Love Faces
Encyclopedia
"Love Faces" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz
. It was released on January 11, 2011 as the third single
from his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure
(2010). Written by Songz with Tony Scales, Troy Taylor
and Edrick Miles, and produced by the latter two, "Love Faces" is a mid-tempo
ballad
and uses the piano
as its foundation. Beginning with a spoken introduction, the song discusses facial expressions during sexual intercourse
.
"Love Faces" received a mixed response from critics, and reached number sixty-three on the Billboard Hot 100
and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
, becoming Songz' tenth top-five hit on the latter chart.
An accompanying music video
for the single was co-directed by Songz and Justin Francis
, and follows Songz's girlfriend's art opening, where the two pretend not to know each other. Songz performed the track on The Wendy Williams Show
and his Love Faces Tour.
along with Tony Scales, Troy Taylor
and Edrick Miles, while Taylor and Miles produced the track. Songz said of the tune's conception, "I'm sure any man can relate when you look at a beautiful woman and you imagine those things, and I'm sure [women] do those things too when they get into that mental frame when looking at someone. So I thought it would be a great concept: Beautiful women make beautiful faces when they making love." "Love Faces" revolves around facial expressions that people make when having sexual intercourse
. The song is a mid-tempo
slow jam
piano
-based ballad
. It opens with Songz speaking, "When I met you woman, I couldn't help but notice a face so beautiful. I imagined the faces you would make if we ever made love." Prior to the release of Passion, Pain & Pleasure
in September 2010, "Love Faces" was leaked online.
" as the album's third singles. A writer for The Washington Post
and Shamika Sanders from The Urban Daily noted "Love Faces" as one of the best tracks from Passion, Pain & Pleasure. Kyle Jarmon from Parlé Magazine commended Songz' vocals and the tune's R. Kelly
-reminiscent sound. Mark Edward Nero of About.com
descibed "Love Faces" as a "bump-n-grind anthem", writing that Songz' lovemaking songs are his best work. BBC Music
's Mike Diver praised the "silken" production on the tune, however David Hayter of 411mania.com criticized the song's production for being too heavy and destroying the song's mood, while calling the backing vocals "laughable". Idolator
's Becky Bain negatively reviewed "Love Faces", dubbing it a "supremely generic love track".
"Love Faces" debuted at number one hundred on the United States Billboard Hot 100
chart dated March 12, 2011, and has since peaked at number sixty-three, having spent fourteen weeks on the chart. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
, the song debuted at number seventy-nine on January 1, 2011, reaching number three and is in its twentieth charting week . "Love Faces" is Songz' tenth song to reach the top five of the component chart.
for "Love Faces" was directed by Justin Francis
and Songz and was shot in two days in Miami. The video premiered on MTV.com on February 14, 2011, after a preview was released on February 10. Songz said of the clip, "I love the treatment so much. I think it's gonna be a lot different than what people expect it to be and a lot of that is contributed to the narrative, and I want people to be surprised when they see it." The video is in black-and-white
, except for Songz' solo scenes and the art centrepiece. It opens with Songz and his girlfriend having a telephone conversation about her art show that evening. She requests that they arrive at the gallery separately, and pretend that they do not know each other so that she may be judged by her artistic work, not who she is dating. Songz drops her off in a convertible Mercedes-Benz
before arriving himself later. Songz inspects some paintings before being "introduced" to his girlfriend. The clip ends with Songz and his girlfriend placing their hand prints on the artwork.
Chris Ryan from MTV
wrote that, "This [video] is about mood, feeling, vibe and atmosphere. And who does that better than Trey?" Shamika Sanders from The Urban Daily appreciated Songz' "subtle approach to the music video" and called it "tastefully done".
performed at the Best Buy Theater, New York
on October 5, 2010 to promote Kodak's "So Kodak" promotional campaign. Songz performed "I Invented Sex
", "Say Aah
", "Neighbors Know My Name
", Can't Be Friends
", "Bottoms Up
" and "Love Faces".
On February 10, 2011 Songz performed "Love Faces" on The Wendy Williams Show
.
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
. It was released on January 11, 2011 as the third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure
Passion, Pain & Pleasure
Passion, Pain & Pleasure received positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, based on five reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"...
(2010). Written by Songz with Tony Scales, Troy Taylor
Troy Taylor (producer)
Troy Taylor was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, into a family of musicians. He got his start by singing in talent shows at an early age then moved on to playing keyboards. Before reaching the age of 21, Taylor was signed as an artist to Motown Records and later helped produce several...
and Edrick Miles, and produced by the latter two, "Love Faces" is a mid-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
and uses the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
as its foundation. Beginning with a spoken introduction, the song discusses facial expressions during sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
.
"Love Faces" received a mixed response from critics, and reached number sixty-three on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, becoming Songz' tenth top-five hit on the latter chart.
An accompanying music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the single was co-directed by Songz and Justin Francis
Justin Francis
Justin Francis is a New York-based director/photographer. He has directed music videos for Alicia Keys,Nickelback, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Nicole Scherzinger, Modest Mouse, Amos Lee, Weezer, Jaguar Wright, Timbaland, Obie Trice, Cashis, Stat Quo, Kill Hannah, Young the Giant, Dropping...
, and follows Songz's girlfriend's art opening, where the two pretend not to know each other. Songz performed the track on The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
and his Love Faces Tour.
Background and composition
"Love Faces" was written by Trey SongzTrey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
along with Tony Scales, Troy Taylor
Troy Taylor (producer)
Troy Taylor was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, into a family of musicians. He got his start by singing in talent shows at an early age then moved on to playing keyboards. Before reaching the age of 21, Taylor was signed as an artist to Motown Records and later helped produce several...
and Edrick Miles, while Taylor and Miles produced the track. Songz said of the tune's conception, "I'm sure any man can relate when you look at a beautiful woman and you imagine those things, and I'm sure [women] do those things too when they get into that mental frame when looking at someone. So I thought it would be a great concept: Beautiful women make beautiful faces when they making love." "Love Faces" revolves around facial expressions that people make when having sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
. The song is a mid-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
slow jam
Slow jam
A slow jam an umbrella term for music with R&B and Soul influences. Slow jams are commonly R&B ballads or down tempo songs. The term is most commonly reserved for soft-sounding songs with heavily emotional or romantic lyrical content. This definition has led to intense debate over whether...
piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
-based ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
. It opens with Songz speaking, "When I met you woman, I couldn't help but notice a face so beautiful. I imagined the faces you would make if we ever made love." Prior to the release of Passion, Pain & Pleasure
Passion, Pain & Pleasure
Passion, Pain & Pleasure received positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, based on five reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"...
in September 2010, "Love Faces" was leaked online.
Release and reception
"Love Faces" was sent to urban radio on January 11, 2011, alongside "UnusualUnusual (song)
"Unusual" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz, released as the fourth official single from his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure . featuring Drake. It is produced by Pop Wansel, Oak, Dexter Wansel, Ezekiel Lewis and Drake....
" as the album's third singles. A writer for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
and Shamika Sanders from The Urban Daily noted "Love Faces" as one of the best tracks from Passion, Pain & Pleasure. Kyle Jarmon from Parlé Magazine commended Songz' vocals and the tune's R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
-reminiscent sound. Mark Edward Nero of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
descibed "Love Faces" as a "bump-n-grind anthem", writing that Songz' lovemaking songs are his best work. BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
's Mike Diver praised the "silken" production on the tune, however David Hayter of 411mania.com criticized the song's production for being too heavy and destroying the song's mood, while calling the backing vocals "laughable". Idolator
Idolator (website)
Idolator is a music blog. Created by the blog network Gawker Media in August 2006, Idolator was later sold to rival blog network Buzz Media, which also owns music blog Stereogum. From the 2007 departure of original head writer Brian Raftery until November 2009, the blog's head writer was Maura...
's Becky Bain negatively reviewed "Love Faces", dubbing it a "supremely generic love track".
"Love Faces" debuted at number one hundred on the United States Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart dated March 12, 2011, and has since peaked at number sixty-three, having spent fourteen weeks on the chart. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, the song debuted at number seventy-nine on January 1, 2011, reaching number three and is in its twentieth charting week . "Love Faces" is Songz' tenth song to reach the top five of the component chart.
Music video
An accompanying music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Love Faces" was directed by Justin Francis
Justin Francis
Justin Francis is a New York-based director/photographer. He has directed music videos for Alicia Keys,Nickelback, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Nicole Scherzinger, Modest Mouse, Amos Lee, Weezer, Jaguar Wright, Timbaland, Obie Trice, Cashis, Stat Quo, Kill Hannah, Young the Giant, Dropping...
and Songz and was shot in two days in Miami. The video premiered on MTV.com on February 14, 2011, after a preview was released on February 10. Songz said of the clip, "I love the treatment so much. I think it's gonna be a lot different than what people expect it to be and a lot of that is contributed to the narrative, and I want people to be surprised when they see it." The video is in black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
, except for Songz' solo scenes and the art centrepiece. It opens with Songz and his girlfriend having a telephone conversation about her art show that evening. She requests that they arrive at the gallery separately, and pretend that they do not know each other so that she may be judged by her artistic work, not who she is dating. Songz drops her off in a convertible Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
before arriving himself later. Songz inspects some paintings before being "introduced" to his girlfriend. The clip ends with Songz and his girlfriend placing their hand prints on the artwork.
Chris Ryan from MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
wrote that, "This [video] is about mood, feeling, vibe and atmosphere. And who does that better than Trey?" Shamika Sanders from The Urban Daily appreciated Songz' "subtle approach to the music video" and called it "tastefully done".
Live performances
Songz and DrakeDrake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
performed at the Best Buy Theater, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on October 5, 2010 to promote Kodak's "So Kodak" promotional campaign. Songz performed "I Invented Sex
I Invented Sex
"I Invented Sex" is a song by American R&B singer Trey Songz, and features Canadian recording artist Drake. Together, they wrote the song alongside Tony Scales and its producer, Los Da Mystro. It was released to urban airplay as the third single from Songz's third studio album Ready on October 13,...
", "Say Aah
Say Aah
"Say Aah" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz featuring American rapper Fabolous. The track was written by the two along with Nate Walka, Ronald M. Ferebee, Jr., Tony Scales, and Don Correll, with the latter producing it with Troy Taylor...
", "Neighbors Know My Name
Neighbors Know My Name
"Neighbors Know My Name" is a song by American R&B singer Trey Songz. It was written by Songz with Patrick Hayes and Troy Taylor, who produced the song with John Mcgee. It was released to rhythmic and urban airplay as the fifth and final single from his third studio album, Ready on February 16, 2010...
", Can't Be Friends
Can't Be Friends
"Can't Be Friends" is an R&B song by American recording artist Trey Songz. It was released in August 2010 as the second single of Songz' fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure. The song is produced by Mario Winans and written by Winans and Songz...
", "Bottoms Up
Bottoms Up (song)
"Bottoms Up" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz. It is produced by Kane Beatz, and features Trinidadian recording artist Nicki Minaj. The song serves as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure...
" and "Love Faces".
On February 10, 2011 Songz performed "Love Faces" on The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
.
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|