Open My Eyes
Hunter Ian Lyrics
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(transcribed by colin ford)
On the avenue of dead umbrellas
In a place where nothin' sleeps
No one's pickin' up the pieces - no one speaks
Snow falls down - God dusts funky town
Tell that to the people who live in the wind - they ain't so sure
In the middle of a violent night - in the glare of a naked light
In the middle of a nightmare
At the bottom of the deepest well - in the middle of a private hell
Shit scared - out there - nowhere
Then I open my eyes - ice on the window - the sun is tryin' to break through
Then I open my eyes - in the land of the livin' - and it's all right
Seen a man rattle in a battle that no one could win
I had to turn my soul away
Shit's gonna happen - whether you like it or not
S' just the way it is
Then I open my eyes - boats on the river - headin' down the east side
Then I open my eyes - and the trash(? ) slips away
Soft and supple - like some alibi
You been walkin in her sleep - there ain't no cure for the secrets you hide
In the middle of my wildest dream - in a place where nothin's what it seems
At the time of a great loss
From the hoods and the broken homes - this danger's got a smell of it's own
In the middle of see-see-chaos
In the valley of the shadow of death - the bellevue boys out kickin' ass
In the middle of fire
Inside the belly of the beast - in a place where wonders never cease
You go higher, higher, higher
Then I open my eyes - life in a nutshell - it's over 'fore you know it
Then I open my eyes
And the city wakes up - puts coffee in cups - when I open my eyes
And the kids go to school - imus rules - when I open my eyes
I love you n' you love me
N' it rains so I buy an umbrella from the guy on 23rd and second avenue
The song "Open My Eyes" by Ian Hunter is an insightful piece that delves into the realities of life and the struggles that people face every day. It starts with the description of a desolate place where "nothing sleeps", and everyone seems to have given up. The snowfall seems to have brought a temporary purity to the place, but the people living there are still unsure of their future. The lyrics suggest that life is not always fair, and sometimes people are forced to deal with situations that are beyond their control.
The song then shifts to a more personal note, where the singer talks about his own experiences. He has gone through a difficult time - probably a bad dream or a personal crisis, where he felt alone and scared. But then he opens his eyes and sees the sun trying to break through the ice on the window. This imagery suggests a new beginning, a ray of hope, and the possibility of a better future.
The song then goes on to describe the beauty of a city that wakes up in the morning. The kids go to school, people drink coffee, and life goes on. In the end, the singer concludes that he loves someone, and he buys an umbrella from a vendor on 23rd and Second Avenue, suggesting that even in a mundane activity like buying an umbrella, there is a connection with the people around us.
Line by Line Meaning
On the avenue of dead umbrellas
The scene is of a place that no one cares about where things are broken and discarded
In a place where nothin' sleeps
The place is devoid of activity and hope
No one's pickin' up the pieces - no one speaks
Nothing is being done to repair or change their situation, and there is no communication or effort made by the inhabitants
Snow falls down - God dusts funky town
Nature's beauty transcends the ugliness of the surroundings
For once this place looks pure
The snowfall has created a temporary moment of beauty in this otherwise unappealing place
Tell that to the people who live in the wind - they ain't so sure
The people who live in this place can't appreciate the momentary beauty as they are constantly exposed to the harsh conditions
In the middle of a violent night - in the glare of a naked light
The scene is intense and harsh with no chance of escape
In the middle of a nightmare
The situation described is so extreme that it feels like a nightmare
At the bottom of the deepest well - in the middle of a private hell
The artist is in the darkest place imaginable, a personal hell
Shit scared - out there - nowhere
The artist is frightened and feels trapped, with no escape or options
Then I open my eyes - ice on the window - the sun is tryin' to break through
The singer wakes up and sees the beauty in nature despite the harshness of the environment described earlier
Then I open my eyes - in the land of the livin' - and it's all right
The artist is happy to be alive, despite the difficult situation
Seen a man rattle in a battle that no one could win
The singer has witnessed someone facing an impossible challenge and struggling to overcome it
I had to turn my soul away
The singer felt they couldn't bear the emotional weight of what they witnessed
Shit's gonna happen - whether you like it or not
Bad things happen regardless of anyone's preferences or attempts to prevent them
S' just the way it is
Sometimes life is unfair and there's nothing to be done about it
Then I open my eyes - boats on the river - headin' down the east side
The artist sees a new, different and more pleasant aspect of their environment
Then I open my eyes - and the trash slips away
The singer experiences a momentary escape from the harsh surroundings to see something better
Soft and supple - like some alibi
The new scene is peaceful and comforting
You been walkin in her sleep - there ain't no cure for the secrets you hide
Someone has been hiding their true self and their secrets and there's nothing that can change that
In the middle of my wildest dream - in a place where nothin's what it seems
The current situation feels unreal, like a dream or an illusion
At the time of a great loss
The artist is experiencing a difficult moment of grief and mourning
From the hoods and the broken homes - this danger's got a smell of it's own
There is an inherent danger in living in a place with a lot of poverty and crime
In the middle of see-see-chaos
The situation is chaotic and messy
In the valley of the shadow of death - the bellevue boys out kickin' ass
The singer is overwhelmed by danger and the group responsible for it seems unstoppable
In the middle of fire
The situation is intense and dangerous, with no escape
Inside the belly of the beast - in a place where wonders never cease
Despite the danger and hopelessness, there is still some beauty in the world
You go higher, higher, higher
The situation is difficult, but there is always a chance to rise above it all
Then I open my eyes - life in a nutshell - it's over 'fore you know it
Life is short and unpredictable
And the city wakes up - puts coffee in cups - when I open my eyes
The world continues even when the singer is not paying attention
And the kids go to school - imus rules - when I open my eyes
The people in the environment go about their routine, despite the chaos and difficulty of the situation
I love you n' you love me
This is a simple yet powerful statement which brings comfort and meaning to life
N' it rains so I buy an umbrella from the guy on 23rd and second avenue
Even mundane interactions can bring some sense of normalcy and comfort in difficult times
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
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