Hermosa Beach, California, USA (1979–1990, 1994–1995, 2001–2010)

The… Read Full Bio ↴Hermosa Beach, California, USA (1979–1990, 1994–1995, 2001–2010)

The Circle Jerks were an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Red Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the LA scene in the late 1970s.

The band broke up and reformed three times, sometimes with different bassists and/or drummers. They disbanded for the first time after the release of their fifth album, 1987's VI, as Hetson decided to continue touring and releasing albums with Bad Religion. They reunited around 1994 and recorded a reunion album, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities, during the following year, followed by a tour. After that, the Circle Jerks once again parted ways as Hetson was still involved in Bad Religion. They reunited again circa 2001, but as of 2010, are on hiatus.

To date, the Circle Jerks have released six studio albums, one compilation, a live album and a live DVD. Their last studio album, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities, was released in 1995 and was the band's only reunion album to date.

Many recent groups and artists cite the Circle Jerks as an influence, including Flea (musician), Anti-Flag,[1][2] Dropkick Murphys,[3] The Offspring[2] and Pennywise.[2]

In Your Eyes
Circle Jerks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When it first happened
It was nice, it was sweet
Now it's getting older and we're finding that it's not so neat
Smiles growing cold
Perfumes getting stale

I can see it in your eyes
All the lies and alibis

I can see it in your eyes
All the lies and alibis

happiness together, honey, there's just no way
Our love has seen much better days
It's over now
Yes it's gone
No one's at fault
'Cause no one's wrong

I can see it in your eyes
All the lies and alibis

I can see it in your eyes
All the lies and alibis

Overall Meaning

The Circle Jerks’ song “In Your Eyes” expresses the emotions of a couple whose once happy relationship has deteriorated over time. The opening line “when it first happened, it was nice, it was sweet” implies that the initial stages of the relationship were happy and enjoyable. However, as time went by, the couple started to realize that their relationship was not as perfect as they had thought. The lines “now it’s getting older and we’re finding that it’s not so neat, smiles growing cold, perfumes getting stale” highlight the monotony and lack of excitement that has crept into their relationship.

The lyrics “our love has seen much better days, it’s over now, yes it’s gone” reveal that their relationship has come to an end. However, instead of pointing fingers, the lyrics acknowledge that no one is at fault and no one is wrong. The lines “all the lies and alibis” suggest that the couple had been hiding their true feelings from each other, which ultimately led to the breakdown of their relationship. The repeated phrase “I can see it in your eyes” emphasizes the importance of genuine communication in a relationship, and how important it is to address issues before it’s too late.

Overall, “In Your Eyes” portrays the familiar story of two people who fall in love, but eventually realize that their love has reached its end. The lyrics touch upon the notions of deception, communication, and introspection as part of the process of coping with the demise of a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

When it first happened
At the beginning, the situation was good.

It was nice, it was sweet
Everything was pleasant and enjoyable initially.

Now it's getting older and we're finding that it's not so neat
As time goes by, the situation is becoming less appealing and exciting.

Smiles growing cold
People are becoming unhappy and the atmosphere is becoming tense.

Perfumes getting stale
The relationship is becoming dull and uninteresting.

I can see it in your eyes
The singer can observe that something is wrong by looking at the person's eyes.

All the lies and alibis
The other person is hiding something and making excuses for their behavior.

Happiness together, honey, there's just no way
It's impossible to be happy together anymore.

Our love has seen much better days
The love between the two people has deteriorated over time.

It's over now
The relationship is finished and can't be saved.

Yes it's gone
The love and feelings are no longer present.