 Canada Top Singles (RPM) 17Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) 40 Germany (GfK) 15 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 9 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 14 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 11 Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade) 14 US Billboard Hot 100 26
Year-end charts Chart (1986) Position Australia (Kent Music Report) 71
References
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