Gary Gilmore's Eyes
The Adverts
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I'm lying in a hospital, I'm pinned against the bed. A stethoscope upon my heart, A hand against my head. They're peeling off the bandages. I'm wincing in the light. The nurse is looking anxious, And she's quivering in fright I'm looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes. The doctors are avoiding me. My vision is confused. I listen to my earphones, And I catch the evening news. A murderer's been killed, And he donates his sight to science. I'm locked into a private ward. I realise that I must be Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes. Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes. I smash the light in anger. Push my bed against the door. I close my lids across my eyes, And wish to see no more. The eye receives the messages, And sends them to the brain. No guarantee the stimuli must be perceived the same When looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes. Gary don't need his eyes to see. Gary and his eyes have parted company.
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Written by: Timothy Smith
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Release Information"Gary Gilmore's Eyes" was released in August 1977 as a single by British punk rock band, The Adverts.
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Chart SuccessThe song reached No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart and is considered the band's biggest hit.
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Theme ContentThe song's lyrics describe waking up after a transplant operation and gradually realizing that the narrator has received the eyes of an executed murderer, Gary Gilmore.
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InspirationGary Gilmore was an American criminal who donated his eyes for transplantation after being executed for murder in 1977 - the first person to be legally executed in the U.S. in a decade.
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Controversial TopicThe subject matter was controversial, provoking an uproar due to its graphic description and dark implications.
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SongwriterThe song was written by TV Smith, the lead vocalist of The Adverts.
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Music Style"Gary Gilmore's Eyes" is a quintessential example of the raw, fast-paced, energetic punk rock of the 1970s.
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Media RecognitionThe song was named one of the "Top 40 Punk New Wave Anthems" by Mojo magazine in a 2001 article.
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Use in Other Media"Gary Gilmore's Eyes" was used in the soundtrack of the 2007 film, "Control," which is about the life of Joy Division lead singer, Ian Curtis.
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Re-recordingsThe song has been covered by several artists over the years, including the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Die Toten Hosen and Thee Headcoatees.
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LegacyDespite the controversy, "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" is now considered a classic in punk rock history. Its unique and unsettling viewpoint continues to resonate with new generations of punk bands and fans.
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Citation
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"Gary Gilmore's Eyes Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/7644823/The+Adverts/Gary+Gilmore%27s+Eyes>.
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