Erudite Eyes
Giles Giles & Fripp Lyrics

The lyrics of Giles Giles & Fripp's song Erudite Eyes are cryptic and open to interpretation. The first couplet, "You whisper by with your mind in your eye, seeing nothing that's there but the bones of the bed, eyeing thoughts that would stare in your eye," seems to portray someone who is lost in their own thoughts, not paying attention to the world around them. The imagery of "the bones of the bed" could represent a deep introspection or a focus on the past. The line "eyeing thoughts that would stare in your eye" implies that these thoughts are not easily ignored or dismissed, but are instead demanding of attention.

The second couplet, "I know nice men who have nothing to say, except 'What a nice day, may I say that today's a nice day, 'cause I've nothing to say,'" perhaps speaks to the inherent superficiality of many social interactions. The repetition of the phrase "nice day" underscores how meaningless and forgettable these interactions can be. The line "But the peace of mine is peace of mind and eye a gift to all" suggests that the singer values their own internal peace and clarity of thought above mundane small talk. They are able to see things beyond what is immediately observable, and this knowledge is available to those around them.

The chorus, "Erudite eyes always bore me to cry, and the raining that flows is the pure salty drain on the peace which I hold in my mind," is somewhat enigmatic. "Erudite" means "having or showing extensive knowledge," so it could be that the singer finds that people who are overly intellectual or academic are boring or irritating. The imagery of "the raining that flows" suggests tears, possibly caused by the pressure or tedium of interacting with these kinds of people. The final line, "on the peace which I hold in my mind," reiterates the importance of maintaining one's own mental equilibrium.