Iris
Live Lyrics


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I liked the way my hand looked
On your head
In the presence of my knuckles
But the beauty of this vision alone

Just like yesterday's sunset
Has been perverted by the sentimental
And mistaken for love
The felix of your truth will always break it

And the iris of your eye will always shake it
And the armies the armies I have created
Will always hate it
Will always bait you on

I liked the way my hand looked on your head
In the presence of my struggle
But the beauty of this vision alone
I can't shake from my tree just yet





It keeps invading all my private moments
Listen to me now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Live's song Iris tell a story of a tumultuous relationship that has been marred by violence and abuse. The singer reminisces about a moment in the past where he found beauty in the physical act of his hand on his partner's head, despite the underlying aggression. He compares this memory to a picturesque sunset that has been ruined by sentimentality and mistaken for love.


The singer acknowledges the truth of their situation, predicting that his partner's honesty will always break their relationship, and that the powerful emotional connection he feels towards them will always be unstable. He alludes to the armies he has created, possibly referring to the psychological defenses he has built up to shield himself from his own vulnerabilities. These defenses, he acknowledges, will always bait his partner, leading to ongoing conflict and resistance.


Despite recognizing the toxicity of their situation, the singer admits that he cannot shake the memory of that moment, and it continues to invade his private moments. It's a poignant portrayal of the difficulty of leaving an abusive relationship, even when the knowledge of the harm it causes is clear.


Line by Line Meaning

I liked the way my hand looked
I enjoyed the physicality of my hand on your head


On your head
I specifically enjoyed touching your head


In the presence of my knuckles
I appreciated the contrast between the softness of your head and the toughness of my knuckles


But the beauty of this vision alone
However, the purely visual aspect of this scene is not enough


Just like yesterday's sunset
Similar to how a beautiful sunset from yesterday is no longer present


Has been perverted by the sentimental
The sentimental attachment to that sunset has clouded its true beauty


And mistaken for love
It's possible for people to confuse sentimental attachment for true love


The felix of your truth will always break it
The truth of your emotions will inevitably ruin this sentimental attachment


And the iris of your eye will always shake it
Your vulnerable emotional state will always destabilize it


And the armies the armies I have created
The persona and defenses I've built up


Will always hate it
Will always reject this emotional vulnerability


Will always bait you on
But at the same time, these defenses will draw others towards me with a false sense of bravery and confidence


I liked the way my hand looked on your head
Returning to earlier thoughts and memories


In the presence of my struggle
I at least found solace in moments shared with you despite my internal struggles


But the beauty of this vision alone
But just like before, this visual memory is not enough


I can't shake from my tree just yet
I can't fully let go of this memory just yet


It keeps invading all my private moments
It continues to linger in my thoughts and memories, invading my personal space


Listen to me now
I'm trying to communicate my complex emotions and thoughts to someone else




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD ALAN GRACEY, CHAD DAVID TAYLOR, EDWARD JOEL KOWALCZYK, PATRICK DAHLHEIMER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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