Babes In Toyland's debut single on Treehouse Records ("Dust Cake Boy" b/w "Spit To See The Shine") landed them a deal with Minneapolis' famed Twin/Tone Records.
Their debut album Spanking Machine -- released in 1990 -- caught the attention of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, who began singing their praises in the music press and invited the band to support them on their European tour. Meanwhile, Spanking Machine was released in the UK by Southern Studios, and was quickly gaining favour with the music press and John Peel who recorded a session with them and named the album as his favorite of 1990.
In the summer of 1991, To Mother was recorded at Southern Studios with John Loder in the producer's seat. The EP entered the independent charts in the top 10 and stayed there for an amazing 13 weeks (ten of which the EP held at the No. 1 position). Early in 1992, Michelle Leon amicably left the band and was replaced by Maureen Herman, an old friend and long-time fan of the band. Their second and most successful album, Fontanelle was released in August 1992 and was followed by the outtakes EP Painkillers in June 1993.
After a number of other tours, Babes in Toyland released Nemesisters, their third and final studio album, in 1995. After this, the band were on-off with Leon's departure leading to the dissolution of their record label contract. In 2001, the band reformed for one final time and performed their final show on November 25 in Minneapolis. After this, the band officially disbanded, however, Kat Bjelland performed a number of shows in Europe under the band's name, only to face legal action from former members if the tour went further ahead.
After much speculation, in 2014, Babes in Toyland had announced they reunited and announced tour dates.
In 2015, Maureen Herman was replaced by Clara Salyer.
Real Eyes
Babes in Toyland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it takes so long to get there
'Cause the now and here is nowhere
Heretic-toc goes the easter clock
Your friends they're really not
I can't take it anymore
I realize
I real eyes
Lies are from your own eyes
I real eyes
3 seized between us and the very next bus
Got a 30 dollar pocket built
A plank it begs so walk it
Every thought is mine or not
Just get your fingers off my spot
I can't take it anymore
I real eyes
The lyrics of Babes In Toyland's song "Real Eyes" convey a sense of distance and isolation, both physical and emotional. The first two lines introduce the physical distance between the singer and their destination, as well as the sense of timelessness that comes with feeling stuck in the present moment. This is reinforced by the repetition of "nowhere" in the following line. The reference to the "easter clock" suggests a religious element, as well as the idea of time passing and moving forward despite feeling stuck. The line "Your friends they're really not" hints at a sense of betrayal or loss of trust. The chorus then introduces the concept of "real eyes", or the ability to see through lies and illusions, perhaps implying that the singer has finally come to understand the truth about their situation.
In the second verse, the singer further expresses their feelings of isolation and frustration. The reference to a "30 dollar pocket" suggests poverty or a lack of resources, which further exacerbates their sense of being stuck. The line "Every thought is mine or not" could suggest a lack of control over one's own thoughts, or perhaps a sense of confusion about what is real and what is not. The final line "I real eyes" serves as a reassertion of the concept introduced in the chorus, that the singer has finally come to see the truth about their situation and is ready to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
3 seas between us and the very next bus
The distance between us is vast and there's no easy way to bridge the gap
And it takes so long to get there
It's a long and arduous journey to get to where we want to be
'Cause the now and here is nowhere
The present moment feels empty and meaningless
Heretic-toc goes the easter clock
Time ticks away relentlessly, indicating the end of something important
Your friends they're really not
The people you trust and rely on may not actually have your best interests at heart
I can't take it anymore
The situation is unbearable and something needs to change
I realize
I've come to a sudden and powerful understanding
I real eyes
I see the situation clearly and for what it is
I real eyes your
I understand the true nature of your actions and intentions
Lies are from your own eyes
The deception comes from within the person in question
3 seized between us and the very next bus
The gap between us is still there, despite any efforts to overcome it
Got a 30 dollar pocket built
The artist is resourceful and knows how to survive with limited means
A plank it begs so walk it
The path forward is uncertain and difficult, but there's no other option but to keep going
Every thought is mine or not
The singer is unsure of their own thoughts and motivations
Just get your fingers off my spot
Someone is trying to take something that belongs to the singer, and they're not going to let it happen
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KAT BJELLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind