Behind Blue Eyes
Encyclopedia
"Behind Blue Eyes" is the title of a song by English rock
band The Who
. It was released in November 1971 as the second single from their fifth album Who's Next
and was written by Pete Townshend
originally for his Lifehouse project. The song is one of The Who's most well known recordings and has been covered by many artists.
acoustic guitar. A bass guitar and ethereal harmonies are added in later. Eventually, the song breaks out into a full-scale rock anthem when a second theme is introduced near the end - but it ultimately wraps up with a brief reprise of the quieter first theme. Songs written in alternating sections were something of a trademark of Townshend's writing of the period, going back at least to Tommy
, where it was used in "Christmas" and "Go to the Mirror!
" The guitar riff at the end of the rock anthem section is also used after the bridge
during the song "Won't Get Fooled Again
", perhaps serving as a link between the two songs when Behind Blue Eyes was intended to be a rock opera. (Some musical themes from Tommy and Quadrophenia
also appear in multiple places.)
The version of "Behind Blue Eyes" on the original Behind Blue Eyes album was the second version the band recorded; the first version was recorded at the Record Plant in New York on 18 March 1971 and features Al Kooper
on Hammond Organ
. Pete Townshend has also recorded two solo versions of the song. One, the original demo
of the song, was featured on the Scoop
album. The demo along with a newer recording of the song featuring an orchestral backing was featured in The Lifehouse Chronicles
.
and was released as a single from their album Results May Vary
. The song was released to coincide with the release of the film Gothika
. Lyrics of the original song are subjected to major changes in the Limp Bizkit cover: A new third verse in the style of the first two verses is added ("No one knows what its like/To be mistreated/To be defeated/Behind blue eyes/No one knows how to say/That they're sorry/And don't worry/I'm not telling lies"), and the cover deletes the middle section of "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/If I swallow anything evil/Put your finger down my throat/If I shiver, please give me a blanket/Keep me warm, let me wear your coat".
, Pearl Jam
, Sheryl Crow
, Elf
, Lifehouse
, Testudo
, Ian Stuart Donaldson
, Jon English
, Suzanne Vega
, Silvertide
, The Chieftains
(some live and recorded versions featuring Roger Daltrey
), Skrewdriver
, Unknown Hinson
and Lights.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. It was released in November 1971 as the second single from their fifth album Who's Next
Who's Next
Who's Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band The Who, released in August 1971. The album has origins in a rock opera conceived by Pete Townshend called Lifehouse. The ambitious, complex project did not come to fruition at the time and instead, many of the songs written for the project...
and was written by Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
originally for his Lifehouse project. The song is one of The Who's most well known recordings and has been covered by many artists.
Overview
The song starts off with a solo voice singing over an arpeggiatedArpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
acoustic guitar. A bass guitar and ethereal harmonies are added in later. Eventually, the song breaks out into a full-scale rock anthem when a second theme is introduced near the end - but it ultimately wraps up with a brief reprise of the quieter first theme. Songs written in alternating sections were something of a trademark of Townshend's writing of the period, going back at least to Tommy
Tommy (rock opera)
Tommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was...
, where it was used in "Christmas" and "Go to the Mirror!
Go to the Mirror!
"Go to the Mirror!" is a song written by Pete Townshend of The Who. It appears as the fifteenth track on the group's first rock opera, Tommy...
" The guitar riff at the end of the rock anthem section is also used after the bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
during the song "Won't Get Fooled Again
Won't Get Fooled Again
"Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the rock band The Who which was written by Pete Townshend The original version of the song appears as the final track on the album Who's Next...
", perhaps serving as a link between the two songs when Behind Blue Eyes was intended to be a rock opera. (Some musical themes from Tommy and Quadrophenia
Quadrophenia
Quadrophenia is the sixth studio album by English rock band The Who. Released on 19 October 1973 by Track and Polydor in the UK, and Track and MCA in the US, it is a double album, and the group's second rock opera...
also appear in multiple places.)
The version of "Behind Blue Eyes" on the original Behind Blue Eyes album was the second version the band recorded; the first version was recorded at the Record Plant in New York on 18 March 1971 and features Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
on Hammond Organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
. Pete Townshend has also recorded two solo versions of the song. One, the original demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of the song, was featured on the Scoop
Scoop (album)
Scoop is a compilation album by Pete Townshend containing 25 demos of various released and unreleased Who songs, as well as demos of entirely new material.-History:...
album. The demo along with a newer recording of the song featuring an orchestral backing was featured in The Lifehouse Chronicles
The Lifehouse Chronicles
Lifehouse Chronicles is a box set released in 2000 by Pete Townshend with the focus on the box being the formerly "abandoned" Lifehouse rock opera. The set contains song demos by Pete Townshend; including solo versions of "Baba O'Riley", "Won't Get Fooled Again", and "Who Are You", and the...
.
Lifehouse story
"Behind Blue Eyes" is sung from the point of view of the main villain of Lifehouse, Jumbo. The lyrics are a first-person lament from 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.Personnel
- Roger DaltreyRoger DaltreyRoger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
- acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - John EntwistleJohn EntwistleJohn Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Keith MoonKeith MoonKeith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
In the media
- This was the song selected for CSI: NYCSI: NYCSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
's opening, but the CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
director, Leslie Moonves, chose the actual Baba O'RileyBaba O'Riley"Baba O'Riley" is a song written by Pete Townshend for the English rock band The Who. Roger Daltrey sings most of the song, with Pete Townshend singing the middle eight: "Don't cry/don't raise your eye/it's only teenaged wasteland"...
. - During Season two of CalifornicationCalifornication (TV series)Californication is an American comedy-drama that premiered on Showtime on August 13, 2007. The show was created by Tom Kapinos. The protagonist, Hank Moody , is a troubled novelist whose move to California, coupled with his writer's block, complicates his relationships with his longtime girlfriend...
Sheryl Crow's cover plays whilst Lew Ashby overdoses and ultimately dies
Limp Bizkit cover
"Behind Blue Eyes" was covered by Limp BizkitLimp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
and was released as a single from their album Results May Vary
Results May Vary
Results May Vary is the fourth studio album by Limp Bizkit, released on September 23, 2003 through Interscope Records. The album debuted at #3 in the US with over 320,000 copies sold on the first week, breaking the group's #1 spree on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified Platinum on June...
. The song was released to coincide with the release of the film Gothika
Gothika
-Box office:Gothika was released on November 21, 2003 in North America, grossing $19,288,438 in the opening weekend and ranking at #2, behind The Cat in the Hat. It went on to gross $59,694,580 in the domestic market and $81,896,744 from foreign markets for a worldwide total of $141,591,324...
. Lyrics of the original song are subjected to major changes in the Limp Bizkit cover: A new third verse in the style of the first two verses is added ("No one knows what its like/To be mistreated/To be defeated/Behind blue eyes/No one knows how to say/That they're sorry/And don't worry/I'm not telling lies"), and the cover deletes the middle section of "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/If I swallow anything evil/Put your finger down my throat/If I shiver, please give me a blanket/Keep me warm, let me wear your coat".
Chart performance
| Chart (2003–2004) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end
| End of year chart (2004) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 15 |
Other covers
"Behind Blue Eyes" has also been covered by numerous artists, including Bryan AdamsBryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, Elf
Elf (band)
Elf was a rock band founded in 1967 by the late singer and bassist Ronnie James Dio, keyboardist Doug Thaler, drummer Gary Driscoll, and guitarists Nick Pantas and David Feinstein . The band was originally called The Electric Elves, but was shortened to The Elves and finally Elf in mid-1970...
, Lifehouse
Lifehouse (band)
Lifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia...
, Testudo
Testudo
Testudo may refer to:* Testudo , a genus of tortoises* The Latin variant of the Greek chelys harp made from a tortoise shell* The testudo formation, a Roman military tactic...
, Ian Stuart Donaldson
Ian Stuart Donaldson
Ian Stuart Donaldson was a British Neo-Nazi singer, musician and songwriter, most known as the frontman of Skrewdriver, a British punk rock band that later became a white power rock band...
, Jon English
Jon English
Jonathan James "Jon" English is an Australian rock singer, musician, actor and writer. English emigrated to Australia with his parents in 1961...
, Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
, Silvertide
Silvertide
Silvertide was a rock band hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-History:Silvertide was formed in January 2001 in Northeast Philadelphia. At first, Silvertide was signed by J Records. They released their first EP American Excess in 2002...
, The Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
(some live and recorded versions featuring Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
), Skrewdriver
Skrewdriver
Skrewdriver was an English punk rock band formed by Ian Stuart Donaldson in Poulton-le-Fylde in 1976. They later evolved into one of the first neo-Nazi rock bands, playing a leading role in the Rock Against Communism movement and becoming known as the most prominent white power skinhead...
, Unknown Hinson
Unknown Hinson
Stuart Daniel Baker, better known by his stage name, Unknown Hinson, is a comedic country musician, songwriter, and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as the voice of Early Cuyler on the Adult Swim cartoon series Squidbillies....
and Lights.
- In Buffy the Vampire Slayer the song had been performed by character Rupert GilesRupert GilesRupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
(played by Anthony Stewart HeadAnthony HeadAnthony Stewart Head , usually credited as Anthony Head, is an English actor and musician. He rose to fame in the UK following his role in television advertisements for Nescafé Gold Blend , and is known for his roles as Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Uther Pendragon in...
) in the episode "Where the Wild Things Are". - AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n rapper ChakuzaChakuzaPeter Pangerl , better known as Chakuza, is an Austrian rapper. He lived in Berlin from 2006 to 2010 and was signed to Bushido's label ersguterjunge. In November 2010 he left ersguterjunge for Beatlefield Productions...
and GermanGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
rapper Bizzy Montana, sampled the song on their free track "Behind Blue Eyes". It's not known if they had sampled The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's original version or Limp BizkitLimp BizkitLimp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
's version.