Behind Blue Eyes

The song is about a man who is "bad", as he is selfish (let me wear your coat), and is only capable of feeling anger. When he says "my love is vengeance, that's never free", I think it refers not to love specifically, but the only passion, desire he is capable of feeling is hate, revenge.

But the thing is, this man doesn't want to be this way. "My dreams aren't as empty as my conscience seems to be". He aspires to be a better person, but simply isn't strong enough. Because of this, he became even more bitter, thus the blue (sad) eyes.

Ok, I feel like breaking down the song to show how I feel connected to it...It'll probably sound similar to what some other people said, but whatever...

No one knows what it's like To be the bad man To be the sad man Behind blue eyes

(When you appear to always be the bad guy, nobody understands you...they don't car, because you aren't worth their time. You are just a guy that nobody likes. The fact that you are sad is because you realize that nobody feels for you)

No one knows what it's like To be hated To be fated To telling only lies

(Some people end up in unlucky situations, and are stuck between bad options and worse options. If telling the truth would unnecessarily hurt someone, when telling a lie would not and it isn't important enough to bother with, telling the lie is the better option. But suppose you are caught in the lie. Now, even though you were trying to help, you end up being the one that nobody trusts)

But my dreams They aren't as empty As my conscience seems to be

(Often people in these situations feel trapped in these events, even though inside they really are good people, nobody sees that. They only see the heartless person who always lies and hurts people)

I have hours, only lonely My love is vengeance That's never free

(This person is often unliked by most people, and spends a lot of time alone just thinking about why things go wrong. They seek to change their fortunes, to get revenge on life, but it always ends up hurting worse in the end)

No one knows what it's like To feel these feelings Like I do And I blame you

(Eventually, the person comes to resent others, even their friends or loved ones, for not being able to understand their situation)

No one bites back as hard On their anger None of my pain and woe Can show through

(The person may eventually seek to hide all of their emotions from everyone, so as to avoid the situations which cause the person to be hated.)

But my dreams They aren't as empty As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely My love is vengeance That's never free

(The chorus is important here, because it shows that even though the person has changed, become withdrawn from others, they still feel the same about themselves. They are still trying to be a good person, but it just gets harder)

When my fist clenches, crack it open Before I use it and lose my cool

(The person sometimes bursts with emotion, because of keeping it locked up so much. Eventually, it has to come out. This could be anger which turns quickly into violence)

When I smile, tell me some bad news Before I laugh and act like a fool

(It could be happiness, but if expressed at inopportune times makes the person look worse for being over the top, or possibly stupid)

And if I swallow anything evil Put your finger down my throat And if I shiver, please give me a blanket Keep me warm; let me wear your coat

(As the rest of the bridge, the person asks for someone, anyone, to keep them from doing the things that are causing them to be reviled, even when it isn't their fault)

No one knows what it's like To be the bad man To be the sad man Behind blue eyes

(The repeated first lines show that the plea was unheard or unanswered and that the person cannot leave the cycle.)

This song is about someone who's life experiences have made them a Misanthrope and somewhat Nihilistic.

He's upset about the state of his world and the world in general. He views everyone else as folks that are only out for themselves, so he is only looking after himself too.

When he sings "My dreams aren't as empty as my conscience seems to be" He's looking for a change in his own life, despite his general distaste and indifference for humanity.

When he sings "My Love is vengeance, that's never free" He is meaning that his love for himself and his own is his response to a world that is decadent and cold and that he distrusts and and despises.

The last verses are him talking to the only one he loves and trusts in this world. He is pleading to this person to save him from himself.

Wikipedia: "The lyrics are a first-person lament from a man in the Lifehouse story, variously identifed as 'Brick' or 'Jumbo', who is always angry and full of angst because of all the pressure and temptation that surrounds him, and the song was intended to be his "theme song" had the project been successful. (The lyrics of the rocking section near the end were actually written by Townshend as a prayer when he was a disciple of Meher Baba after being tempted by a groupie, and incorporated into the song when it was written.)"

So, yeah. I find the prayer part very interesting - if Pete really did write that originally for himself, the "when I smile" line seems kind of odd to me... I've never heard of Townshend being particularly frown-ish. Maybe, then, the line is a somewhat subtle way of saying "When I'm falling into temptation please stop me from going further" - as in a sort of "when I smile at the groupie, tell me some bad news, before I laugh and give in to her charm" kind of thing. Er... yeah.

I think this song is empathetic (as in, helps you wear someone else's shoes for a while) without being sympathetic (as in, you still don't feel for the guy even after wearing those shoes). Which is really hard to do. I think it's about someone who is a little self-disgusted but too afraid to admit it, or do anything about it, or even take responsibility for it.

I think during the bridge, "and if I swallow anything evil/ stick your fingers down my throat", was a drug reference. He's basically admitting he has zero self control, so you're going to have to be the grown up if you're with him. "Keep me warm, let me wear your coat". You being warm isn't important. I'm the important one here.

Basically, I feel like it's a song about the kind of guy we all love to talk about and hate. It's about a powerful man-child that must be kept after like a child, yet won't ever show appreciation and will still feel superior to their caretaker. It could be about anyone from Lex Luthor to a heroine addict with a girlfriend that's given up her life to keep after him. But what makes this song special, is that it forces us inside this person's head, and forces us to admit that yes, sometimes, we are that way too, and we're about as eager to let others know about it as the villian this song is about when we notice.

"no one knows what it's like to feel these feelings like I do, and I blame you." He is hanging on to something someone implanted in his head such as a false thought that he is selfish and hateful, or ungrateful. He was not allowed to express his true thoughts or feelings before without being shot down, so he has just come to accept his nature, although he still has a hard time believing himself that those are his true feelings about the matter. People say that he is incapable of love but he knows that's not true, I think what the writer is saying is that he isn't as cold and calculating as what he's been told. he's trying to play the victim card by blaming others because of the unfair circumstances he was dealt along with his poor emotional coping skills that led him to numbing himself out, but everyone is mad at him because he can't express the emotions the way they want so in a way he is admitting fault and taking responsibility "my love is vehemence that's never free" The only love he was shown did not resonate with what he needed emotionally...so he is bitter because he always has to change himself in some way to make others think he is happy with the person he has become. He fights his anger to make others pity him because that is a safer alternative than appearing vulnerable to people who have something he lacks towards others, love and compassion.

I hate how people think this is a Limb Bizcit song.

I think this song is about a man tormented by his past, a lover, partner, girlfriend who has branded him a liar and bad person, so in there (her friends) eyes he's hated and a liar (No one knows what its like to be hated ect.. fated to telling only lies) he is now a lonely figure who is bitter (i blame you.. no one bites back as hard on there anger, none of my pain can show through)... thats what i think it means anyway!!!!!

This song is about crack cause every song that has no meaning is about crack and heroin and French cheese.

To me this song is about the man who we all are at times. When life seems to kick us while we are down and dark thoughts of vengeance fill our minds even though we know, we are wrong. During those times we long for a mother figure to enlighten us to the situation and show us some warmth and to unclench our fists.\n The song reminds of a quote by Carl Jung who said “ No tree can grow to heaven unless it’s roots reach down to hell” Everyone has the capacity to be Evil and it does us good to realise this now and then. \nAnother great song from The Who