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Eyes Wide Open Lyrics
With our eyes wide open we... (x2)
So this is the end of the story
Everything we had, everything we did
Is buried in dust
And this dust is all that's left of us
And only a few ever worried
While the signs were clear
They had no idea
You just get used to living in fear
Or give up
When you can't even picture your future
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open we
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
Yeah we walk the plank with our eyes wide open we
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
Some people offered up answers
We made out like we heard
They were only words
They didn't add up
To a change in the way we were living
And the saddest thing
Is all of it could have been avoided
But it was like to stop consuming's to stop being human
And why'd I make a change if you won't?
We're all in the same boat
Staying afloat for the moment
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
And we walk the plank with our eyes wide open we
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
With our eyes wide open we
We walk the plank, we walk the plank
So that is the end of the story
Everything we had, everything we did
Is buried in dust
And this dust is all that's left of us
And only a few ever worried
They had no idea
You just get used to living in fear
Or give up
When you can't even picture your future
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
Yeah we walk the plank with our eyes wide open we
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
We made out like we heard
They were only words
They didn't add up
To a change in the way we were living
And the saddest thing
Is all of it could have been avoided
And why'd I make a change if you won't?
We're all in the same boat
Staying afloat for the moment
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
And we walk the plank with our eyes wide open we
(walk the plank with our eyes wide open we)
We walk the plank, we walk the plank
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I believe this song is about the human races' over-consumption and over-exploitation of the Earth (the music video also complements this idea). "We walk the plank with our eyes wide open" indicates that you are KNOWINGLY walking to your death, you are aware of it. So to apply it to the topic, we as a species are knowingly destroying the Earth and walking to our deaths because of it - the Earth does not have an endless supply of resources. Even the idea of peak oil in the 70's caused a stir because people actually believed that oil would "never run out".
De Backer's lyrics seem to refer to people (in Governments, scientists) who have tried to get others to chance their way of thinking or providing scientifically sound data for what is happening, such as climate change/global warming. But as he says "they were only words/they didn't add up" he's saying that everyday people didn't understand what was being said, therefore they don't believe it. He continues on by saying that by NOT consuming we're not being HUMAN, and why should I make a change to my lifestyle if my neighbour isn't, for example?
Very powerful message once you break it down, almost a protest. I also really like Wally's new music style thus far, and am looking forward to hearing more from him soon :D
(P.S. If anybody has any lyric corrections they'd like to make, PLEASE let me know! I transcribed these myself and I bet you anything they're not 100% correct! :P)
While my interpretation is certainly quite similar to yours, I actually ended up redefining how I understood the chorus, "We walk the plank with our eyes wide open."
While my interpretation is certainly quite similar to yours, I actually ended up redefining how I understood the chorus, "We walk the plank with our eyes wide open."
While I initial thought walking the plank essentially meant "walking to your death" as you put it, I then remembered a great story I read once about human society. It told an analogy where human civilization was represented by a flying machine -- and how some flying machines may seem to fly for a while, though they are always doomed to crash if they're not built according to the laws...
While I initial thought walking the plank essentially meant "walking to your death" as you put it, I then remembered a great story I read once about human society. It told an analogy where human civilization was represented by a flying machine -- and how some flying machines may seem to fly for a while, though they are always doomed to crash if they're not built according to the laws of aerodynamics.
Similarly, the book concludes, human societies will inevitably collapse if they are not built according to the laws of sustainability and natural balance.
So -- as I now see it -- the line 'walking the plank' in this song is more about saving yourself than falling to your death.
If you're on an airship that is accelerating itself toward the ground, then you may as well 'walk the plank' and figure out how to use your wings.
(PS that book I referred to is Ishmael by Daniel Quinn -- I highly recommend it!)
hey there i think your comment is spot on! I have an oral essay on this song, its about texts to do with protest and issues. I feel this is the perfect song for it! By the sounds of what you wrote you really know what this songs about, would you help me? Just maybe write more on this song and making deeper links into it. Please! It would be much appreciated :)
hey there i think your comment is spot on! I have an oral essay on this song, its about texts to do with protest and issues. I feel this is the perfect song for it! By the sounds of what you wrote you really know what this songs about, would you help me? Just maybe write more on this song and making deeper links into it. Please! It would be much appreciated :)
There's a mistake in the lyrics on this line:
There's a mistake in the lyrics on this line:
"You'll want to make a change if you won't"
"You'll want to make a change if you won't"
I'm not sure what the line says exactly, but it's closer to what the other commenter wrote in their lyrics: "and why'd I make a change if you won't?"
I'm not sure what the line says exactly, but it's closer to what the other commenter wrote in their lyrics: "and why'd I make a change if you won't?"
I response to the first post, What? How in the name of Bob did you get an pro-environmentalism message from that video? Its not about saving the environment, its Nuclear Holocaust. I mean, they have imagery of bombs and planes and war zones, bombs flying. I mean, you see a Nuke blow up in reverse. Not every intelligent song is about the environment.
I response to the first post, What? How in the name of Bob did you get an pro-environmentalism message from that video? Its not about saving the environment, its Nuclear Holocaust. I mean, they have imagery of bombs and planes and war zones, bombs flying. I mean, you see a Nuke blow up in reverse. Not every intelligent song is about the environment.
Also lyrics like "we get used to living in fear" and the "dust" point that way too.
Also lyrics like "we get used to living in fear" and the "dust" point that way too.
The video matches this song perfectly! I believe the song is about us bringing ourselves to our own destruction or setting ourselves up for failure. Now whether you want to take that literally or as a relationship coming to an end when you knew it wouldn't last in the first place is up to you. We walked the plank with our eyes wide open because we know the way we live our life isn't right but yet we still refuse to make a change! So "God" or "Aliens" or just a greater being forced to eliminate us because we proven ourselves unworthy, but they aren't happy doing so. So they cover their eyes as the see the wreckage. It could very well just be us destroying ourselves but in the video it shows and explosion in the background as the "creatures" as they travel the Earth. So I don't really agree with the whole global warming thing.
BREAKDOWN
So this is the end of the story, Everything we had, everything we did, Is buried in dust, And this dust is all that's left of us. But only a few ever worried.
Well the signs were clear, they had no idea. You just get used to living in fear, Or give up when you can't even picture your future.
Some people offered up answers. We made out like we heard, they were only words. They didn't add up to a change in the way we were living, And the saddest thing is all of it could have been avoided.
But it was like to stop consuming is to stop being human, You'll want to make a change if you won't. We're all in the same boat, staying afloat for the moment.
We walk the plank with our eyes wide open.
"But it was like to stop consuming is to stop being human" even when "the signs were clear" This sing is without a doubt about man's current situation in the world. he's basically saying humans have become total consumers and we don't know how to stop consuming the earth even though we have evidence that our consumption-centered society of today will destroy us in the future.
In the beginning he talks about after humanity's destroyed everything, which is the 'end of the story': "So this is the end of the story, Everything we had, everything we did, Is buried in dust, And this dust is all that's left of us. But only a few ever worried." The few that worried are those that actually cared about turning humanity's around from destroying its earth to a sustainable future
The chorus line he sung over and over is pretty simple as well: "We walk the plank with our eyes wide open" He's saying we're basically choosing death (a.k.a. "walking the plank") even though we can see and could make an attempt to save ourselves by turning around our current direction
The music video for this song is very intriguing. I love it. Reminds me of War of the Worlds in some weird way...
That was exactly the same comparison I found!
That was exactly the same comparison I found!
Amazing song, and I think your lyrics and meaning are pretty spot on. Good work :)
I think this song is explaining that people aren't really too stupid, and that we know what's happening in the world but we refuse to pay attention to it. Thus the line "and only a few ever worried". I think the first part of the song might be about the "eventual" apocalypse... the song may imply that the evil of certain humans will bring an end to this world.
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ahh so glad someone finally put the lyrics up. cannot find them anywhere else! think your pretty spot on.. i hear somethings different, wrote in capitals what i think? but i could be verrry wrong. wish there was an official version somewhere
So this is the end of the story Everything we had, everything we did Is buried in dust And this dust is all that's left of us And only IF YOU ever worried
While the signs WERE clear They HAD no idea You just get used to living in fear Or give up When you can't even picture your future
Some people offered offences We made out like we heard They were only words-- THEYR OUR ONLY WORDS ?? They didn't add up To a change in the way we were living And the saddest thing Is all of it could have been avoided
But it was like to stop consuming's to stop being human And why'd I make a change if you won't? We're all in the same boat Staying afloat for the moment
So that is the end of the story
This song is amazing! <3
Just one thing, I think it might be "some people offered up answers" instead of 'offences'? hence we made out like we heard them but really just ignored them?
Thanks for posting these lyrics!!
Thanks so much for the tips, Amy and Annie!
Annie I see what you mean about it being 'answers'... it could also be "offensives" because that would make sense, an offensive means you're making a counter-attack. But I have to listen to it again! XD
Dammit Wally, give us the official lyrics :P
Ok I re-listened and Annie I think you're right about the "offered up answers" part, it makes a lot more sense now!
I've also amended a few of the lyrics you corrected, Amy, but I still think it's "they were only words" and "only a few ever worried" but I guess we'll find out if we get the actual lyrics :)