TofacethemusicLikeeverylanguage,AmericanEnglishisfullofspecialexpressions,phrasesthatcomefromtheday-to-daylifeofthepeopleanddevelopintheirownway.Ourexpressiontodayis“tofacethemusic”.Whensomeonesays,“

　　Tofacethemusic

　　Likeeverylanguage,AmericanEnglishisfullofspecialexpressions,phrasesthatcomefromtheday-to-daylifeofthepeopleanddevelopintheirownway.Ourexpressiontodayis“tofacethemusic”.

　　Whensomeonesays,“well,IguessI’llhavetofacethemusic,”itdoesnotmeanhe’splanningtogototheconcert.Itissomethingfarlesspleasant,likebeingcalledinbyyourbosstoexplainwhyyoudidthisanddidthat,andwhyyoudidn’tdothisorthat.Sourmusicindeed,butithastobefaced.Atsometimeoranother,everyoneofushashadtofacethemusic,especiallyaschildren.Wecanallrememberfather’sangryvoice,“Iwanttotalktoyou.”andonlybecausewedidnotobeyhim.Whatanunpleasantbusinessitwas!

　　Thephrase“tofacethemusic”isfamiliartoeveryAmerican,youngandold.Itisatleast100yearsold.Andwheredidthisexpressioncomefrom?ThefirstexplanationcomesfromtheAmericannovelist,JamesFenimoreLooper.Hesaid,in1851,thattheexpressionwasfirstusedbyactorswhilewaitinginthewingstogoonthestage.Whentheygottheircuetogoon,theyoftensaid,“Well,it’stimetofacethemusic.”Andthatwasexactlywhattheydid—facingtheorchestrawhichwasjustbelowthem.Andanactormightbefrightenedornervousashemovedontothestageinfrontofanaudiencethatmightbefriendlyorperhapshostile,especiallyifheforgothislines.Buthehadtogoout.Ifhedidnot,therewouldbenoplay.Sotheexpression“tofacethemusic”cometomean“havingtogothroughsomething,nomatterhowunpleasanttheexperiencemightbe,becauseyouknewyouhadnochoice.”

　　Otherexplanationsabouttheexpressiongobacktothearmy.Whenthemenfacedaninspectionbytheirleader,thesoldierswouldbeworriedabouthowwelltheylooked.Wastheirequipmentclean,shinnyenoughtopasstheinspection?Stillthemenhadtogooutandfacethemusicofthebandaswellastheinspection.Whatelsecouldtheydo?

　　Anotherarmyexplanationismorecloselyrelatedtotheideaoffacingtheresultsandacceptingtheresponsibilityforsomethingthatshouldnothavebeendone.As,forexamplewhenamanisforcedoutofthearmybecausehedidsomethingterrible,heisdishonored.Thebanddoesnotplay.Onlythedrumstapasad,slowbeat.Thesoldierisforcedtoleave,facingsu