Murder by Death released its first studio album (Like the Exorcist, but More Breakdancing) in 2002, and has since released seven more studio albums. The band's current lineup consists of two founding members, Adam Turla and Sarah Balliet. Balliet plays cello for the band, an instrument that has been present consistently throughout the band's evolution. Murder by Death's 2012 album Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon reached #76 on the Billboard 200, making it the band's most successful release.
Murder by Death was formed in 2000 in Bloomington, Indiana, by guitarist Adam Turla, cellist Sarah Balliet, percussionist Alexander Schrodt, keyboardist Vincent Edwards, and bassist Matt Armstrong. One of the group's first shows was at the Channing-Murray Foundation's cafe The Red Herring in Urbana, Illinois, with former American Football drummer Steve Lamos' solo project DMS. After the show, the head of the TEAM AV record label with which Lamos was working offered to help Turla and his bandmates secure additional shows. Around the same time the band met Thursday vocalist, Geoff Rickly, when the two bands played on the same bill at a gig in their hometown of Bloomington. Rickly introduced the band, known at the time as Little Joe Gould, to his friend Alex Saavedra (owner of Eyeball Records), who also took an interest in the band. In 2001 the band self-released the eponymous Little Joe Gould EP and early the next year contributed the song "I'm Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" to the TEAM AV compilation Foreign Nationals. A short time later the group changed their name to Murder By Death, which they felt better represented their sound.
Murder by Death plays a range of music including instrumentals, rock and alt.country. The band uses cello (with an electric cello for live shows) to create a gothic sound with occasional Western references.
The band often arranges themes such as whiskey and the Devil into concept albums. For example, the band's second album, Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them?, describes a story in which the Devil wages war against a small village in Mexico.
Strange Eyes
Murder By Death Lyrics
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Strange eyes
Oh iris
I'm lost inside your dark light
Blacks out my sight
Strange eyes
I cannot hide from your
I cannot hide from your
I cannot hide
Lord I have tried
You give me no reprieve
No chance to fight
The song Strange Eyes by Murder By Death is a haunting track that explores the theme of being trapped by darkness. The opening lines present a captivating metaphor that likens the dark eyes to a maze that the singer is lost in. The eyes are so entrancing that they black out the singer's sight, creating a sense of being lost within them. The repetition of the phrase "strange eyes" creates a sense of disorientation, amplifying the idea that the eyes are otherworldly, perhaps even supernatural in nature.
The second verse reveals the singer's struggle to break free from these entrancing eyes. The lines "I cannot hide from your" and "I cannot hide Lord I have tried" create a sense of helplessness, making it seem like these eyes hold some kind of power over the singer that they cannot overcome. The last line "You give me no reprieve, no chance to fight" is particularly interesting as it suggests that these strange eyes are not a mere physical entity, but an internal struggle that the singer is battling against.
Overall, Strange Eyes is a hauntingly beautiful song that uses powerful metaphors to convey the emotional weight of being trapped in darkness. It highlights the sense of powerlessness that comes with this struggle and speaks to a universal experience of feeling lost and helpless.
Line by Line Meaning
Strange eyes
Unusual eyes
Strange eyes
Unusual eyes
Oh iris
Oh colored part of the eye
I'm lost inside your dark light
I am consumed by your dark and alluring presence
Blacks out my sight
Blinds me
Strange eyes
Unusual eyes
Strange eyes
Unusual eyes
I cannot hide from your
I cannot escape your gaze
I cannot hide from your
I cannot escape your gaze
I cannot hide
I cannot avoid
Lord I have tried
I have attempted
You give me no reprieve
You offer me no relief
No chance to fight
No opportunity to resist
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ADAM MICHAEL TURLA, DAGAN THOGERSON, MATTHEW TAYLOR ARMSTRONG, SARAH JACKSON BALLIET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind