Terminal eyes Lyrics
A quote from Al himself: "Any similarities between Terminal Eyes and the Beatles' 'I am the Walrus' is intentional. For the Past, Present and Future LP, I wanted to capture something that was like the sixties. For egg-men everywhere." The Serpentine is a lake in Hyde Park in London. Al wanted to make a song with lots of tumbling images to capture how the sixties went for him.
Cut glass porcupine sailing on the Serpentine Fingers on the skyline pulling down the black blinds Terminal eyes at the edge of the night Rivulet of dark wine moving in a straight line Smudging out the stop signs, running down the life lines Terminal eyes at the edge of the night Shadows on the ceiling, coffee cup congealing Tarot cards revealing, a solitary feeling Terminal eyes, but I think it's alright Silver studded jet plane screaming through the migraine Cutting through the cellophane, wrappers of your tired brain Terminal eyes - put out the light Terminal eyes Only the lonely Arabian skies Terminal eyes Calling you home from your restless disguise Hands of the windmill moving to a standstill Rain on the windowsill, ashes on the phone bill Terminal eyes at the edge of the night Rain drop fire flies sparkle on the shop blinds Echoes of the summertime flicker in the street-signs Terminal eyes at the edge of the night Shadows on the ceiling, coffee cup congealing Eyes that look unseeing, hands that look unfeeling Terminal eyes, I think it's alright Silver-studded sea plane breaking through the migraine Cutting through the cellophane, enveloping your tired brain Terminal eyes, put out the light Terminal eyes Only the lonely Arabian skies Terminal eyes Calling you home from your restless disguise Terminal eyes Only the lonely Fantasian skies Terminal eyes Calling you home from your restless disguise
Al has been quoted as saying this is "the suicide song of the walrus." There's a lot of suicide imagery in the lyrics: "Rivulet of dark wine moving in a straight line/Smudging out the stop signs, running down the life lines", "Hands of the windmill moving to a standstill", "Eyes that look unseeing, hands that look unfeeling".