Escovedo's family tree includes former Santana percussionist Pete Escovedo and Pete's daughter, Sheila E (also Prince's former drummer and later a pop star). He began his music career with the Nuns, a mid-'70s punk band based in San Francisco. He co-founded the pioneering cowpunk band Rank and File in 1979, which moved to Austin, Texas, in 1981 after a stint in New York City. The band released Sundown on Slash Records in 1982, but shortly after, Escovedo left to form the True Believers with brother Javier. The band recorded two albums for EMI and toured the country, often as an opening act for Los Lobos. However, EMI opted not to release the second album, which eventually led to the group's break-up. (It eventually surfaced as a bonus item when Rykodisc reissued the first set on CD in 1994.)
Escovedo released a solo album in 1992 on Watermelon Records, Gravity, uniting his wide variety of styles; the album was produced by Stephen Bruton of Bonnie Raitt's band. Escovedo also began gigging periodically with the band Buick MacKane, who fused old-school punk with 70's glam rock; after Rykodisc released Escovedo's With These Hands in 1996, they followed it up with Buick MacKane's long-awaited album. After Escovedo parted ways with Rykodisc, he signed with the Chicago-based alt-country label Bloodshot in 1998, who released the live album More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996 and the acclaimed studio set A Man Under The Influence.
In April of 2003, Escovedo collapsed following a show in Phoenix, AZ, and he was subsequently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. An outpouring of support from musicians led to a series of successful benefit concerts to help pay Escovedo's medical expenses and keep his music before the public, followed by a tribute album, Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, which was released in 2004.
In June 2010, Escovedo released Street Songs of Love.
Pale Blue Eyes
Alejandro Escovedo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I feel so sad
Sometimes I feel so happy
But mostly you just make me mad
Baby, you just make me mad
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Thought of you as my mountain top
Thought of you as my peak
A thought of you as everything
I've had, but couldn't keep
I've had, but couldn't keep
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Skip a life completely
Stuff it in a cup
They said, money is like us in time
It lies, but can't stand up
Down for you is up
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
It was good what we did yesterday
And I'd do it once again
The fact that you are married
Only proves you're my best friend
But it's truly, truly a sin
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
If I could make the world as pure
And strange as what I see
I'd put you in a mirror
I'd put in front of me
I'd put in front of me
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
The lyrics of Pale Blue Eyes by Alejandro Escovedo are deeply introspective yet emotionally powerful. The song's opening verse talks about alternating emotions of happiness and sadness, with the listener getting the sense that there is someone responsible for the singer's current mental state. The chorus "Linger on your pale blue eyes" is a beautiful yet enigmatic phrase that appears time and again throughout the song, hinting perhaps at the singer's fixation with someone.
The second verse explores the singer's affection towards someone and how they thought of them as their top priority, but ultimately, they couldn't keep them in their life. The third verse introduces a cynical perspective on society, comparing the value of money to that of people who are always running out of time. The final verse talks about how the two people's relationship was a sin because the person the singer is addressing is married, yet expresses a desire to see them in a mirror and in front of them.
The song's lyrics are open to interpretation and leave a lot of room for the listener's imagination to run wild. However, the theme of love and loss, expressed through Alejandro's heart-wrenching lyrics, remains constant.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I feel so happy
At times I experience joy and contentment
Sometimes I feel so sad
At times I feel melancholic and miserable
Sometimes I feel so happy
At times I feel elated and overjoyed
But mostly you just make me mad
However, most of the time, you frustrate and anger me
Baby, you just make me mad
My dear, you seem to drive me up the wall
Linger on your pale blue eyes
I am captivated by the alluring colors of your eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
They are a source of fascination to me
Thought of you as my mountain top
You were my pinnacle of success and fulfillment
Thought of you as my peak
You were my highest point, my greatest accomplishment
A thought of you as everything
I regarded you as my whole world
I've had, but couldn't keep
I possessed you, but could not hold onto you
Linger on your pale blue eyes
I am still entranced by the beauty of your eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
My focus remains on those captivating blue eyes
Skip a life completely
I'd rather skip a whole lifetime
Stuff it in a cup
And cram its entirety into a single moment
They said, money is like us in time
They say that money is subject to the same constraints as us mortals when it comes to time
It lies, but can't stand up
Money may deceive, but cannot withstand scrutiny
Down for you is up
With you, even the negatives are positives
Linger on your pale blue eyes
I cannot help but be captivated by the allure of your blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
They continue to hold my focus and attention
It was good what we did yesterday
Yesterday was a memorable day
And I'd do it once again
I would relive it if I could
The fact that you are married
However, the reality of your marriage
Only proves you're my best friend
Serves to emphasize that you are my closest, dearest friend
But it's truly, truly a sin
But it is also a grave wrongdoing
Linger on your pale blue eyes
My fascination with your stunning blue eyes persists
Linger on your pale blue eyes
They continue to engage and captivate me
If I could make the world as pure
If only I could create a perfectly pure world
And strange as what I see
As strange as what I perceive in you
I'd put you in a mirror
I would capture you in a mirror
I'd put in front of me
So that I could keep you close, always in view
Linger on your pale blue eyes
I am transfixed by the enchanting beauty of your blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
My focus remains steadfastly on your captivating blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
I cannot help but be drawn to your alluring blue eyes, lost in thought and captivated by their beauty
Linger on your pale blue eyes
My adoration for your eyes continues to endure and captivate me
Linger on your pale blue eyes
Your blue eyes remain a focus of fascination for me, their allure as captivating as ever
Linger on your pale blue eyes
I am still entranced by the mesmerizing appeal of your blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes
My fixation on your captivating blue eyes remains unyielding, a constant source of fascination
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind