It all started with "The Fratellis," Stolen Babies' original 12+ member group. Horns blared, oversized dolls jumped out of toy boxes, squabbles were had, babies were stolen, turned into flies and fed to giant spiders. Eventually, the blundering theatrics came to an end, but the four stuck together.
More misadventure, more junk food...
Taking their name from a song/skit from the early days, Stolen Babies have been described as playing prog-pop-cabaret-thrash-quirky-goth-rock. Mostly though, they would just like to think that their songs are fun to dance and fall down to.
It's nearly impossible to talk about Stolen Babies without mentioning their ongoing collaboration with graphic novelist extraordinaire Crab Scrambly. His artwork has graced their early releases, website and merch. More notably you can see Crab's original paintings that provide the otherworldly landscapes to Stolen Babies video "Push Button," and of course the artwork for the bands debut full length album "There Be Squabbles Ahead," which was recorded and produced by Dan Rathburn of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Which now brings Stolen Babies to...the beginning of The End.
STOLEN BABIES are:
Dominique Persi - lead vocals, face paint keeping, accordion sprinkling
Rani Sharone - electric and upright bass swapping, mental guitar playing, programming, sampling, vocals
Ben Rico - multiple keyboard reaching, beating, vocals
Gil Sharone (The Dillinger Escape Plan) - aggressive drumming
Oakland, California, USA in 2002
Mind Your Eyes
Stolen Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There is a sneaking threat breaking in
A little like fog, a little like heat
Too much like an invasion of safety
(Breaking in) I don’t know why the dogs are barking
(Breaking in) Or why the gate is shaking
(Breaking in) It’s not just the roof settling
I really do wish you had minded your eyes
And now a chain has been set off that can’t be wound back up
And late in the night there’s a clanking and clanging of sounds
Way too loud outside
Eyes perpendicular to the ground
Pulling the corners down even more
When they moved from top to bottom
A cringe came to catch up with me later on
(Take it back) When my feet run the things I say
(Take it back) Retreating back to what is safe
(Take it back) A self protection policy
(Take it back) In spite of all that it still has followed me
I really do wish you had minded your eyes
And now a chain has been set off that can’t be wound back up
And late in the night there’s a clanking and clanging of sounds
Way too loud outside
Black face and white wool...
I’m counting but it doesn’t help
And if you had just minded your eyes
I wouldn’t be so wound up as I’m winding down
And on my shelves all my trinkets
Shoved aside for what’s way too loud outside
The streets growing out strings
Tugging the line, subtracting the winks
Following something I’m hearing
Doors will scare me, windows leave me blind
On the tips of my toes
(Following) Trailing the tracks between the gray and glistening
(Following) A changing face loses shape
What is it that I’m following?
The Stolen Babies' song, Mind Your Eyes, talks about the sneaking threat that can invade a person's safety, even in buildings and still alleys, and how it unleashes a chain that can't be wound back up. The song mentions the barking of dogs, shaking of gates, and loud clanking and clanging sounds outside late at night, adding to the feeling of being in danger. The lyrics also discuss the importance of minding one's eyes, as it can lead to a self-protection policy, and how failing to do so leads to an invasion of safety that follows a person around.
The artist uses powerful imagery to convey the feeling of being unsafe, where eyes pulling corners down, and a cringe catching up, later on, highlights the fear that is being felt. The song also talks about the fear of doors and the inability to see, which leaves the singer blind, adding to the sense of being vulnerable. The lyrics question, what is it that I'm following? and underscores the feeling of being lost and not in control, a powerful emotion that many can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Even in buildings and still alleys
Despite being in enclosed spaces and quiet streets,
There is a sneaking threat breaking in
There is an ominous feeling of danger creeping in,
A little like fog, a little like heat
It's uncertain and intangible, yet palpable like mist or warmth,
Too much like an invasion of safety
Intrusive and threatening to one's sense of security,
I don’t know why the dogs are barking
The disturbance is causing animals to sound alarms,
Or why the gate is shaking
There's something trying to force its way in,
It’s not just the roof settling
It's not a natural occurrence or benign explanation,
What is it that has followed me?
There's a presence that seems to pursue me relentlessly,
Eyes perpendicular to the ground
Averting eye contact, looking down,
Pulling the corners down even more
Feeling even more discomfort, making it worse,
When they moved from top to bottom
As they glanced from above to below,
A cringe came to catch up with me later on
Discomfort lingered and intensified after the encounter,
When my feet run the things I say
Acting impulsively without thinking through the consequences,
Retreating back to what is safe
Returning to familiar territory or comforts,
A self protection policy
A strategy to avoid harm or danger,
In spite of all that it still has followed me
Despite my precautions, the threat persists and pursues me,
Black face and white wool...
An enigmatic image that defies explanation,
I’m counting but it doesn’t help
Trying to rationalize or deal with the situation, but to no avail,
The streets growing out strings
The environment has became tangled and chaotic,
Tugging the line, subtracting the winks
The situation is pulling away the ability to rest or sleep,
Following something I’m hearing
There's an inexplicable pull or attraction to something,
Doors will scare me, windows leave me blind
Both alternative paths cause concern, whichever is chosen,
On the tips of my toes
In a heightened state of alert and anxiety,
A changing face loses shape
The enigma becomes even more confusing and chaotic,
What is it that I’m following?
Even the singer is uncertain about what they are pursuing,
I really do wish you had minded your eyes
Regretful statement that implies warning or advice has been ignored,
And now a chain has been set off that can’t be wound back up
The situation has escalated and can't be undone or halted,
And late in the night there’s a clanking and clanging of sounds
Evidence of the disturbing presence reasserting itself,
Way too loud outside
It's an intrusive and obnoxious presence,
Contributed by Elizabeth V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.