Behind Blue Eyes
The Who
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No one knows what it's like To be the bad man To be the sad man Behind blue eyes No one knows what it's like To be hated To be fated To telling only lies But my dreams They aren't as empty As my conscience seems to be I have hours, only lonely My love is vengeance That's never free No one knows what it's like To feel these feelings Like I do And I blame you No one bites back as hard On their anger None of my pain and woe Can show through But my dreams They aren't as empty As my conscience seems to be I have hours, only lonely My love is vengeance That's never free When my fist clenches, crack it open Before I use it and lose my cool When I smile, tell me some bad news Before I laugh and act like a fool And if I swallow anything evil Put your finger down my throat And if I shiver, please give me a blanket Keep me warm, let me wear your coat No one knows what it's like To be the bad man To be the sad man Behind blue eyes
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9 facts about this song
Song Creation"Behind Blue Eyes" was written by Pete Townshend, the lead guitarist from The Who, for their fifth album 'Who's Next'. Known for his powerful songwriting, Townshend penned this track in 1971.
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Lyrical InspirationPete Townshend wrote the lyrics to "Behind Blue Eyes" after an altercation with a female groupie while on The Who's American tour in 1970. Feeling remorseful and misunderstood, Townshend penned a song reflecting his emotional state.
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Original ConceptThe song was originally intended to be a part of an ambitious rock opera called "Lifehouse", paralleling the success of their previous project, "Tommy". However, the "Lifehouse" project was abandoned due to its complexity.
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Album SuccessDespite the turbulence around "Lifehouse", "Behind Blue Eyes" and the other surviving songs found a home on 'Who's Next', which became a commercial and critical success, solidifying The Who's place in rock history.
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Song Interpretation"Behind Blue Eyes" is often considered as a portrayal of the villain's point of view, reflecting the loneliness, sadness, and regret that often remain hidden behind a evil facade. The "blue eyes" in the song represent the "deceptive" blue eyes exhibited by the redeemers and villains in old Westerns.
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Popular CoversThe song has been covered by a number of artists. Most notably, a version by Limp Bizkit was released in 2003 and became a hit, introducing a new generation to The Who's original composition.
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Live PerformancesSince its release, "Behind Blue Eyes" has become a staple in The Who's live performances. The band usually performs an extended version of the song with an additional verse.
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Chart SuccessUpon its initial release, "Behind Blue Eyes" reached number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.
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RecognitionThe track is widely recognized as one of The Who's best songs. Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Behind Blue Eyes" as #13 in their list of The Who's 50 Greatest songs in 2016.
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Citation
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"Behind Blue Eyes Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/1376008/The+Who/Behind+Blue+Eyes>.
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