Lyrics for Eye of the Beholder as interpreted by elmoz

Eye of the Beholder Lyrics
...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (1988)

(Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett)

Do You See What I See?
Truth Is an Offence
You Silence for Your Confidence
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Doors Are Slamming Shut
Limit Your Imagination, Keep You Where They must
Do You Feel What I Feel?
Bittering Distress
Who Decides What You Express
Do You Take What I Take?
Endurance Is the Word
Moving Back Instead of Forward Seems to Me Absurd

Doesn't Matter What You See?
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Independence Limited
Freedom of Choice
Choice Is Made for You My Friend
Freedom of Speech
Speech Is Words That They Will Bend
Freedom with Their Exception

Do You Fear What I Fear?
Living Properly
Truths to You Are Lies to Me
Do You Choose What I Choose?
More Alternives
Energy Derives from Both the Plus and Negative
Do You Need What I Need?
Boundaries Overthrown
Look Inside to Each His Own
Do You Trust What I Trust?
Me, Myself and I
Penetrate the Smoke Screen I See Through the Selfish Lie

Doesn't Matter What You See
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Independence Limited
Freedom of Choice
Choice Is Mad for You My Friend
Freedom of Speech
Speech Is Words That They Will Bend
Freedom with Their Exception

Do You Know What I Know?
Your Money End Your Wealth
Your Silence Just to Hear Your Self
Do You Want What I Want?
Desire Not a Thing
I Hunger after Independence, Lengthen Freedom's Ring
Doesn't Matter What You See
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Independence Limited
Freedom of Choice
Choice Is Made for You My Friend
Freedom of Speech
Speech Is Words That They Will Bend
Freedom no longer frees you

Doesn't Matter What You See
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 30 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
oldest first     Expand All
nemesis
04-10-2002

Rated 0 
This song has to do with censorship & the media.

Log in to reply
King Nothing
04-14-2002

Rated 0 
Actually it's about the lack of freedom in the law and the justice system.

Log in to reply
Guy
05-07-2002

Rated 0 
It's about how today's goverment is hypocritical about the bill of rights and constitution.

Log in to reply
nemesis
05-17-2002

Rated +1 
The great thing about most of Metallica's songs is that they're open to different interpretations :)

Log in to reply
I_LIKE_BEANS
06-05-2002

Rated 0 
King nothing is on the right track...for everyones info this entire album is based on the justice system..hence the name ...And justice for all
The song is about freedom and it is only as true as you perceive it. It protests against the restricted limit of freedom by the law.

Log in to reply
MetalliCatMan
07-25-2002

Rated 0 
This song means that although we have freedom of speech, if the government or the media (the two are often linked) doesn't like what we say, they have the power bend it into something else. People believe what the media tells them. The media, instead of just reporting a story, for instance, reports the story, and puts a slant on it in favor one side. This happens all the time, and this song says a lot about how things like this happen.

Log in to reply
MetalliCatMan
07-25-2002

Rated 0 
To add to what I already wrote, the title means that freedom, particularly freedom of speech, is in the eye of the beholder.

Log in to reply
kerby
12-23-2004

Rated 0 
anyways this song has a great start.one of the best
beginings ive ever heard.and i do understand the political meanings in this song...ROCK ON!

Log in to reply
ahanix1989
04-22-2005

Rated 0 
Song lyrics are wrong in parts.
\"Freedom of Choice
Choice Is Made for You My Friend
Freedom of Speech
Speech Is Words That They Will Bend\"

... They only say \"Choice\" and \"Speech\" once. It\'s
\"Freedom of choice is made for you my friend
Freedom of speech is words that they will bend\"

And why is every word capitalized?

Log in to reply
1 Reply
dasquien!
05-14-2005

Rated 0 
this is one of my favorite songs from and justice for all....the government is silly

Log in to reply
OpiumForThePeople
06-01-2005

Rated 0 
The whole album is all about politics. And this one is about media censorship as already said

Log in to reply
hrvster of sorrw
06-16-2005

Rated 0 
Eye of Beholder...Basically how the government is lies within the eyes of the individual. In this case James and "Do you see what I see?" (his views on government).

But most already said that and I burned all those calories typing that....damn it...

Log in to reply
Astronomy
07-16-2005

Rated 0 
NO NO NO your all wrong it was written about a short film for the Twilight Zone!

Log in to reply
EagleEye1
07-27-2005

Rated 0 
I think its about how the government controlls everything about our daily lives even though this is a free country. As they say in the chorus "Independence Limited, Freedom of choice is made for you my friend.." "Freedom no longer frees you" just think about it that is exactly the message they are sending out to everyone

Log in to reply
Sullo
08-12-2005

Rated 0 
Do You See What I See?
Truth Is an Offence
You Silence for Your Confidence

BAM! song about manipulation within the government

Log in to reply
GregL
09-18-2005

Rated 0 
This song "could" have to do with the government but it is more general I think. For instance a person with the point of view "the government is bad", has a point of view he believes is correct, but that might be falling for the trap set by the lyrics of this song, hence "eye of the beholder". I believe it also addresses how James believes it's ok to explore pessimism along with optimism in a world that has become to void of introspection. In other words just write what's on your mind.

Log in to reply
medicineman
09-15-2006

Rated 0 
The song is about freedom and it is only as true as you perceive it. It protests against the restricted limit of freedom by the law.

Log in to reply
snowsanta
02-13-2007

Rated 0 
I think this is about Dungeons and Dragons.

Ya rly.

Log in to reply
rineheitzgabot
03-14-2007

Rated 0 
Yeah, yeah, yeah--injustice, perversion of truth, disenfranchisement, etc.

No one has addressed what the paragraph that is sung three times in the song is about, that goes:

Doesn't matter what you see,
or into it what you read,
you can do it your own way,
if it's done just how I say.

I am not certain, but there seems to be a bit of irony here. It could be that James is declaring a call to arms against the government, in a covert sort of way, or that he is pointing out what GregL touched on. Sort of like, if I hate the government, and this song sounds like a song that is about hating the government, then I will subscribe to the meaning of this song. Even though James is possibly making fun of people like this, in this song. For instance, 99% of this song might have lyrics that are saying things like, "government is corrupt, I hate the government, etc.". Then a tiny paragraph in the song is saying, "See, I can make you join a cause, by manipulating you with 99% of the lyrics to my song". Subscribing to a certain theory or cause, just because superficially, it sounds like what they want to believe in. James is ironic that way. Although I am leaning towards the call to arms thing.

James Hetfield is very cool.

Log in to reply
p_k_rooz
03-24-2007

Rated 0 
this song is about the government contoling everything and telling us wat to see and wat to hear and wat to read

Log in to reply
p_k_rooz
03-24-2007

Rated 0 
and yes james hetfield is very cool

Log in to reply
spooner113
04-07-2007

Rated 0 
this song reminds me of the system in my school. u can only read whats in the libary, if it speaks out against the school its not to be said. no adding creative twists to assignments no disagreeing with the teacher

Log in to reply
lmaobutts
07-14-2007

Rated 0 
I guess it could apply to the government and such, but i think its more over censorship...

like megadeths song "hook in mouth" about the PMRC

Log in to reply
harper83087
03-25-2008

Rated 0 
lars and double bass need to join forces more often haha

personally i think its more about censorship and how the media/gov't has the power to control what you can do

Log in to reply
johnelitist
09-24-2008

Rated 0 
"You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say"

Basically, the government saying "You're FREE!!! But you have to be free the way I tell you to be"

Log in to reply
1 Reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here