Johannes has significantly contributed to albums by Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Desert Sessions and the Mark Lanegan Band as well as mixing, recording and producing a number of other records. He also frequently tours with other bands and artists, most notably the hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age throughout 2005 and 2006 (Natasha Shneider also joined him on this tour).
Most recently Johannes recorded new material with Brody Dalle and Eleven bandmate Jack Irons as part of Spinnerette. They released their first EP 'Ghetto Love' in 2008, though Johannes isn't joining them on tour. Johannes is releasing his first solo record, Spark, on Oct. 5th, 2010. He continues to perform live solo, and tour with Them Crooked Vultures.
Endless Eyes
Alain Johannes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you stole so long ago
Has returned to me this day
So full and empty
Oh this dream
That we shared through all extremes
In a hunt for what it means
To heal by fire
The immovable did bend
In the presence of your strength
In the gifted joy of your intent
It's killing me that I must go on living
Just to fill this cup of promise
With meaning
It's tearing me apart we're so connected
It's the you in me
Each day I'm resurrected
Truth and lies
Melt away when something's real
To be blinded by your eyes
That is so twisted
Never swayed
Look at all the seeds you layed
Shamelessly so unafraid
To face the devil
Endless eyes
The immovable did bend
In the presence of your strength
In the gifted joy of your intent
It's killing me that I must go on living
Just to fill this cup of promise
With meaning
It's tearing me apart we're so connected
It's the you in me
Each day I'm resurrected
In Alain Johannes's song Endless Eyes, the lyrics convey a sense of passionate and overwhelming connection to someone. The first stanza speaks of a heart that was stolen long ago and has now returned, both full and empty. The pairing of these opposite emotions hints at something bittersweet or complex. The singer mentions a shared dream that they hunted for across all extremes, suggesting a long and arduous journey. The following line, "To heal by fire," is also intriguing - does this mean that the trials they faced were a sort of purifying ordeal, or is it a reference to a metaphorical burning away of impurities?
The chorus lyrics, "Endless eyes / The immovable did bend / In the presence of your strength / In the gifted joy of your intent," are especially enigmatic. The image of endless eyes could refer to the depth and intensity of the person's gaze, or perhaps to their unending influence on the singer's life. The immovable bending may indicate that something that seemed unyielding, such as the singer's own will or beliefs, was forced to give way in the face of the other's strength. The joy of their intent could mean that the person's goals or desires are inherently joyful or that their intentions were well-meaning.
The second stanza contrasts truth and lies, suggesting that the bond between the two people transcends any notions of falsehood or deception. The lines "To be blinded by your eyes / That is so twisted" also hint at a certain instability or disorientation that the singer feels toward this person. They go on to praise the other's bravery, describing them as "shamelessly so unafraid / To face the devil." The devil figure is intriguing - does it refer to a literal demon, or to some inner or external force that the person fearlessly confronts?
The chorus repeats, with the same ambiguous imagery of endless eyes and bending immovables. Finally, the song ends on a note of pain and connection: "It's killing me that I must go on living / Just to fill this cup of promise / With meaning / It's tearing me apart we're so connected / It's the you in me / Each day I'm resurrected." The singer feels torn apart by their intense bond with this person, but staying alive and finding meaning every day is a promise they made, perhaps to themselves or to the other. The final line, "It's the you in me / Each day I'm resurrected," is both haunting and hopeful - the idea that another person can be so purely entwined with one's self that they feel resurrected every day is both beautiful and somewhat alarming.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my heart
The singer's heart is being addressed, indicating the personal nature of the song
That you stole so long ago
The singer's heart was taken in the past, possibly by the person being addressed
Has returned to me this day
The singer's heart has come back to them after being gone for some time
So full and empty
The artist's heart is experiencing conflicting emotions of fullness and emptiness
Oh this dream
The artist refers to a shared dream or aspiration with the person being addressed
That we shared through all extremes
The dream was present during all types of situations or experiences
In a hunt for what it means
The dream has not yet been fully understood or realized
To heal by fire
The dream involves some kind of intense process of transformation, symbolized by the use of fire
Endless eyes
The person being addressed is described as having eyes that are infinite or never-ending
The immovable did bend
Something that was previously unyielding or unchangeable has been impacted by the person being addressed
In the presence of your strength
The person being addressed has a powerful presence that can cause change in others
In the gifted joy of your intent
The person being addressed has a positive intention or purpose that brings happiness to others
It's killing me that I must go on living
The singer is experiencing emotional pain in their current situation
Just to fill this cup of promise
The singer has a sense of obligation to fulfill a promise or expectation
With meaning
The promise or expectation must have a significant purpose or impact
It's tearing me apart we're so connected
The artist and the person being addressed have a deep, intense connection that is causing inner turmoil for the artist
It's the you in me
The person being addressed has become a part of the artist's identity or sense of self
Each day I'm resurrected
The singer is being reborn or renewed each day through their connection with the person being addressed
Truth and lies
The concept of truth and falsehood is being addressed
Melt away when something's real
Realness or authenticity is emphasized as something that can overcome deceit or illusion
To be blinded by your eyes
The person being addressed has a captivating or blinding quality
That is so twisted
The situation or relationship with the person being addressed is complex or distorted in some way
Never swayed
Despite the complexity of the situation, the singer has remained steadfast or resolute
Look at all the seeds you laid
The person being addressed has planted or created something significant
Shamelessly so unafraid
The person being addressed has acted boldly or confidently, without shame or fear
To face the devil
The person being addressed has confronted something difficult or evil
Contributed by Jasmine M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jericurtis6890
Alain is CRAZY talented! He is a great person and has helped me through difficult times bc of his generosity and sympathy. I have so much respect for him and love as a person and friend, far away as he is. Thanks to facebook, I am able to communicate with him.
@conorwatters3474
He is a genuinely good human being.
@subliminalstereo90
I have the sudden urge to hear Alain Johannes to collaborate with John Frusciante and see what beautiful music they can come up with...
@therealjohngalaxy
That's a f***ing great idea!! ❤️ We should just get them to sit down in a studio with some instruments and see what happens! Or maybe on a boat?
@DominikLederhas
The man who has the best weirdest chords and scales.
@BigfootPreston
Serisously 2 dislikes? Who cannot like this? Alain Johannes is one of the best musicians today, and really underrated. This man is god indeed, the ones who did not like this song should really start diggin into good music, cause this is where that starts..
@ManWalksDogs
One of the good moves YouTube made was to hide the dislike count, so now no one need get upset or exasperated that others don't appreciate what they do.
@tsarinamccowat7519
this just tears me up this melody and lyrics after knowing his story..genius beautiful music Alain...he dug fucking real deep ...its amazing..x
@llongone2
I think his little nod at the very end seems to convey, "I'm alright. I know I look like I was out there...but I've come back. It's okay now". As you say Tsarina, he "dug deep" for that performance.
@johnfcporto
What's his story?