【Likeeverylanguage,AmericanEnglishisfullofspecialexpressions,phrasesthatcomefromtheday-to-daylifetothepeopleanddevelopintheirownway.Ourexpressiontodayis“tofacethemusic”.Whensomeonesays,“Well,IguessI’】

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

　　Whensomeonesays,“Well,IguessI’llhavetofacethemusic.”Itdoesnotmeanhe’splanningtogototheconcert.Itissomethingfarlesspleasant,likebeingcalledinbyyourbosstoexplainwhyyoudidthisanddidthat,anywhyyoudidn’tdothisorthat.Sourmusicindeed,butithastobefaced.Atsometimeoranother,everyoneofushashadtofacethemusic,especiallyaschildren.Wecanallrememberfather’sangryvoice,“Iwanttotalktoyou.”andonlybecausewedidnotobeyhim.Whatanunpleasantbusinessitwas!

　　Thephrase“tofacethemusic”isfamiliartoeveryAmerican,youngandold.Itisatleast100yearsold.Andwheredidthisexpressioncomefrom?ThefirstexplanationcomesfromtheAmericannovelist,JamesFenimoreCooper.Hesaid,in1851,thattheexpressionwasfirstusedbyactorswhilewaitinginthewingstogoonthestage.Whentheygottheircuetogoon,theyoftensaid,“Well,it’stimetofacethemusic.”Andthatisexactlywhattheydid-facingtheorchestrawhichwasjustbelowthem.Andanactormightbefrightenedornervousashemovedontothestageinfrontoftheaudiencethatmightbefriendlyorperhapshostile,especiallyifheforgothislines.Buthehadtogoout.Ifhedidnot,therewouldbenoplay.Sotheexpression“tofacethemusic”cametomean“havingtogothroughsomething,nomatterhowunpleasanttheexperiencemightbe,becauseyouknewyouhadnochoice.”

　　Otherexplanationsabouttheexpressiongobacktothearmy.Whenthemenfacedinspectionbytheirleader,thesoldierswouldbeworriedabouthwwelltheylooked.Wastheirequipmentclean,whinnyenoughtopassinspection?Stillthemenhadtogoout,andfacethemusicoftheband,aswellastheinspection.Whatelsecouldtheydo?

　　Anotherarmyexplanationismorecloselyrelatedtotheideaoffacingtheresultsandacceptingtheresponsibilityforsomethingthatshouldnothavebeendone.As,forexample,whenamanisforcedoutofthearmybecausehedidsomethingterrible,heisdishonored.Thebanddoesnotplay.Onlythedrumstapasad,slowbeat.Thesoldierisforcedtoleave,facingsuchmusicasitisandfacingtheba