After recording their first album, which featured the single Talking to a Stranger, the band traveled to Germany to record with famed producer Conny Plank. In 1984, the band reorganized, adding a three-piece horn section and losing the second guitarist. By 1986, the band's style was moving away from the sweat-drenched rhythmic jams of their early days to a more song-centered aproach centered on Seymour (whose younger brother Nick was a member of Crowded House). Throw Your Arms Around Me was a successful single in many countries.
The band was never able to match the worldwide attention they reached in 1986, though they continued to record with considerable success in Australia, and maintained a loyal fanbase elsewhere.
They broke up in 1998, but returned to play one concert on 14 March 2009 for "Sound Relief" at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was a multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief for the Victorian Bushfire Crisis.
Blind Eye
Hunters & Collectors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But true direction is missing
You know the Gods have lied - but you're still smitten.
By the stars in your eyes
I can tell you know where you are
Smile sweetly and you'll be forgiven.
You're almost free - almost free to come and go
Bed sitting room for ambitious prisoner.
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.
Like a bulldozer chasing butterflies
Down sad English streets you wander
Over sleeping bodies you step lightly.
All the snow on the ground
Lets you pass by without a sound
One last look before you disappear.
Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.
The song Blind Eye by Hunters & Collectors talks about the struggle of chasing success while losing sight of true direction. The first two lines suggest that success can be blinding and might lead one in the wrong direction. The line "You know the Gods have lied - but you're still smitten" might indicate that success is an illusion, but still, people get obsessed with it. The next line, "By the stars in your eyes, I can tell you know where you are," is somewhat ironic, as the stars in the person's eyes might be a result of losing direction rather than finding it. The next two lines suggest that even when someone realizes they are chasing the wrong thing, they can still smile and be forgiven.
The second verse describes how the person has become so driven towards success that they can casually pass over things that would otherwise be significant to them. The line "Like a bulldozer chasing butterflies" creates a powerful image of the person bulldozing their way through life while ignoring the small, beautiful things. The verse ends with the line "One last look before you disappear" which implies that the person might be mentally or emotionally distancing themselves from their current lifestyle.
The chorus repeats the line "Walk away, don't take no for an answer, turn a blind eye to it all" which might be interpreted as advice on how to cope with the disillusionment that comes with the pursuit of success. The song ends with the line "Down in Queensway" which is a famous street located in London, a place where the songwriter might be alluding to as a metaphor for the end of the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
When success is on your mind
When you're focused on achieving success
But true direction is missing
But you're not sure which way to go
You know the Gods have lied - but you're still smitten.
You don't believe in supernatural forces, but you're still hopeful
By the stars in your eyes
I can see how optimistic you are
I can tell you know where you are
I can see that you have a sense of your surroundings
Smile sweetly and you'll be forgiven.
If you act kindly, people will be lenient toward you
You're almost free - almost free to come and go
You're almost at a point where you can live freely
Bed sitting room for ambitious prisoner.
You're living in a cramped space, but you're driven and motivated
Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Leave and keep pushing even if someone rejects you
Turn a blind eye to it all
Ignore the negative aspects of your situation
Let sleeping dogs lie
Don't bring up potential issues that could cause trouble
Down in Queensway.
In the Queensway neighborhood of London.
Like a bulldozer chasing butterflies
You're focused on something small and fragile but acting aggressively
Down sad English streets you wander
You're walking on depressing streets in England
Over sleeping bodies you step lightly.
You're being careful not to wake up people who are sleeping
All the snow on the ground
There's snow covering the ground
Lets you pass by without a sound
You can walk quietly on the snow
One last look before you disappear.
Taking a final glance before leaving
Down in Queensway.
In the Queensway neighborhood of London.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: BARRY JOHN JOSEPH PALMER, DOUGLAS JAMES FALCONER, JEREMY STUART SMITH, JOHN ALBERT HOWARD, JOHN MELVILLE LEE ARCHER, MARK JEREMY SEYMOUR, MICHAEL BERNARD WATERS, ROBERT DAVID MILES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@7brasa
When success is on your mind
But true direction is missing
You know the Gods have lied - but you're still smitten.
By the stars in your eyes
I can tell you know where you are
Smile sweetly and you'll be forgiven.
You're almost free - almost free to come and go
Bed sitting room for ambitious prisoner.
Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.
Like a bulldozer chasing butterflies
Down sad English streets you wander
Over sleeping bodies you step lightly.
All the snow on the ground
- lets you pass by without a sound
One last look before you disappear.
Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.
@malvingygyirak9819
The song is about the 'driven' , ambitious people who chose to ignore the suffering that surrounds to them. They turn 'a blidn eye'.
When success is on your mind
But true direction is missing
You know the Gods have lied - but you're still smitten.
By the stars in your eyes
I can tell you know where you are
Smile sweetly and you'll be forgiven.
You're almost free - almost free to come and go
Bed sitting room for ambitious prisoner.
Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.
Like a bulldozer chasing butterflies
Down sad English streets you wander
Over sleeping bodies you step lightly.
All the snow on the ground
Lets you pass by without a sound
One last look before you disappear.
Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.
@MrDrummerguy33
This is definitely in my top 5 favourite all time Aussie classics. H&C are a national treasure!!
@thomassimpson754
Their best song. Beautifully crafted and pretty much perfect.
The bridge climax brings tingles all over.
@MSKR111
Going out on a limb but probably my favourite Hunters track.
@hughmcinally907
I couldn't pick one to save myself - just too many great songs.
@Adam-nz2ti
It's my favourite
@sinjon
Too many great songs to choose. I also really like You Stole My Thunder
@silversuit66
I’m with ya
@peterbarry3892
Me too. My favourite.
@brucass93
such a beautiful track, such an underrated band....
@dougwoellner7895
Saw them at Selinas Coogee Bay and other places in Sydney mid 80s great live aussie band still got all the records