By the bumper cars, in the pretty twining light, I may have gone too far, I may have gone too much too long. I'm a dull and witless boy. In the after bars, think I was sullied by a dream: in the killing jar, you and me at war at arms all falling in embrace.
Tell me why you lied and what it is you do to keep your eyes all shiny.
A tawny gypsy girl, sleeping blanketed by stars beneath the tilt-a-whirl where we were coyly caught alone all fumbling with your blouse.
Tell me why you lied and what it is you do to keep your eyes all shiny.
In the rollercoaster din, by the parachutes in saddle shoes you break your shin. But I have never seen two eyes so shiny.
And the sullen beery swine who try to tangle you in sullen beery balls of twine, have they ever seen two eyes so shiny?
The boys in denim vest, smoking cigarettes between their bootblack fingertips, sweetly tipsy by the half-light. The light and the half-light.
Tell me why you lied and what it is you do to keep your eyes so shiny
Tell me why you lied and what it is you do to keep your eyes all shiny.
A tawny gypsy girl, sleeping blanketed by stars beneath the tilt-a-whirl where we were coyly caught alone all fumbling with your blouse.
Tell me why you lied and what it is you do to keep your eyes all shiny.
In the rollercoaster din, by the parachutes in saddle shoes you break your shin. But I have never seen two eyes so shiny.
And the sullen beery swine who try to tangle you in sullen beery balls of twine, have they ever seen two eyes so shiny?
The boys in denim vest, smoking cigarettes between their bootblack fingertips, sweetly tipsy by the half-light. The light and the half-light.
Tell me why you lied and what it is you do to keep your eyes so shiny
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The whole song is a tribute to the loss of innocence. How things and people that appear to be so fun, bright, and childlike (like carnivals) can, as you grow older, prove to be just a facade.
you see, when you view a person you are interested in, your eyes will automatically dilate, and sometimes become covered in a thin layer of tears, giving your eye a shiny, wide look. this is something you can't control, so if you really dig someone, they'll be able to tell -- if they know what to look for. so, deny your feelings all you want, but your eyes will give away your lies every time.
so now, whenever I hear this song, I think of it as the narrator being involved with this girl, and they have a fling during a summer circus or fair, and she winds up leaving the guy, claiming never to have felt anything serious towards him, but he finds himself reflecting on their time together, and the way her eyes always seemed to shine... which leads him to believe she was lying about not feeling the same way he did.
... although, I figure the song really is about drug-use induced eye shininess, but my theory is at least an interesting new take on it. =P
As well, it does not make sense that the narrator would switch subjects from his brother-at-arms to the gypsy girl halfway through the third verse. He begins the stanza by discussing the girl, but then doesn’t seem to mention her again.
I find it funny that it never occurred to me that this could’ve been his relationship with the girl, or any girl in general. It just seems like such a strange way to go about phrasing it, if that is indeed the intention of the song.
Maybe I’m just thinking about it too literally. Either way, it’s my point of view and I like it. Cheers!
In the first verse, where he talks about "I may have gone too far, may have gone too much too long I'm a dull and witless boy"... thought this illustrated rape.
Also, in the second verse, he talks about 'fumbling with her blouse'; this also fed into my personal interpretation.
And that, coupled with the "Tell me why you lied, and what it is you do to keep your eyes so shiny" - I always figured she was lying about what really happened between them, maybe she said he raped her when he didn't, and he doesn't understand why, but she is able to keep an innocent face/ those innocent eyes.
The Shiny reference is a reference to watery eyes or weeping. I think he's confronted her about cheating because of the flirting with the Sullen Beery Swine and the Boys in Denim Vests. And he's afraid it could all be in his head, referenced by calling himself a dull and witless boy.
He's just not sure if she's really crying or faking it.
That's my take.
Beautiful song either way.