Sir John Edward Rowles KNZM OBE (born 26 March 1947 in Whakatane) is a New … Read Full Bio ↴Sir John Edward Rowles KNZM OBE (born 26 March 1947 in Whakatane) is a New Zealand singer. He was most popular in the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, and he was best known in New Zealand for his song from 1970, "Cheryl Moana Marie", written about his younger sister. In 1974, he received the Benny Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand, the highest honour available to a New Zealand variety entertainer. Rowles was appointed an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1979 for services to entertainment and New Zealand interests in the United States. In 2018, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to entertainment.

Rowles was born to a Maori father and Pakeha (Caucasian) mother in Whakatane, New Zealand, and grew up in Kawerau, New Zealand. His older brother Wally Rowles was a solo singer with his own career (for a while he went under the name of Frankie Price then later Frankie Rowles). His sister, Tania Rowles, was a recording artist and had the single "Don't Turn Around" which was released on the RCA label in 1986. Rowles still occasionally performs in New Zealand and Australia.

website - www.johnrowles.com.

Smoke gets in your eyes
John Rowles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

They asked me how I knew,
My true love was true,
Oh-oh-oh-oh, I, of course, replied,
"Something here inside,
Cannot be denied."

They said, "Someday you'll find,
All who love are blind.

Oh-oh-oh-oh, when your heart's on fire,
You must realize,
Smoke gets in your eyes."

So I chaffed them,
And I gaily laughed,
To think they could doubt my love.

Yet today, my love has flown away.
I am without my love.

Overall Meaning

In John Rowles's song, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," the lyrics describe the journey of love and heartbreak. The song opens up with the singer, who is being questioned about how he knows that his true love is true. In response, the singer claims that he can feel it deep inside himself and he cannot deny this feeling despite the doubts of others.

The lyrics then shift focus to the idea that when one is in love, they are rendered blind to their loved one's flaws. However, the singer is informed that when you're in a passionate state, you tend to overlook things or even fantasies that aren't there. Then, the chorus goes to say that when your heart is on fire, you must realise that the smoke has clouded your vision.

Towards the end of the song, the singer, who was once confident that his love was true, is left heartbroken and alone because the person he loved has flown away. The song's lyrics indicate that love can be both blinding and turbulent, but yet, one can never escape its power.

Line by Line Meaning

They asked me how I knew,
They wanted to know how I was so certain.

My true love was true,
That the person I was in love with reciprocated the true feelings.

Oh-oh-oh-oh, I, of course, replied,
And without any doubt, I responded to them.

"Something here inside,
Something about our connection within my heart or soul.

Cannot be denied."
That it couldn't be dismissed, ignored, or refused.

They said, "Someday you'll find,
They warned that at some point, I'll come to the realization.

All who love are blind.
That the feeling of love can often impair judgment or perception.

Oh-oh-oh-oh, when your heart's on fire,
Whenever you're in love or passionate about something.

You must realize,
You must be mindful of.

Smoke gets in your eyes."
The feeling of love and passion may cause temporary blindness or confusion.

So I chaffed them,
So I mocked or teased them.