I recently heard the song “All The Right Moves” by OneRepublic, and it instantly made me think of the idea of keeping up appearances. The way individuals in society try to give off a certain impression to the public, whether these appearances are accurate or not, is mirrored in some of these lyrics. Many societal values revolve around wealth, entertainment, fame, beauty/looks, social status, and happiness. So we may strive to be happy, but that depends on a person’s definition of happiness. While some say money can’t buy you happiness, others may disagree. Material possessions and fame allow a person to appear happy, but outward appearances don’t always match inward beliefs. Relating more to the younger generation, popularity in middle school or high school represents success to some. This appearance can be kept up through photos and events posted on social networks, and always being surrounded by people. However, this does not mean the person is happier than someone with a few close friends who chooses not to broadcast every experience. On to the lyrics:

All the right friends in all the right places
So yeah, we’re going down, they got
All the right moves in all the right faces

These lyrics remind me of climbing the social ladder. When someone has all the right connections it’s easy for them to keep up appearances and improve his or her social status while the rest of us are “going down”.

Let’s paint the picture
Of the perfect place
They’ve got it better than when anyone’s told ya

This part of the song specifically relates to appearances in saying, “paint the picture of the perfect place” and because it’s saying that while some may live in this perfect state, it’s different from how it is described and talked about. It could also be interpreted as Hollywood being the “perfect place”.

I know we got it good, but they got it made,
And their grass is getting greener each day,
I know things are looking up, but soon they’ll take us down,
Before anybody’s knowing our name

The idea of the grass being greener on the other side has always been a part of our culture, in comparing what we have to what others have. Again these lyrics relate to the value of fame because they strive to be like the people that have it all but through the never-ending struggle, still no one knows their name. As I’ve written about before,  the problem with keeping up appearances is that it cannot end. There’s always something better to work towards or someone better that you can never live up to. Expectations are raised, not lowered. Perhaps the reason we try to keep up appearances is that we believe it to be a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. In other words if I say I’ll be rich and famous, then it’ll be true. In a way I think people convince themselves by believing in the image they portray to others. They fake it till they make it.

Do you think I’m special?
Do you think I’m nice?
Am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?
Between the noise you hear, and the sounds you like
Are we just sinking in the ocean of faces?
It can’t be possible… the rain can fall
Only when it’s over our heads.
The sun is shining everyday, but it’s far away.
Over the world that’s dead.

These lyrics seem to question society saying, “Am I good enough for you?” But with the pressure and expectations they never will be good enough. Good is short-lived when more is always expected. Everyone is not themselves at some point, everyone is in the same boat, “sinking in the ocean of faces.. over the world that’s dead.” Instead of standing out, most of us choose to blend into the group of unknown faces.

It don’t matter what you see
I know I could never be
Someone that’ll look like you.
It don’t matter what you say
I know I could never fake
Someone that could sound like you.

Here the lyrics are saying that even if I seem to be a certain way, the real me isn’t what you’re seeing. They have no interest in faking or keeping up appearances to please others. This is most likely referring to their band and surviving the expectations of Hollywood, but of course it relates to regular people who keep up appearances as well. The rest of the lyrics can be viewed here.

Visually, parts of the music video for “All The Right Moves” relate to keeping up appearances. In the beginning of the clip, the judgmental crowd is watching the band, almost waiting for it to make a mistake. Also, everyone in the audience is wearing masks to cover up while the members of OneRepublic are exposed and vulnerable for all to see. Perfection is a theme in this music video, as everyone blends together as a group of similar social standing and appearance. The dance is also in unison with calculated, exact movements. If the people were to remove their masks, their true selves would show-but that’s not what keeping up appearances is about. In this case the people are literally “putting on a face”.

Lastly, another song that has similar lyrics is “Both Of Us” by B.O.B featuring Taylor Swift. It also makes an allusion to the grass being greener on the other side and climbing the social ladder. Basically it’s saying that we’re all the same, and the way we look shouldn’t matter. He also asks, “What’s the pattern to this madness?”, which is precisely what I’m trying to figure out.

And sometimes I wonder
Why we care so much about the way we look
And the way we talk, and the way we act
And the clothes we bought, how much that cost?
Does it even really matter?
Cuz if life is an uphill battle,
We all try to climb on the same old ladder
In the same boat with the same old paddle
Why so shallow, I’m just asking
What’s the pattern to the madness?
Everybody in a #1 draft pick
Most of us ain’t Hollywood actors