In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I see so little hope in you,
So much despair,
As I look in your eyes I wonder,
What thoughts linger there.
Life means nothing to you,
At least that's what they say,
But it doesn't mean that you have the right to take life away.
How were we to know what was going on inside your mind.
You never let it show what was going on behind
Those killer's eyes
Killer's eyes
You've seen your picture in the paper.
You're little sister's pinned it on the wall.
She thinks you're in some kind of movie.
Imagine her surprise when she saw you on the news.
Reporters came around and asked for interviews.
So little compassion, so icy cool.
They say you were a poor boy, you know that life can be cruel.
Hate builds up from childhood, your world was a slum
But you haven't got the right to blow it to kingdom come
How could we know what it was like inside a killer's mind
It never really showed, you kept the secret deep inside
Those killer's eyes
Killer's eyes
You say the world is full of bullshit,
So you kill just as you see fit.
They say that you're a fanatic with a mission.
We all go through hell in some kind of way,
Can you tell me what it's like to be there every day?
When you were young you had a vision
Why'd you go and do a thing like that?
And now we see you on the television.
Imagine our surprise when we saw you on the news,
And reporters came around and asked for interviews.
I see so little hope in you,
So much despair,
As I look in your eyes I wonder,
What thoughts linger there.
Life means nothing to you,
At least that's what they say,
But it doesn't mean that you have the ri
So much despair,
As I look in your eyes I wonder,
What thoughts linger there.
Life means nothing to you,
At least that's what they say,
But it doesn't mean that you have the right to take life away.
How were we to know what was going on inside your mind.
You never let it show what was going on behind
Those killer's eyes
Killer's eyes
You've seen your picture in the paper.
You're little sister's pinned it on the wall.
She thinks you're in some kind of movie.
Imagine her surprise when she saw you on the news.
Reporters came around and asked for interviews.
So little compassion, so icy cool.
They say you were a poor boy, you know that life can be cruel.
Hate builds up from childhood, your world was a slum
But you haven't got the right to blow it to kingdom come
How could we know what it was like inside a killer's mind
It never really showed, you kept the secret deep inside
Those killer's eyes
Killer's eyes
You say the world is full of bullshit,
So you kill just as you see fit.
They say that you're a fanatic with a mission.
We all go through hell in some kind of way,
Can you tell me what it's like to be there every day?
When you were young you had a vision
Why'd you go and do a thing like that?
And now we see you on the television.
Imagine our surprise when we saw you on the news,
And reporters came around and asked for interviews.
I see so little hope in you,
So much despair,
As I look in your eyes I wonder,
What thoughts linger there.
Life means nothing to you,
At least that's what they say,
But it doesn't mean that you have the ri
Lyrics submitted by jayphelps321
Killer's Eyes Lyrics as written by Davies
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is a haunting examination of the mind of a killer, at least as perceived by Ray Davies. I am not sure if Ray had a specific person in mind but thoughts of the infamous people that society has bread fly through my head as I hear this song.
The song hooks you in from the start, “I see so little hope in you…” and makes the listener pay attention to the end. What a fine nugget this song is.
An absolutely brilliant song. It's too bad some of the lyrics are missing here because the following line is my favorite: "When you were just a child, you cried the way that other children cried. But how were we to know each tear that fell was from a killer's eye?"