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My Eyes
The Lumineers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, the devil's inside
You opened the door
You gave him a ride
Too young to know, too old to admit
That you couldn't see how it ends

What did you do to my eyes
What did you sing to that lonely child
Promised it all but you lied
You better slow down baby soon
It's all or nothing to you

The glow of Hollywood signs
They sold you a bridge
They fed you the lines
You always confused your servants for friends
But you couldn't see how it ends
It's all or nothing to you

What did you do to my eyes
What did you say to my only child
Promised your love but you lied
You better slow down baby soon
It's all or nothing to you

What did you do to my eyes
What did you sing to that lonely child
Promised it all but you lied
You better slow down baby soon

Overall Meaning

The Lumineers’ song “My Eyes” is about the deception and illusion of the Hollywood lifestyle. The beginning of the song talks about how the devil is inside of someone and they let him in, but they couldn’t see how it ends. This represents how easy it is to get caught up in the superficial and fake lifestyle of Hollywood. The song continues to talk about promises made that weren’t kept and lies that were told. The lyrics “you always confused your servants for friends” means that those surrounding you might not truly care about you, they might just be using you for personal gain. The chorus repeats the question “what did you do to my eyes” which can be taken literally as the Hollywood lifestyle can be blinding with bright lights and glamour, but also metaphorically as it questions how easily one can be deceived by the fake promises of fame and fortune. The song ends with the warning to “slow down baby soon” and how it’s all or nothing to you, meaning you have a choice to either see past the facade or become consumed by it.


Overall, “My Eyes” warns against the pitfalls of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and the emptiness of shallow promises. The song has a melancholic and haunting melody that reinforces its poignant message.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, the devil's inside
You have evil intentions


You opened the door
You allowed those evil intentions to manifest


You gave him a ride
You furthered and supported those evil intentions


Too young to know, too old to admit
You were ignorant and in denial of the consequences of your actions


That you couldn't see how it ends
You were oblivious to the eventual outcome of your choices


What did you do to my eyes
What kind of influence did you have on me?


What did you sing to that lonely child
What kind of false promises did you make to me when I was vulnerable?


Promised it all but you lied
You made promises you had no intention of keeping


You better slow down baby soon
You should reconsider your actions and choices before it's too late


It's all or nothing to you
You have an extreme and risky attitude towards life


The glow of Hollywood signs
The superficial and alluring nature of the entertainment industry


They sold you a bridge
You fell for a scam


They fed you the lines
You were easily influenced by false promises and flattery


You always confused your servants for friends
You have a warped understanding of loyalty and relationships


What did you say to my only child
What kind of false promises did you make to someone I care deeply about?


Promised your love but you lied
You made false promises of love and affection




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jeremy Fraites, Wesley Schultz, Neyla Pekarek

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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