1989 - 1999
Formed by a group of friends in the bars of Helsinki, Finland in the summer of 1989, a nod to illustrate the band's tight-knit friendship is that the lineup has stayed the same since creation. The band originally played glam metal inspired music, different from their current gothic rock style.
The band released their first 7 inch EP, "Sugarman", in 1990, followed by another 7 inch, "Barbarella" in 1991. These releases paved the way for the bands first album Bump 'n' Grind released in 1992 which contained some re-recorded versions of songs from the first 2 EP. This same year, the band released their final 2 7 inch EP's, titaled "Juicy Lucy" and "High Times Low Lives". In 1994 through a Japanese Label the band's second CD release was unleased, the compilation album "Motor City Resurrection". It has since been re-released with 8 bonus tracks worldwide. Though this release featured no new songs, it collected the majority of the bands early material and contributions to other compilations. It was followed in 1995 by Savage Garden which featured Hanoi Rocks guitarist Andy McCoy on the track "Wild Talk". Also released during this time were 2 VHS tapes "Motor City Resurrection" and "Savage Tales" available only through the band's self-run fanclub which are seen rarely, if ever for sale online. In 1997, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams, which fans generally mark as the last "glam" album before the milestone success of 1999's goth rock infused, Wasting the Dawn which was released internationally on Roadrunner Records and marked the band's major label debut. The album's hit single, the title track Wasting the Dawn lyrically paid tribute to The Doors' Jim Morrison and was released as a digipack CD, which is now a rare find for fans of the band. Jyrki 69 developed a concept video for this track which featured long-time friend and collaborator HIM member Ville Valo posing at a snowy cemetery as the ghost of Jim Morrison. This video was released on VHS in Finland featuring a behind the scenes feature, both the video and feature were later added as extras on the Helsinki Vampires DVD.
2000 - 2002
Spring of 2000 brought the single Gothic Girl which spent months on the Singles Top 10 and on Finnish nation radio playlists. It brought the band their first gold record. After recording their sixth studio album, Blessed Be, the band did their first short tour for Wasting the Dawn in Germany which included a show at the M'era Luna Festival. Support for the tour was Norwegian rock band Zeromancer.
Released in September 2000, Blessed Be rose straight to number 4 on the Finnish Album Charts and stayed in the top 10 for over a month. The second single was Brandon Lee, the third was The Chair and Stolen Season was the fourth. Videos were filmed for the first 3 singles.
In 2002 the band released Paris Kills, which would be known as their breakthrough album. It stayed for weeks as number 1 in Finland and went gold in a month, June 2002. In Germany it rose to number 35 in the first week. After touring Europe and Finland for months, a sold-out show at Helsinki's famous Tavastia Club was filmed and documented in November for use in the "Helsinki Vampires" DVD.
2003 - 2007
At the end of 2003, The 69 Eyes were signed to EMI Finland, as they geared up to record their highly successful Devils album. The well-timed "Lost Boys" single was released in Finland at this time, paying homage to the film of the same name as anticipation for the full length album grew.
2004 saw the release of Devils, their 8th album, to which they toured the UK in support of Wednesday 13. Once again the album was number one in their native Finland and reached gold in a month. It was their first release on a big major label Virgin/EMI. Released in their native Finland in October 2004 later on in Europe through Virgin/EMI and in October 2005 in USA through 456 Entertainment it is also their 4th album to reach gold status and again another number one position on the Finnish TOP 40 album charts.
In 2005 The 69 Eyes played nearly one hundred shows around the world in fifteen countries, from Mexico to Japan. Devils was also released in the USA. The band filmed their video for their biggest ever hit single "Lost Boys" in Hollywood and the Philadelphia area, directed by the band's friend and MTV superstar Bam Margera.
In 2006, The 69 Eyes toured for the first time in the USA in March with Program The Dead & Damone, appearing on Last Call with Carson Daly. Their new album Angels, the sequel to their 2004 album Devils, was released in March 2007. Shortly after their Early 2007 tour with Cradle of Filth & 3 Inches Of Blood. Their latest album Angels was released on the 25th of June 2007 in the UK. The first single from the album is "Perfect skin" which went straight to number 1 on the Finnish singles chart. The second single is "Never Say Die". Angels debuted at number 1 in Finland and has since gone gold.
The band did a summer 2007 US tour with Wednesday 13, Night Kills The Day, & Fair To Midland, and supported Within Temptation on tour in the UK in November. They played 125 shows world wide in 2007.
2008 - present
In 2008 the band released their first live album, titled The 69 Eyes: Hollywood Kills. It featured a complete live show recorded at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood in March 2006.[9] The performance featured hits spanning the six latest albums an introduction by Bam Margera and a live cover of The Ramones "I Just Wanna Have Something to Do". The concert was also filmed in its entirety. Five tracks from the performance were released on DVD as bonus content on the Angels/Devils box set and the entire concert was released on the "Back in Blood" bonus DVD.
The band began 2009 by touring in Europe as a part of Hellhounds Fest with Tiamat and Ava Inferi. The band started recording their tenth studio album with Grammy award winning producer Matt Hyde. He is most known from his works with Slayer, Monster Magnet and Fu Manchu. The recording process took place both in Helsinki and Los Angeles. The new album has been titled Back in Blood was released on the 28th of August in Europe and will be released the 15th of September in the USA. In early June, Bam Margera directed the music video for the first single from the album, "Dead Girls Are Easy." The video premiered on playboy.com on 17 of July 2009. The 69 Eyes also toured Australia for the first time in mid June, playing in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
A tour of the United States followed in October 2009, and Jyrki 69 was featured on both FOX New's "Red Eye" program, and CNN International also. In December 2009, the band debuted their newest video for the song, "Dead & Gone" via Myspace. This new video marked the band's third collaboration with Bam Margera. On August 10 the band revealed a contest for fans to create a video for the next single "Kiss Me Undead". The response was overwhelming, and on September 30 the band posted their 14 favorite videos on their YouTube page.
In April 2010, during an interview with Sean Twisted of Renegaderadio.net, Rudi Protrudi, frontman & founder of the Fuzztones, reported he had completed work on new song with The 69 Eyes, although further details were unavailable during that time.
On the official The 69 Eyes webpage they reported a European tour with Hardcore Superstar and Crashdïet in March and April 2011.
Early in 2012, The 69 Eyes began recording their next studio album X. X was released on September 28, 2012, across Europe and on October 9, 2012, in the United States. The first single from the album was "Red" and featured a music video. The second single was "Borderline." Both singles were available before the album was released in Europe. On February 2013, the band released the singles "Love Runs Away" and "Tonight" simultaneously via iTunes. "Tonight" was released exclusively in Finland while "Love Runs Away" was released everywhere else. Both singles included two previously unreleased tracks, "Rosary Blue" and "Dracula's Castle," the latter being the song Rudi Protrudi reported he had co-written with The 69 Eyes back in 2010.
The 69 Eyes will release a double CD compilation of their radio hit singles called “The Best Of Helsinki Vampires” on November 1, 2013. The compilation also includes their brand new single “Lost Without Love.”
In 2016 on the 22th of May The 69 Eyes released their 11th studio album called Universal Monsters containing 11 tracks.
Skanky Man
The 69 Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watch me go to sleep in a garbage can
Skanky man tell me how you sleep
Is your conscience clear do you rest real deep
Skanky man do you think it's fair
You play your part 'cause you just don't care
Skanky man i don't do dope
I´m already down at the end of my rope
TRUST ME i ain´t no criminal
TRUST ME you got it all wrong
TRUST ME nothing to hide
TRUST ME all i've got is my pride
Skanky man tell me where you go
'cause time on the street passes oh so slow
Skanky man it's areal nightmare
Do you think it's fair do you think you care
Skanky man i really envy you
Is your wife pretty does she love you
Skanky man for a dollar a day
You can make a difference so what do you say
TRUST ME i ain't no criminal
TRUST ME you got it all wrong
TRUST ME nothing to hide
TRUST ME all i've got is my pride
[x2]
The 69 Eyes's song Skanky Man is a poignant, socially critical track that delves into the harsh realities and injustices of homelessness, poverty and drug addiction, as seen through the eyes of the singer, who addresses a homeless person, the 'skanky man,' in a soul-searching dialogue. The song questions the skanky man's conscience and his sense of fairness in his actions, while offering a glimpse of the singer's own struggles and pride amidst his despair. The song's lyrics emphasize the theme of trust, as the singer rejects the stigmatization that is often associated with his situation, and asserts his own dignity and humanity.
The lyrics of the song Skanky Man are notable for their raw honesty and emotional depth, tackling issues of social inequality and human suffering that are often overlooked or marginalized. The song's dark, brooding atmosphere is reinforced by the band's heavy, melancholic sound and Jyrki 69's expressive, crooning vocals. Through its use of vivid imagery and stark contrasts, the song succeeds in evoking a sense of empathy and understanding for the plight of the marginalized and downtrodden, while also highlighting the need for compassion and action.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey skanky man tell me how you can
The singer is addressing the skanky man and asks how he can watch the singer sleep in a garbage can.
Watch me go to sleep in a garbage can
The singer is emphasizing the fact that the skanky man watches them sleep in unsanitary conditions.
Skanky man tell me how you sleep
The singer is inquiring about how the skanky man is able to sleep at night knowing the conditions the singer has to endure.
Is your conscience clear do you rest real deep
The artist is questioning the skanky man's ethical values and wonders whether he can rest peacefully despite his actions.
Skanky man do you think it's fair
The artist is challenging the skanky man's morals and wonders whether he thinks it's fair to watch someone sleep in a garbage can.
You play your part 'cause you just don't care
The singer accuses the skanky man of being indifferent about the singer's plight and doing nothing about it.
Skanky man i don't do dope
The singer clarifies that they don't do drugs, despite their circumstances.
I'm already down at the end of my rope
The artist is expressing that they are already at their wit's end and in a dire situation.
Skanky man tell me where you go
The artist asks the skanky man about his whereabouts and what he does with his time on the streets.
'cause time on the street passes oh so slow
The artist acknowledges the slow passage of time when living on the streets, implying it's not easy.
Skanky man it's a real nightmare
The singer describes their situation as a ‘nightmare’, revealing their deep anguish and plight.
Do you think it's fair do you think you care
The artist is asking the skanky man if he thinks it's reasonable to watch someone suffer and if he cares about their safety and wellbeing.
Skanky man i really envy you
The singer admits their feeling of envy for the skanky man, his life, and all that seemingly comes with it.
Is your wife pretty does she love you
The singer is inquiring about the skanky man's wife and their relationship status.
Skanky man for a dollar a day
The singer is trying to convince the skanky man to contribute to solving the problem.
You can make a difference so what do you say
The artist implores the skanky man to contribute to making a positive difference in their lives, asking for their help or action.
TRUST ME i ain't no criminal
The artist is affirming that they are not involved in any criminal activity despite their current circumstances.
TRUST ME you got it all wrong
The singer is asserting that any preconceived notions or judgments made about them are inaccurate.
TRUST ME nothing to hide
The singer is conveying that they have nothing to hide and are vulnerable, speaking from the heart.
TRUST ME all i've got is my pride
The artist is communicating that they only have their pride left, as they've been stripped of everything else.
[x2]
This line has no inherent meaning, but it may indicate the repetition of the previous four lines, possibly emphasizing the point they're trying to make once more.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind