The permanent leader of the group The Who Pete Townshend (Pete Townshend) is called the founder of the rock opera genre. He is also considered the author of this term, which first appeared on the cover of the Tommy album, which the band recorded in 1969. A project of this type was released a little earlier by The Pretty Things team, but it did not gain fame, unlike Tommy.
Pete decided to build on the success of a new rock opera, which he named Lifehouse, but later abandoned it, taking up the Who’s Next album. The finished songs written for Lifehouse were then released as singles and included in other Townsend projects. Such a composition was Behind Blue Eyes, one of the most famous songs of The Who, which sounded in Who’s Next.
The history and meaning of the song Behind Blue Eyes
In Lifehouse, it was supposed to be performed by the main negative character named Jumbo. He laments that he cannot resist the temptations around him.
Most fans of The Who’s work have no doubt that Behind Blue Eyes is based on Townsend’s personal experiences, but it’s hard to say which ones exactly. Pete himself was slow to explain what Behind Blue Eyes was about, but once stated that it was a song about “how lonely it is to be influential.”
Townsend is said to have been seduced by a female fan after The Who’s concert in Denver in June 1970. Returning to the room, he allegedly recorded the line “when my fist clenches, crack it open …” (“when I clench my fist, open it”), which then entered the lyrics of the song.
Naturally, there are also claims that Behind Blue Eyes talks about the struggle with drug addiction (though something like this is said about all rock songs with overtones) or even about Pete’s suffering due to non-traditional orientation.
Behind Blue Eyes – The Who
You can watch the live music video for the song Behind Blue Eyes performed by the rock band The Who.
Cover versions
The cover version of Behind Blue Eyes by Limp Bizkit is very popular, although many well-known music reviewers criticized it harshly. Watch the music video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxoRHqc1iDk
Interesting Facts
- Pete Townsend has blue eyes.
- A variant of Limp Bizkit was used on the soundtrack to the film Gothic, where Halle Berry played one of the main roles. She also starred in the video for the song.
Which version of Behind Blue Eyes is better?
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Behind Blue Eyes Lyrics
No one knows what it’s like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
No one knows what it’s like
To be hated
To be fated
To tell only lies
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
No one knows what it’s like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through
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
When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool
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
No one knows what it’s like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
Behind Blue Eyes Lyrics
Nobody knows what it means
To be bad
to be sad
Hiding behind blue eyes
Nobody knows what it means
To be hated
To be doomed
Always lie
But my dreams
Not so empty
What does my conscience seem to be
I spend hours on my own
My love is revenge
That can’t find peace
Nobody knows what it means
Feel these feelings
As I know
And I blame you
No one has to hold back so much
Your fury
My pain and grief
Won’t give themselves away
But my dreams
Not so empty
What does my conscience seem to be
I spend hours on my own
My love is revenge
That can’t find peace
When I clench my fist, open it
Until I snapped and hit
When I smile, tell me the bad news
Until I laughed and became a laughingstock
And if I swallow something bad
Put your finger down my throat
And if I shiver please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, give me your clothes
Nobody knows what it means
To be bad
to be sad
Hiding behind blue eyes
