Eye to Eye
Surveillance Lyrics


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A life examined can be unkind
The light of conscience far too harsh
When truth stares back in the reflection
We wish again to have the dark

Face to face and eye to eye
We kill the truth and live the lie
Reality, a spiteful beast
Integrity long since deceased

A catalog of Man's misdeeds
A map of every cruelty
Obscured by time's soft, gauzy curtains
An exercise in futility

Face to face and eye to eye
We kill the truth and live the lie
Reality, a spiteful beast
Integrity long since deceased

The looking glass reveals our flaws
Unflinchingly and without doubt
Eviscerate the rhapsody
To let the facts coming spilling out

Face to face and eye to eye
We kill the truth and live the lie




Reality, a spiteful beast
Integrity long since deceased

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Eye to Eye" by Surveillance reflect on the human tendency to engage in self-deception rather than face the harsh reality of our flaws and mistakes. The song talks about how we often shy away from confronting the truth, and choose to live in the dark rather than allow the light of conscience to illuminate our shortcomings. The lyrics suggest that the looking glass of self-reflection can be painful, but it is necessary to acknowledge our faults and strive for integrity in the face of a reality that may be difficult to accept.


The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "face to face and eye to eye," which reinforces the idea of confronting the truth head-on. The lyrics suggest that living a life of lies and self-deception is ultimately futile, and that we must be willing to have an honest conversation with ourselves if we want to find a path towards a more authentic existence. The song's message is both insightful and introspective, urging listeners to embrace the truth and overcome their fear of self-examination.


Line by Line Meaning

A life examined can be unkind
When we examine our lives, it can be a harsh and difficult process.


The light of conscience far too harsh
Our conscience can be too harsh and unforgiving when we face the truth about ourselves.


When truth stares back in the reflection
When we see the truth about ourselves in the mirror, it can be uncomfortable and difficult to face.


We wish again to have the dark
Faced with the truth, we may wish to go back to our ignorance and denial.


Face to face and eye to eye
Facing someone directly, without evasion or deception.


We kill the truth and live the lie
Sometimes, when confronted with the truth, we choose to ignore it and continue with our lies.


Reality, a spiteful beast
Facing reality can be difficult and unpleasant.


Integrity long since deceased
Our integrity, or our commitment to truth and honesty, has been lost or abandoned.


A catalog of Man's misdeeds
A list of all the bad things humanity has done.


A map of every cruelty
A guide to all the ways people have harmed each other.


Obscured by time's soft, gauzy curtains
The passage of time can make it difficult to see or understand the extent of human cruelty and wrongdoing.


An exercise in futility
Trying to understand and confront human misdeeds can seem pointless and hopeless.


The looking glass reveals our flaws
When we examine ourselves honestly, we can see our imperfections and weaknesses.


Unflinchingly and without doubt
We must face the truth bravely and resolutely, without hesitation or uncertainty.


Eviscerate the rhapsody
We must abandon our illusions and fantasies in order to face reality honestly.


To let the facts coming spilling out
We must let the truth emerge, even if it is painful or difficult to confront.




Contributed by Aiden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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