Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Face Down” by Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker’s single “Face Down” paints a bold and stark picture of the jaded relationship between a couple. In both its verse and chorus, the song’s lyrics present a lingering tone of apathy and desperation in the depths of a crumbling romance. The couple in the song, likely unable to bring themselves to let go, is stuck in a purgatorial cycle of restlessness, helplessness and regret.
The lyrics to “Face Down” allude to feelings of insecurity, hopelessness and longing in the wake of a failed relationship. The speaker laments that he is “Powerless around you, helpless,” and desires to “run backwards real far away” to escape the troubling situation. Interestingly, the speaker implies that regardless of the separation between the two, the relationship still follows them. The chorus features the lyric “And it’s us in every city I go,” hinting at the omnipresence of the pain that even though there is physical separation, the shared memories between the former couple travel with them.
The song may also shed light on the speaker’s internal conflict; as he hopes for the relationship to one day change, he simultaneously struggles to come to terms with the fact that it may not. The speaker pleads, “Put it back together. Make it the way it was.” further alluding to his desire to restore to their former state. When this objective ultimately fails, the final and most impacting lyric heard is “It’s over.”
Jawbreaker’s track “Face Down” perfectly encapsulates the universal and bittersweet experience of losing a romantic relationship. The lyrics radiate a heavy deliberation of the emotionally charged “what if”s and “why”s before transitioning into a tense moment of clarity and understanding. Ultimately, Jawbreaker’s song offers a powerful reminder that, while it can be difficult to accept, letting go of the past is an essential step to mental and emotional healing.