The Rattles performed in Hamburg, and played at the same venues as The Beatles on several occasions in 1962.[1] In 1964, the group recorded "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah", which charted in the UK. In 1968, they recorded their first version of "The Witch", with vocals by Henner Hoier.[1] The band's records sold well in Germany throughout the 1960s.
Their second version of "The Witch" in 1970, this time with vocals by Edna Bejarano, was their only international hit.[1] It reached the Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, the top 20 in Austria, and the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. It eventually sold over one million copies.[1]
Rosetta Stone released a gothic rock cover of "The Witch" in the 1990s. The Norwegian psychedelic hard rock band, Motorpsycho, covered the song during 1999 and 2000.[2] A recording of this song can be found on their bootleg Live Union Scene from 14 April 1999.[3]
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
The Rattles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They asked me how I knew
My true love was true
I of course replied
"Something here inside
Cannot be denied"
They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
You must realise
Smoke gets in your eyes
So I chaffed and I gaily laughed
To think they would doubt my love
Yet today, my love has flown away
I am without my love
Now laughing friends deride
Tears I cannot hide
So I smile and say
"When a lovely flame dies,
Smoke gets in your eyes."
The Rattles's song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is a poignant ballad about lost love and the painful memories that linger on. The lyrics depict a conversation in which the singer is asked how he knew his true love was real. He responds that he cannot deny a feeling inside him that tells him it is true. Others warn him that love can blind him, but he ignores their warning. However, when his love leaves, he is left with nothing but tears and regrets.
The lyrics speak to the idea that love is often irrational and inexplicable, yet so powerful that it cannot be ignored. The imagery of smoke getting in your eyes symbolizes how easily love can cloud your judgment and blind you to the truth. The final verse paints a picture of the singer alone, looking back on the past with a sad smile, acknowledging that even though his love has died out, the smoke of memories will always remain.
Overall, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is a haunting and evocative song that captures the bittersweet nature of lost love. The lyrics are full of emotion and speak to anyone who has ever loved and lost.
Line by Line Meaning
They asked me how I knew
Someone asked me how I was so sure
My true love was true
That my feelings for my significant other were genuine
I of course replied
Naturally, I answered with certainty
"Something here inside
I have an intuition or internal knowledge that"
Cannot be denied"
I can't be convinced otherwise
They said someday you'll find
Others told me that eventually I'd learn
All who love are blind
Those who love can't see the truth
When your heart's on fire
When you're in love
You must realise
It's important to understand
Smoke gets in your eyes
That love can be blinding and cause illusions
So I chaffed and I gaily laughed
I joked and laughed it off
To think they would doubt my love
Because I couldn't believe anyone would question my feelings
Yet today, my love has flown away
But now my love is gone
I am without my love
And I am alone
Now laughing friends deride
Now those same friends mock me
Tears I cannot hide
And I can't stop myself from crying
So I smile and say
So I put on a brave face and say
"When a lovely flame dies,
"When a beautiful love ends,
Smoke gets in your eyes."
It can be hard to see clearly through the pain and sorrow.
Contributed by Mateo D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.