Civil Eyes
GO! With Fourteen O Lyrics

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Sell yourself, sell your mind
Climb up the ladder and in to the wall behind
Sell yourself and sell your blood sweat and tears
Oiling those gears

Stand in line, stay in line, don't question what it really means

Domesticate, investigate real life behind protective screens

Civil eyes watch as we civilize our thoughts, aspirations and ourselves
Confirming the conformity, to fit inside the clutches of normality

Stay inside, die inside, forget your dreams
The pillow will drown your screams
Monkey see, monkey do
Killing me, killing you

Civil eyes watch as we civilize our thoughts, aspirations and ourselves
Confirming the conformity, to fit inside the clutches of normality

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of GO! With Fourteen O’s song “Civil Eyes” are a powerful critique of conformity in society. The lyrics describe the pressure to conform and to sell oneself in order to climb the ladder of success. The lines, “Sell yourself, sell your mind, climb up the ladder and in to the wall behind,” express the idea that in order to succeed in society, we must put up a façade and “sell” ourselves in the process. It is as if we are climbing a ladder straight into a wall, because the path we take towards success ultimately leads to our imprisonment within society.

The lyrics also describe the ways in which we domesticate and investigate real life behind protective screens. We are encouraged to stay in line and not question what it really means to achieve success. We are taught to confirm conformity and fit inside the clutches of normality. The line, “Civil eyes watch as we civilize our thoughts, aspirations and ourselves, confirming the conformity, to fit inside the clutches of normality” describes how we are watched by society and compelled to fit in. The song suggests that this desire to conform ultimately creates a society in which people feel trapped and unable to express their true selves.

Overall, the song “Civil Eyes” delivers a powerful message about conformity and the pressure to fit in within society. The lyrics express the idea that in order to succeed, we must conform to the expectations of society, and this ultimately leads to our imprisonment. The song urges us to question these expectations, to stay true to ourselves, and to resist the pressure to conform to the norm.

Line by Line Meaning

Sell yourself, sell your mind
Offer your entire being and intellect to the system

Climb up the ladder and in to the wall behind
Rise up through the ranks and get stuck in the limitations of the hierarchy

Sell yourself and sell your blood sweat and tears
Sacrifice all of your efforts and emotions to the system

Oiling those gears
Grease the wheels of the machinery that runs the system

Stand in line, stay in line, don't question what it really means
Conform to the rules and regulations without questioning their purpose or impact

Domesticate, investigate real life behind protective screens
Acclimate yourself to the artificiality of life and examine it from a distance through the protection of screens

Civil eyes watch as we civilize our thoughts, aspirations and ourselves
Society's critical eyes observe and judge us as we suppress our true selves to fit in with the norm

Confirming the conformity, to fit inside the clutches of normality
We affirm our commitment to conforming and becoming a part of the accepted way of being

Stay inside, die inside, forget your dreams
Remain in your comfort zone, slowly losing your passions and desires

The pillow will drown your screams
The cushion of sleep is a temporary escape from the pain of stifling oneself

Monkey see, monkey do
We mimic the actions and behaviors of those around us like mindless primates

Killing me, killing you
This way of life destroys us individually and collectively

Civil eyes watch as we civilize our thoughts, aspirations and ourselves
Our progress towards being civilized is noted, but at the expense of our authenticity

Confirming the conformity, to fit inside the clutches of normality
We continue to confirm our conformity, in spite of the loss of self that accompanies it

Contributed by Adrian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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