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Sad Eyes Lyrics

Every day here you come walking
I hold my tongue, I don't do much talking
You say you're happy and you're doin' fine
Well go ahead, baby, I got plenty of time
Sad eyes never lie
Sad eyes never lie

Well for a while I've been watching you steady
Ain't gonna move 'til you're good and ready
You show up and then you shy away
But I know pretty soon you'll be walkin' this way
Sad eyes never lie
Sad eyes never lie

Baby don't you know I don't care
Don't you know that I've been there
Well if something in the air feels a little unkind
Don't worry darling, it'll slip your mind

I know you think you'd never be mine
Well that's okay, baby, I don't mind
That shy smile's sweet, that's a fact
Go ahead, I don't mind the act
Here you come all dressed up for a date
Well one more step and it'll be too late
Blue blue ribbon in your hair
Like you're so sure I'll be standing here
Song Info
Submitted by
oofus On Jun 05, 2004
12 Meanings

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Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

I think this is about two people that feel it is not the best time to express their feelings. One is with someone, possibly even married and she is in denial that she's unhappy.

Bruce knows how she feels since she starts to open up because she feels so comfortable around him, but feels guilty and shies away. Bruce is trying to be stoic about the whole thing. He's not going to bring up their situation but instead only talk about her, and he's not gonna make a move while she's still with the other man. He's pretty confident she'll leave the other guy since he knows she's unhappy. The last part is where it gets complicated. Bruce can wait for her to leave the other guy, he has no problem waiting, but until she does he's not gonna keep up these games. He's flattered by her flirting but at the same time he's kinda giving her the cold shoulder -"if something in the air feels a little unkind"- because he wants her to leave her man and be his for real. She wants to cheat on her husband, that's why she gets dressed up for Bruce, but she doesn't leave her husband because she doesn't think Bruce is for real "like your so sure I'll be standing there." Througout this whole love tango, Bruce doesn't say a word, he is waiting till she's good and ready to have her for good, he doesn't want just a little love fling. I think the last chorus the sad eyes are his and they'll let her know what he wants.

Yeah, I think this is the correct interpretation. Although the song is a bit like a riddle, after reading this I can only agree.

Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

once u understand it it is prolly one of the best songs ever written, but i think u have to experience certain things and be in a certain position to understand it. its about him who loved this shy girl thats prolly rly sweet but has a lot of issues with herself, but shes too shy and secretevly to talk about it so she pretends everythings fine. she kinda lives her own life and its clear that he loved her, he had problems too, prolly relating her (he couldnt have her?!) and might not have told her that Baby don't you know I don't care Don't you know that I've been there he doesnt care anymore, hes over it, he loved her once but: "I know you think you'd never be mine Well that's okay, baby, I don't mind" she never loved him and still doesnt, theyre prolly just good friends, she has other things on her mind than him, but he was in love with her. its so normal for her having him as a friend "Here you come all dressed up for a date Well one more step and it'll be too late Blue blue ribbon in your hair Like you're so sure I'll be standing here" .. its about missunderstanding, he loves her and she expects him to be just a friend which hurts the one that feels more...sad eyes, just in each case a different reason, he cuz of her, she cuz of other things in her life

Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

I think it's the opposite... this person is patiently waiting for the other one to wander off because he knows for sure she will end up with him, because her eyes (sad) tell him he is right about her feelings... in the meantime the girl is with other boys and all that crap, and still the guy with his pride tells her he might not be there in the end, but he knows the girl is sure of the opposite, because he's got sad eyes too, and she can tell that he loves her. Awesome song...

Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

I think the song is about Bruce and his wife, Patti's relationship, for years since they first met they cautiously interacted in a semi-flirtatious relationship. Bruce talks about this with Patti during the third part of his autobiography "Born to Run".

My Interpretation
Positive
Subjective
Enjoyment
Relationship
Flirtation
Autobiography
Bruce Springsteen
Patti
Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

*you're

Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

q

Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

I think it's about two very close friends but he is in love with her (of course, he's not telling that to her). She has her life and I think that she is searching for a love but always with the wrong guys, and she tells him about her life, her relationships and pretends she's happy but her eyes can't lie. He doesn't wan't to listen about other guys, that why he doesn't do much talking, he ¨doesn't˝ care and he acts unkind. Although she's tellling him she's fine, he knows her better that she herself and because her eyes and her acting he knows (actually deeply believes) that, eventually, she will realize that he's the man for her, her true love and that's why he doesn't mind waiting. In the last part, where she's all dressed up for a date, it's not date with him but with some other (wrong) guy. He knows that this will, again, end up badly for her and, than, she will come to him (because he's her friend) for a comfort because, and she knows that, he will be there for her. And he will be, because he can't help himself and because he knows she will be his in the end.

It's a beautiful song and this story is commom among very close friends. One falls in love with another one, he/she keeps silent about that because they don't want to risk friendship, so they patiently wait for the other one to realize that they're meant to be. In the meaning time, he/she has to listen about her/his life, including love, because that's what friends do.

Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

He can be her friend who helps her, because he knows that sad eyes never lie

Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

According my personal point of view he is for her more than a friend

My Interpretation
Cover art for Sad Eyes lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

For me this song is about the story teller who has started to date a girl who has had her heart trampled before, maybe her ex cheated on her. He sees this, and wants her to feel comfortable and wants to wait for her to come out of her shell again because he really likes her. They have a good time together, but he picks up on some microexpressions that shows her voulnerability (the sad eyes). Of course, he is not sure either (is anyone in the beginning?), hence he isn´t so sure he´ll be standing there.

I love this song so much, and eventhough the production is a bit too polished, it really floats.

My Interpretation