Crystal Stilts is a Brooklyn, N.Y., quartet. Its sound -- equally droll, mo… Read Full Bio ↴Crystal Stilts is a Brooklyn, N.Y., quartet. Its sound -- equally droll, moody and buoyant -- has roots in early '80s Manchester pop as well as in minimalist garage-rock acts. The band has drawn comparisons to Interpol, Joy Division and early The Jesus and Mary Chain -- with whom it also shares a penchant for stand-up drumming in the manner of The Velvet Underground's Maureen "Moe" Tucker.
Formed in 2003 by Brad Hargett and JB Townsend, they released one single and an EP. Later the pair expanded to five members (Kyle Forester, Andy Adler, and Keegan Cooke) before signing to Slumberland Records in the US and Angular Recording Corporation in Europe and releasing their critically acclaimed debut, "Alight of Night", in 2008.

Dark Eyes
Crystal Stilts Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She shot me with her eyes
Knocked me to the floor
It shocked me to realize
We'd crossed paths sometime before, sometime before
Sometime before now babe
Sometime before now baby...

Her dark eyes stayed with me

Part dream, part memory
She softly said, she had to go
Then off she fled, beyond the door
Beyond the door now, beyond the door
Beyond the door now babe
Beyond the door now baby

I've run around, I can't no more
Behind your eyes, I saw the door
I've been nailed own, I've been tested
I'm in jail now, you're the exit, you're the exit
You're the exit now
You're the exit now baby

She shot me with her eyes
Knocked me to the floor
It shocked me to realize
We'd crossed paths sometime before, sometime before

Sometime before now babe
Sometime before now baby

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Crystal Stilts's song "Dark Eyes" tell the story of a chance encounter with a woman whose alluring gaze sends the singer reeling. He is literally knocked to the floor by the power of her eyes and is taken aback by the realization that they may have met before. The singer is haunted by the memory of her dark eyes, which he describes as part dream, part memory. She abruptly leaves, disappearing beyond a door, leaving the singer feeling trapped and desperate to find an exit.

The repetition of the lyrics throughout the song adds to the hypnotic feel of the music, echoing the singer's sense of being trapped in a cycle of longing and unfulfilled desire. The imagery of being knocked down, jailed, and tested adds to the sense of frustration and confusion he feels. The song conjures up a mood of intense longing, nostalgia, and regret.

Line by Line Meaning

She shot me with her eyes
Her gaze was intense and captivating

Knocked me to the floor
Metaphorically, her look was so strong it affected him physically

It shocked me to realize
He was surprised to recognize her from a previous encounter

We'd crossed paths sometime before, sometime before
They had met at some point in the past

Sometime before now babe
He can't recall exactly when they met

Sometime before now baby...
Reiteration of previous line

Her dark eyes stayed with me
He couldn't shake the memory of her alluring gaze

Part dream, part memory
He wasn't sure if it was just a dream or an actual encounter

She softly said, she had to go
Her departure was gentle

Then off she fled, beyond the door
She left quickly and completely

Beyond the door now, beyond the door
She's gone and out of sight

Beyond the door now babe
He can't see her anymore

Beyond the door now baby
Reiteration of previous line

I've run around, I can't no more
He's been chasing her but can't keep doing so

Behind your eyes, I saw the door
Through her eyes he saw an escape

I've been nailed own, I've been tested
He feels trapped and challenged

I'm in jail now, you're the exit, you're the exit
She's his way out of his current situation

You're the exit now
She can provide him with a way out of his problems

You're the exit now baby
Reiteration of previous line

Writer(s): Andrew David Adler, Bradley Benjamin Hargett, Jb Townsend, Kyle Forester

Contributed by Jasmine K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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