Hey it's me
I just got off the train
A frightening place
Their faces are concrete grey
And I'm wondering, should I turn around?
Buy another ticket
Panic is coming on strong
So cold, from the inside out
No great job, no message coming in
And you're so small
Glassy eyed light of day
Glassy eyed light of day

The path trails off
And heads down a mountain
Through the dry bush, I don't know where it leads
And I don't really care
Now the path trails off
And heads down a mountain
Through the dry bush, I don't know where it leads
And I don't really care

I feel this often, go
I feel this often, go

Overall Meaning

In Radiohead's song Glass Eyes, the singer seems to be lost and alone in an unfamiliar place, possibly a city or a train station. He describes the people around him as having "concrete grey" faces, emphasizing the sense of isolation and detachment. The sudden onset of panic suggests feelings of anxiety and paranoia, perhaps triggered by the overwhelming nature of his surroundings.

The line "no great job, no message coming in" could be interpreted as a commentary on the pressures of modern life, where success and constant communication are seen as essential to our sense of self-worth. The singer is reminded of his own smallness in the grand scheme of things, with the "glassy eyed light of day" representing a bleak and desolate world.

The second half of the song sees the singer walking down a mountain path, which could symbolize a journey towards a more meaningful existence. The repetition of the line "And I don't really care" further emphasizes his detachment from the trappings of society and a desire to live on his own terms. The final refrain, "I feel this often, go", suggests that these feelings are not unique to the singer, but shared by many who are looking for a way out of the monotony of everyday life.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey it's me
The singer is introducing themselves

I just got off the train
The singer has recently arrived at a new location

A frightening place
The new location is scary or unsettling

Their faces are concrete grey
The people in this place are emotionless and dull

And I'm wondering, should I turn around?
The artist is considering leaving the location for safety or comfort

Buy another ticket
The singer considers leaving the location permanently

Panic is coming on strong
The singer is becoming increasingly anxious

So cold, from the inside out
The anxious feeling is affecting the artist's entire body

No great job, no message coming in
The artist is feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from the world

And you're so small
The artist feels insignificant and powerless

Glassy eyed light of day
The light of day is unremarkable and dull

The path trails off
The singer is uncertain about the path they are taking

And heads down a mountain
The path is taking the singer down a steep incline

Through the dry bush, I don't know where it leads
The surroundings are arid and the destination is unknown

And I don't really care
The artist is apathetic towards their surroundings

Now the path trails off
The artist is reiterating their uncertainty about the path

And heads down a mountain
The path is going downhill, possibly creating a sense of unease

Through the dry bush, I don't know where it leads
The surroundings are still arid and the destination is still uncertain

And I don't really care
The artist's indifference towards their surroundings remains

I feel this often, go
The artist experiences this feeling frequently and wants to move on from it

I feel this often, go
The feeling of unease or apathy is a recurring theme for the artist

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Greenwood, Jonathan Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Philip Selway, Thomas Yorke

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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