The song is partially, I believe, about myxomatosis, a viral disease which causes conjunctivitis in rabbits. The chorus,
Bright eyes,
Burning like fire.
Bright eyes,
How can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
Suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes
Is a reference to one of the earliest symptoms of the disease, runny and swollen eyes, progressing to lumps around the head and ears, and eventually causing death. It is referred to in Watership Down as the "white blindness". "How can you close and fade" is a reference to a later symptom, when the conjunctivitis has become so severe that the eyes are swollen shut.
It's a nasty concept, but then, some of the best songs out there are built on nasty concepts :p
The song is partially, I believe, about myxomatosis, a viral disease which causes conjunctivitis in rabbits. The chorus, Bright eyes, Burning like fire. Bright eyes, How can you close and fail? How can the light that burned so brightly Suddenly burn so pale? Bright eyes
Is a reference to one of the earliest symptoms of the disease, runny and swollen eyes, progressing to lumps around the head and ears, and eventually causing death. It is referred to in Watership Down as the "white blindness". "How can you close and fade" is a reference to a later symptom, when the conjunctivitis has become so severe that the eyes are swollen shut.
It's a nasty concept, but then, some of the best songs out there are built on nasty concepts :p