Here is some background information on Clear Heart Full Eyes from the No Future Songfacts . In early 2011 Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn challenged himself to write a new song every day in his Brooklyn apartment for his first solo album. "I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative," he said. "I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people." Finn enlisted producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon) and traveled to an Austin, Texas studio far away from his New York comfort zone. He hooked up with some local musicians there, including members of Phosphorescent and White Denim and sang his vocals live, keeping takes to a minimum and completed recording in a few days. The resulting album, Clear Heart Full Eyes was released on January 24, 2012 on Vagrant Records.
When No One's Watching
Craig Finn Lyrics
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The way you overcame the odds all stacked against you
The way you prevailed in the face of greater danger
The way at first that they misunderstood you
You regaled us with the way that you triumphed over darkness
The kisses in the shadow and the stockings
But as the pieces come together there's these things that I keep hearing
I saw Wendy at the Wagon Wheel
I didn't know what to tell her
She said she saw you walking by her building
She said maybe you're ashamed that things turned out this way
You said you had to hurry off to something
She used to let you use her place to put on your better face
It went on for years she saw some bad things
She told em what you told her about how you really loved her
That's the hero that you are when no one's watching
Feasting on the weakness of the women who were thinking
You might be held to half the things you told them
The wreckage that you left in the places that you slept
Moving through the bars and slowly stalking
Someone you can use that finds you charming
That's just the way our hero does his bidding
Living off the lies to lonely women
Now I heard that you went running back to Maria's arms
You said it's really just the best thing for the baby
And Maria never found another man to love and comfort
And every time you come back she's there waiting
So you rid into the sunset and it all ends up so happy
Jesus and the coffee and the talking
But does the audience applaud for all women you've done wrong?
And the hero that you are when no one's watching
Feasting on the weakness of the women who were hoping
You might be held to half the things you told them
The wreckage that you left at the places that you slept
Moving through the bars and slowly stalking
Someone you can use that finds you charming
The story that our hero keeps well hidden
A weak man living off of weaker women
Craig Finn's song "When No One's Watching" delves into the themes of manipulation, facade, and the revelation of someone's true character. The song speaks to the idea of living two different lives, one that is shown to the public and one that is hidden. The lyrics describe someone who tells an impressive story and seems to have overcome all odds, yet behind closed doors is a different person who preys on women's insecurities and leaves destruction in his wake.
The verses express admiration for the individual's ability to triumph over adversity and tell an awe-inspiring story. The lyrics even romanticize the singer's shadowy past, with mentions of kisses in the shadow and stockings. However, as the pieces come together, the truth starts to materialize, and the audience becomes aware of their dark truths. The song calls out their facade since they use manipulation to prey on weaker women, taking advantage of their vulnerabilities.
The song's sombre tone, steady rhythm, and catchy chorus make it impactful emotionally. The lyrics' poetic style makes the song less accusatory but rather thought-provoking, allowing the audience to pass their judgment on the situation the singer finds themselves in.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something in how well you tell the story
The singer acknowledges the narrative skills of the person he's addressing
The way you overcame the odds all stacked against you
The person was able to triumph against difficult circumstances
The way you prevailed in the face of greater danger
The person was able to come out victorious despite facing significant risks
The way at first that they misunderstood you
The person was initially not understood by others
You regaled us with the way that you triumphed over darkness
The person told a story of how they overcame a difficult situation
The kisses in the shadow and the stockings
Details from the story the person told that include romantic gestures
But as the pieces come together there's these things that I keep hearing
As the singer becomes more aware of the person's actions, he hears troubling information
About the hero that you are when no one's watching
The singer uses irony to say that the person is only heroic when alone, as they take advantage of vulnerable women
I saw Wendy at the Wagon Wheel
The singer encounters a woman connected to the person he's addressing
I didn't know what to tell her
The singer is at a loss for what to say
She said she saw you walking by her building
The woman mentions seeing the person
She said maybe you're ashamed that things turned out this way
The woman suggests that the person feels guilty about their actions
You said you had to hurry off to something
The person makes an excuse for why they can't stay
She used to let you use her place to put on your better face
The woman allowed the person to use her home to improve their image
It went on for years she saw some bad things
The woman witnessed negative behavior from the person over a long period of time
She told em what you told her about how you really loved her
The person made false promises of love to the woman
That's the hero that you are when no one's watching
The singer repeats his earlier ironic line about the person's actions
Feasting on the weakness of the women who were thinking
The person preys on vulnerable women
You might be held to half the things you told them
The person may be judged for not following through on their promises
The wreckage that you left in the places that you slept
The person causes damage wherever they stay
Moving through the bars and slowly stalking
The person frequents bars and searches for new victims
Someone you can use that finds you charming
The person looks for someone who is both easily manipulated and attracted to them
That's just the way our hero does his bidding
The singer again uses irony to describe the person's manipulative behavior
Living off the lies to lonely women
The person's deception sustains their lifestyle
Now I heard that you went running back to Maria's arms
The singer is informed of the person returning to someone from earlier in their story
You said it's really just the best thing for the baby
The person gives a reason for returning to Maria
And Maria never found another man to love and comfort
Maria is said to have not moved on from the person
And every time you come back she's there waiting
The person can rely on Maria to take them back
So you rid into the sunset and it all ends up so happy
The singer describes a storybook ending to the person's story with Maria
Jesus and the coffee and the talking
The happy ending involves religious imagery and conversation
But does the audience applaud for all women you've done wrong?
The singer questions whether people are aware of the harm the person has caused
And the hero that you are when no one's watching
The singer repeats his ironic line one more time
Feasting on the weakness of the women who were hoping
The singer again describes the person's exploitation of vulnerable women
You might be held to half the things you told them
The singer reiterates the potential for the person to be judged for their false promises
The wreckage that you left at the places that you slept
The person is again held accountable for the damage they caused
Moving through the bars and slowly stalking
The person's actions are further described
Someone you can use that finds you charming
The person's manipulation tactics are reiterated
The story that our hero keeps well hidden
The person is deceptive about their true nature
A weak man living off of weaker women
The person is ultimately described as taking advantage of those more vulnerable than themselves
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CRAIG FINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind