Eyes Open
Taylor Swift㼀 Lyrics


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[Intro]
Everybody's waiting,
Everybody's watching,
Even when you're sleeping,
Keep your e-eyes open
.

[Verse 1]
The tricky thing,
Is yesterday we were just children,
Playing soldiers, just pretending,
Dreaming dreams with happy endings
.
In backyards,
Winning battles with our wooden swords,
But now we've stepped into a cruel world.
Where everybody stands and,
Keeps score
.

[Pre-Chorus]
Keep your eyes open.

[Chorus:]
Everybody's waiting, for you to breakdown.
Everybody's watching, to see the fallout.
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping,
Keep your e-eyes open.
Keep your e-eyes open
.
Keep your e-eyes open.

[Verse 2]
So here you are,
Two steps ahead, and staying on guard.
Every lesson forms a new scar,
They never thought you'd make it this far
.
But turn around (turn around),
Oh, they've surrounded with a showdown (showdown).
And nobody comes to save you now.
But you got something they don't,
Yeah, you got something they don't
.
You just gotta keep your eyes open.

[Chorus:]
Everybody's waiting, for you to breakdown.
Everybody's watching, to see the fallout.
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping,
Keep your e-eyes open.
Keep your e-eyes open.
Keep your eyes...

[Hook]
Keep your feet ready,
Heartbeat steady,
Keep your eyes open.
Keep your aim locked,
The night grows dark,
Keep your eyes open.

[Bridge]
Keep your e-eyes open,
Keep your e-eyes open,
Keep your e-eyes open,
Keep your e-eyes open.

[Chorus:]
Everybody's waiting, for you to breakdown.
Everybody's watching, to see the fallout.
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping,
Keep your e-eyes open.

[Outro]
Keep your eyes open!
Keep your e-eyes open.




Keep your eyes open!
Keep your e-eyes open.

Overall Meaning

In Taylor Swift's song, "Eyes Open," Swift addresses the harsh realities of growing up and going out into the world. The song begins with a warning to stay alert because there are always people waiting and watching, even when you're sleeping. The first verse reflects on the transition from childhood to adulthood, where the innocence of pretending to be soldiers in the backyard turns into the cruel reality of standing in a world where everyone is judging and keeping score. The pre-chorus repeats the warning of staying alert, a common theme throughout the song.


The chorus urges listeners to keep their eyes open, even when they're sleeping because everyone is waiting for them to break down, and they will be watched as they do. In the second verse, Swift encourages listeners who have made it far against all expectations. They've made it this far because they possess something that their opponents don't have. In the bridge, Swift repeats the chorus's message to keep your eyes open while adding the heartbeat and the aim locked, keeping the night's darkness at bay. The song ends with a final reminder to keep one's eyes open, reiterating the central message of the song.


Line by Line Meaning

Everybody's waiting, Everybody's watching, Even when you're sleeping, Keep your e-eyes open
People are always watching and waiting for you to make a mistake, so you should always be aware of your surroundings.


The tricky thing, Is yesterday we were just children, Playing soldiers, just pretending, Dreaming dreams with happy endings
It's tricky because yesterday we were innocent children who only played pretend, but now we're in a cruel world where we have to face the consequences of our actions.


Winning battles with our wooden swords, But now we've stepped into a cruel world. Where everybody stands and, Keeps score
We used to play with wooden swords and pretend to win battles, but now we're in a world where everyone is keeping score and judging us based on our actions.


Everybody's waiting, for you to breakdown. Everybody's watching, to see the fallout. Even when you're sleeping, sleeping, Keep your e-eyes open. Keep your e-eyes open
People are waiting for you to slip up and fail, even when you're not aware of it, so you always need to be on guard and aware of your surroundings.


So here you are, Two steps ahead, and staying on guard. Every lesson forms a new scar, They never thought you'd make it this far
Despite facing challenges, you're still ahead in the game and learning from your mistakes, leaving scars along the way. Others may have underestimated you, but you're proving them wrong by persevering.


But you got something they don't, Yeah, you got something they don't. You just gotta keep your eyes open.
You have something unique about you that sets you apart and makes you stronger, and you need to stay alert to protect and use that advantage to succeed.


Keep your feet ready, Heartbeat steady, Keep your eyes open. Keep your aim locked, The night grows dark, Keep your eyes open.
Stay prepared and focused with steady feet and a steady heart, keep your eyes open to stay alert, and keep your aim locked even in the darkest of nights.


Keep your e-eyes open, Keep your e-eyes open, Keep your e-eyes open, Keep your e-eyes open.
Repeated reminder to always be vigilant and alert in this dangerous and cruel world.




Contributed by Annabelle H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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