Private Eye

Alkaline Trio

I dragged this lake looking for corpses
Dusted for prints, pried up the floorboards
Pieces of planes and black box recorders
Don't lie
And I've been preoccupied with these sick, sick senses
That sense DNA on barbed wire fences
Maybe someday I'll find me a suspect
That has no alibi
New Year's Eve was as boring as heaven
I watched flies fuck on channel eleven
There was no one to kiss, there was nothing to drink
Except some old rotten milk someone left in the sink
And there's no ring on the phone anymore
There's no reason to call I passed out on the floor
Smoked myself stupid and drank my insides raisin dry
But at the right place at the right time
I'll be dead wrong and you'll be just fine
And I won't have to quit doing fucked up shit
For anyone but me
And at the right place at the right time
It will have been worth it to stand in line
And you won't have to stop
Saying "I love cops" for anyone but me
Your private eye


Lyrics submitted by oofus

Private Eye Lyrics as written by Mathew Thomas Skiba Daniel Michael Andriano

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Private Eye song meanings
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231 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment
    first of all "from here to infirmary" is an incredible album, and i thought private eye was the perfect kind of song to start it off. second, i don't think duffman is a shitbag. i totally agree with what he wrote. i can't stand it when little teeny-boppers consider themselves fans of the music that i'm into. it feels like the band has been stolen from me. and like duffman said, you don't deserve to listen to it. it pisses me off even more that teeny-bopper demon babe doesn't understand the song, yet she's so in love with it. if you'd listen to the rest of the album, you should be able to understand what most of their songs are about.. maybe in a few years when you get older and learn to spell you'll be able to figure it all out. "i don't give a shit wot u fink" third, burnout56's name pretty much says it all.. write me sometime, (adamp182@hotmail.com)we can talk all about your high and mighty self and have an intellectual conversation on alkaline trio and why exactly you think private eye is actually about a cop or P.I. 'fin self proclaimed genius, adam
    adameatworldon March 21, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    i think this song is about a man who is not a private eye but is sort of a stalker,(named a private eye in the song) who is obsessed with someone.I heard the meaning from someone who said the song was about obsessive love......but anyway.i think it is about a guy who is totally obsessed with this girl and it fucks him up and makes him act like he is a private eye to this girl,and it depresses him big time.I also think this song is quite sinister,and could also relate to a guy who abuses this women.Well thats what i think.Dufferman is right and wrong.Fuck the people who r listening to one song and suddenly become life long fans,but duffer,do u know anyone who wrote that stuff about this song.Leave them the fuck to it and dont typecast them without knowing them.Cause thats what punkers don't do.
    spearoon April 04, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    That's A great song, I watched it over MTV|2, and no wonder that it's a hit. The lyrics are great and the music is awwwsem....!
    ronativon January 25, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i LOVE this song!! i saw it kerrang, and ive bin in love eva since!! i even bought the album! i dont really undastand it though......
    demon_babeon January 27, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Ok, duffman, you are such a shitbag. who are you to judge music, "teeny bopper" music is still music, and just cuz you think the shit you listen to is better, doesnt mean it is. Just becuase you think youre so fuckin high and mighty doesnt mean your ballsack is gonna grow. You need to fuckin grow up. Everyone has a right to dig the trio, no matter if they're second favorite group is n'sync. Just cuz you dont care for it, doesnt mean it isnt cared for. And if you have anything to say to mean email me. Tricky72@hotmail.com. I could go on for hours. so go ahead if you think you can handle an intellectual conversation. And if you just think youre better than everyone cuz you act like youre depressed and listen to dark music, than you can continue to be the closed minded shithead that Alk3 is shitting on.
    burnout56on February 03, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    now... i think private eye is about a cop or investigator who is stalking someone. He knows what he is doing and is anticipating his failure. Alot of Alk3's stuff is very symbolic (lyrically) and it holds alot more meaning than people think. I love this band.
    burnout56on February 03, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Yeh, its very dark............ i also think he might not even be a P.I. or cop. I reckon hes just some lonely guy and just does what he does cos of some fascination. He's definately stalking someone. Scary-Cool song
    Andaahon March 05, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Maybe he THINKS he's a cop.......... but theres summet there that makes me think.
    Andaahon March 05, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    this song kicks booty!!! :)
    NIKKIEon March 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    First of all I never said I was a "punker". I wouldn't even consider myself to be "punk rock" unlike these teeny-boppers who are eating up this shit that they spew at you from MTV and proclaiming that they are now "punk rock" because they listen to a band that isn't on a big five record label. Second, the statements that I made are true, and i would welcome anyone who disagrees to email me at my incredibly "punk rock" name: abercrombee3@hotmail.com.
    Duffmanon April 10, 2002   Link

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