Eye In The Sky

Song MeaningThis song is obviously about Sauron watching the one carrying the One Ring.

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General CommentThis whole album, not just this paticular song, was heavily influenced by the book 1984 by George Orwell. But that's just what Parsons himself said. What the hell does he know? Don't post comments if you don't know what you're talking about.

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General CommentIt's about how two people were in a relationship, and one of them lied. He was saying sorry's not always enough, and that the lier can't try to turn it around and blame him either. He gave many "second chances", but just couldn't take it anymore. He knows the person will try to lie their way back.
(Don't think sorry's easily said
Don't try turning tables instead
You've taken lots of Chances before
But I'm not gonna give anymore
Don't ask me
That's how it goes
Cause part of me knows what you're thinkin' )

Also, about how when the person being lied to cut off the relationship the lier got angry and would say things they didn't entirely mean.
(Don't say words you're gonna regret
Don't let the fire rush to your head)

He's saying some of the lies were worth believing because being with the person was that important.
(The sun in your Eyes
Made some of the lies worth believing)

The chorus is about how he's capable of seeing through the person's lies and know what they're going to try to pull next.


In the last verse he's saying not to act like all of the deceptions were true. Not to cry or whine for pity to get him to take them back after it all. To just find another fool to believe them like he had, and that he was giving up on anything he had believed because all the signs told him the statements or situations were false.
(Don't leave false illusions behind
Don't Cry cause I ain't changing my mind
So find another fool like before
Cause I ain't gonna live anymore believing
Some of the lies while all of the Signs are deceiving )

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General CommentAs a well repected musician, you expect the lyrics could be inspired by one thing (a literal or figure eye in the sky such as either those in casions or those written by Orwell) and about another thing (relationships). I've heard that Parsons indicated on an XM Radio show (Artist Confidential) that these lyrics were indeed inspired after a visit to a casino in Vegas. The back album cover art apparently contains pictures of these security cameras.

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General CommentTo the best of my knowledge, this song has nothing to do with God complexes or 1984.

The late Eric Woolfson was apparently a compulsive gambler who viewed a casino as a cathedral to those pursuing games
of chance. (bravewords.com/news/…). He was disillusioned to learn that gamblers were being monitored by what casinos refer to as the Eye in the Sky: ceiling-mounted cameras used by the casino to monitor (among other things) gamblers' behaviors.

If you view the lyrics in this context, a theme emerges: a disillusioned gambler expressing a sense of betrayal when he comes to understand that the object of his love (gaming) is a flawed, possibly dishonest system.

I believe the chorus describes the camera/casino's surveillance: it's watching you; it knows what you're next move is likely to be; it is monitored by people who make rules and decisions about gambling and most likely hold them in some contempt ("dealing with fools"). In other words, the casino is watching you, knowing what you're going to do, and keeping the odds in favor of the house ("I can cheat you blind"). There's a poignancy in the verses, as the gambler comes to understand the deceit he has experienced after years of believing he was dealing with a fair system.

All that said, it's one of my favorite songs and holds up as the description of any twisted relationship. It's just not a relationship with a deceitful woman, and the narrator doesn't see himself as a deity.

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General CommentThe entire concept of the album is that of a Big Brother type influence, and this is no exception.

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General CommentIt's a floor wax! It's a dessert topping! IT'S A FLOOR WAX! IT'S A DESSERT TOPPING!

It's both!

Just look at that shine! And it's delicious!

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General CommentThe eye in the sky, as the cover suggests is the Eye of Horus.

Song is about being fed up with people, Society and mistrust. I don't think the song generally is about a failed relationship. Its just generally about not trusting people, after so many times of being mislead.

The eye in the sky is Big Brother - "I am the eye in the sky
Looking at you, I am the maker of rules (ethics and Law according to the state)
Dealing with fools (the general public) " "Looking at you
I can read your mind" - Metaphorically speaking - The state knows exactly what people want - Pacifiers = Sex, drugs, crappy music, Gambling, addiction, shopping -

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My InterpretationI agree with those who think that the song is a love song.

The veses are pretty straightforward, I think. As there are already many comments on the verses, I want to mainly comment on the chorus because it seems to be a bit complicated when we consider the song as a love song. This comment is kind of a reply to Bulldog246 as well.

I do not only interpret the chorus literally, but rather with regard to the emotions expressed. In my own sight, the chorus is the moment where the relationship eventually breaks up.

"I am the eye in the sky looking at you" -> the speaker speaks from a different point of view now. He is "in the sky", but where is the female adressee? The lyrics don't tell us where exactly the adressee is, but most probably she is not in the sky. Perhaps she is down in the world because in in this line, as well as in the entire chorus, he appears to be superior and she inferior. The fact that the speaker and the adressee are in different places now logically entails that there is DISTANCE between them. As facile as this may sound: he is in the sky, she is somewhere else. Thus, they are in different locations, so naturally they now are distant from each other and are hence separated. This fact is new, since in the preceding verse he directly spoke to her which you can see by the use of several directives (e.g. "don't ask me", "don't say words you're gonna regret", "believe me"...). In the chorus, however, the speaker does no longer talk directly to the adressee - because now they are separated. In the chorus the speaker rather talks to himself.

"I am the maker of rules, dealing with fools" -> I don't interpret these words literally, but rather METAPHORICALLY because I don't see somone laying down strict rules. The way I see it, this line basically expresses how the speaker feels. He tries to persuade himself that she means nothing to him anymore. I think that is why the lyrics seem so cold and unromantic - because he tries to stifle his feelings. He wants to forget her and start a new life without her. That is why he wants to make his own rules and live as he pleases, without her. But the sad truth is that he cannot totally forget her - for the simple reason that he is still "looking at" her and "dealing with" her - even from the distance. Subconsiously, he knows that she still is a part of him. This frustrates him and explains why the lyrics - especially the chorus - is rough and bitter, and also why he is sulky and still angry about her. In the chorus he wants to be taller than he really is. But he just WANTS to be strong. Just because he says that he is "the eye in the sky" it does not mean that he really is so. In my opinion the speaker wants forget her by looking down at her, by offending and by disdaining her ("I can read your mind/I can cheat you blind/dealing with fools"). As I see it, the speaker just IMAGINES being powerful or even omnipotent.

Summarily, in my opinion, there are two worlds: the "real" world which are the verses. And the imaginary world, the chorus. This would also explain the sudden shifts of mood between verse and chorus. The descriptions in the verses are quite reasonable and human but the chorus is not.

rgds, renezeg...

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General CommentWhat is this about?

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