The band began recording ...Like Clockwork in August 2012, initially hoping that collaborator Trent Reznor would produce the album. Following a tumultuous recording period, which included the departure of long-time drummer Joey Castillo, founding member Josh Homme described the album as "documenting the journey of moving forward, you know. It was a tough time and I thought, 'I can run away from this, or I can run into it.'"
The album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, reaching number two on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the Billboard 200, making it Queens of the Stone Age's highest U.S. chart position to date and their first album to top the charts in the United States.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled
Queens of the Stone Age Lyrics
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Thoughtless, trapped in my minefield
Shotgun, never behind the wheel anymore
Danger, monsters of smoke and mirror
Slowly, can one so lost be found?
And I know, you will never believe
I play as though I'm alright
If life is but a dream, then
Wake me up
Fallen leaves realize they are no friend of autumn
The view from Hell is blue sky
So ominously blue
Daydream until all the blue is gone
And I know you'll never believe
I play as though I'm alright
If life is but a dream,
Wake me
Underwater is another life
Disregarding every myth we write
Rag doll churning
Eagerly alive
Big smile, really a show of teeth
Without a care in a world of fear
Lonely, you don't know how I feel
Praise God, nothing is as it seems
The lyrics to Queens of the Stone Age's song "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" seem to describe a state of confusion, fear, and isolation. The listener is urged not to look but rather to keep their eyes peeled, which potentially refers to the need to remain vigilant in a dangerous situation. The singer of the song appears to feel trapped in their own mind and unable to assert control over their situation, represented by the line "thoughtless, trapped in my minefield." The use of the metaphor of "monsters of smoke and mirror" adds to the theme of feeling trapped and unable to distinguish reality from illusion.
The chorus of the song speaks of playing as though everything is alright, but the suggestion is that this is a façade to cover up the turmoil beneath. The lines "if life is but a dream, then wake me up" add to the feeling of detachment from reality and the need to escape from the current situation. The second verse continues the themes of escape and confusion, with references to underwater life and the disregard of myths. The final line "praise God, nothing is as it seems" adds a sense of irony and raises questions about the role of religion in coping with overwhelming emotions.
Overall, "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" is a haunting and introspective song that explores themes of confusion, fear, and self-deception. It is open to interpretation but seems to be an exploration of the ways people cope with difficult emotions and situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't look, just keep your eyes peeled
Be cautious and keep your eyes open, even if you don't like what you might see.
Thoughtless, trapped in my minefield
I'm stuck in a situation that I didn't really think through, and now it's dangerous.
Shotgun, never behind the wheel anymore
I'm not in control of my own life anymore, I'm just along for the ride.
Danger, monsters of smoke and mirror
There are things that seem dangerous but are actually just illusions, and things that seem safe but are actually very dangerous.
Slowly, can one so lost be found?
Is it possible for someone who is lost to be found, even if it happens very slowly?
And I know, you will never believe
I know that you won't believe me, but I'm going to say it anyway.
I play as though I'm alright
Even though I'm not okay, I pretend that I am.
If life is but a dream, then
If our whole existence is just an illusion,
Wake me up
Then I want to be woken up to reality.
Fallen leaves realize they are no friend of autumn
The reality that autumn brings is unpleasant, and even the leaves themselves don't like it.
The view from Hell is blue sky
Even though it seems like everything should be okay, the reality is that things are very bad.
So ominously blue
In a way that is threatening and unsettling.
Daydream until all the blue is gone
If things are really bad, it's tempting to just try to escape through daydreaming.
Underwater is another life
When you're submerged in water, everything is different and you're in a new environment.
Disregarding every myth we write
We like to create stories and myths about the world, but sometimes they can be misleading.
Rag doll churning
Moving around aimlessly, like a toy that has been tossed aside.
Eagerly alive
Trying to be fully present in the moment, despite feeling lost and out of control.
Big smile, really a show of teeth
Even though I'm pretending to be happy, there's something dangerous and predatory about my grin.
Without a care in a world of fear
Even though I'm surrounded by things that should be scaring me, I'm trying to act like I don't care at all.
Lonely, you don't know how I feel
Even though you might think you understand how I'm feeling, you really don't know what it's like to be me.
Praise God, nothing is as it seems
Maybe there's some comfort in the idea that nothing is exactly what it appears to be - it means that there's a chance things can change.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Dean Anthony Fertita, Josh Homme, Joshua Michael Homme, Michael Jay Shuman, Troy Dean Van Leeuwen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind