Show facing the music the origin of the expression facing the music definitely known though the expression appears to have come from military sources three attempts at explanation the first of them the most likely attribute its origin to 1 I 1 the drumming out of men dismissed from the army 2 the mustering of militiamen who are drawn up in ranks facing the band 3 the difficulty in training train ing army horses to remain quiet when placed near a regimental band another suggestion is that the phrase is derived from the situation of the actor who when before the orchestra ir facing his critics also |