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Girl With One Eye
Florence + the Machine Lyrics


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She told me not to step on the cracks
I told her not to fuss and relax
Pretty little face stopped me in my tracks
But now she sleeps with one eye open
That's the price she'll pay

I took a knife and cut out her eye
I took it home and watched it wither and die
Well, she's lucky that I didn't slip her a smile
That's why she sleeps with one eye open
That's the price she'll pay

I said, hey, girl with one eye
Get your filthy fingers out of my pie
I said, hey, girl with one eye
I'll cut your little heart out 'cause you made me cry

I slipped my hand under her skirt
I said don't worry, it's not gonna hurt
Oh, my reputation's kinda clouded with dirt
That's why you sleep with one eye open
But that's the price you pay

I said, hey, girl with one eye
Get your filthy fingers out of my pie
I said, hey, girl with one eye
I'll cut your little heart out 'cause you made me cry

You made me cry
You made me cry
You made me cry

I said, hey, girl with one eye
Get your filthy fingers out of my pie
I said, girl with one eye
Get your filthy fingers out my pie

I said, hey, girl with one eye
Get your filthy fingers out of my pie
I said, hey, girl with one eye
I'll cut your little heart out 'cause you made me cry

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Florence + the Machine's song "Girl With One Eye" paint a disturbing picture of abuse and power dynamics. The song appears to be written from the perspective of an abuser, who describes a victim he has taken advantage of. The opening lines describe how the abuser and victim met: the abuser was warned not to step on cracks, but brushed it off until he saw the victim's "pretty little face," which stopped him in his tracks. The abuser then describes taking a knife and removing the victim's eye, taking it home and watching it wither and die. He claims that the victim is "lucky" that he didn't "slip her a smile," which may be interpreted as a nod to rape or sexual assault. The chorus repeats the line "that's the price she'll pay," implying that the victim deserved this violence in some way.


The second verse is equally disturbing, as the abuser describes slipping his hand under the victim's skirt and telling her not to worry because "it's not gonna hurt." He acknowledges that his reputation is "kinda clouded with dirt," which suggests that he is aware on some level that what he is doing is wrong. The chorus is repeated twice more, with the final lines of "you made me cry" serving as a disturbing justification for the violence that has taken place.


Overall, the lyrics to "Girl With One Eye" are deeply unsettling, depicting a power dynamic in which one person takes complete control over another. The song may be interpreted as a commentary on the ways in which people can use their positions of power to take advantage of others, or as a warning against getting too close to those who may seek to harm us.


Line by Line Meaning

She told me not to step on the cracks
She warned me to avoid things that might harm me


I told her not to fuss and relax
I told her not to worry or stress about small things


Pretty little face stopped me in my tracks
Her attractive appearance caught my attention


But now she sleeps with one eye open
She is always alert and cautious


That's the price she'll pay
Being cautious is the price she has to pay to stay safe


I took a knife and cut out her eye
I violently harmed her and obliterated her innocence


I took it home and watched it wither and die
I enjoyed the suffering I inflicted on her


Well, she's lucky that I didn't slip her a smile
She's fortunate that I didn't try to deceive her into thinking everything was okay


That's why she sleeps with one eye open
Her fear and distrust of me cause her to be extra cautious


I said, hey, girl with one eye
I addressed her by referring to the horrific act I committed against her


Get your filthy fingers out of my pie
I don't want her to touch or interfere with something that belongs to me


I'll cut your little heart out 'cause you made me cry
I'm threatening to harm her emotionally and physically because she hurt me


I slipped my hand under her skirt
I violated her sexually without her consent


I said don't worry, it's not gonna hurt
I tried to make her feel safe and coerced her into going along with my actions


Oh, my reputation's kinda clouded with dirt
I am known for being dishonest and untrustworthy


That's why you sleep with one eye open
The reputation I have earned justifies her suspicion and mistrust of me


But that's the price you pay
I want her to know that her fear and discomfort are her fault and are a result of her actions


You made me cry
She hurt me emotionally and caused me pain


I'll cut your little heart out 'cause you made me cry
I am threatening to cause her physical harm because she made me emotional


Get your filthy fingers out of my pie
I want her to know that what is mine is off-limits to her


I said, girl with one eye
I continue to refer to her by the traumatic experience I inflicted on her




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chris Morris, David Ashby, Dominic Peach, James Mccool, Matthew Allchin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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