For the singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalists, the Watkins Family Hour has long been an oasis from the rigors of the road, a laboratory where they can try out new material or master beloved cover songs. Their monthly show at L.A.’s famed venue Largo has been hailed as a convivial, communal event where they welcome an impressive array of musician friends old and new. The Watkins Family Hour is always full of surprises, unexpected guests, one-of-a-kind match-ups; serendipity plays as much of a role as virtuosity. Fiona Apple often joins them, and recent guests have included Dawes, Jackson Browne, Nikka Costa, Booker T. and actor-singer John C. Reilly, as well as comedians Paul F. Tompkins, Nick Kroll and Pete Holmes.
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Hypnotized
Watkins Family Hour Lyrics
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The cows are in the trees
The people aren't anywhere to be found
Better take one of these
The trees are in the meadow
The cows are in the pigs
The people aren't anywhere to be found
Look into my eyes
I love you, honey
Look into my eyes
I see you, honey
Look into my eyes
I know it, honey
Look into my eyes
Quiet, quiet
Look into my eyes
Oh, I love you honey
Look into my eyes
Oh, I feel it, honey
Look into my eyes
Oh, you're hypnotized, hypnotized
Silent as a citizen
City streets with ghosts and pasts
They used to laugh and dance here
Until the spell was cast
Oh, look into my eyes
I know you, honey
Look into my eyes
I see you, honey
Look into my eyes
I know it, honey
Look into my eyes
Quiet, quiet
Look into my eyes
Oh, I love you honey
Look into my eyes
Oh, I feel it, honey
Look into my eyes
Oh, you're hypnotized, hypnotized, hypnotized
The mirror draws down your head
You think the image is real
Your tears are melting your face
But you forgot how to feel
Remember your lungs
Remember your lungs
Remember your lungs
Remember your lungs
The weight of your bones
Remember your lungs
Wake up and look into my eyes
Look into my eyes
I love you, honey
Look into my eyes
I see you, honey
Look into my eyes
I know it, honey
Look into my eyes
Quiet, quiet
Look into my eyes
Oh, I love you honey
Look into my eyes
Oh, I feel it, honey
Look into my eyes
I love you, honey
Look into my eyes
Quiet, quiet
Look into my eyes
I know you, honey
Look into my eyes
I feel you, honey
Look into my eyes
Oh, you're hypnotized, hypnotized
The lyrics to Watkins Family Hour's song "Hypnotized" seem to touch on themes of dislocation, loss, and emotional captivity. The first verse paints a scene where nature and ordinary life are intertwined in bizarre ways. It suggests a sense of confusion and disruption, with trees in unusual places and cows behaving like pigs. The absence of people adds to the disorienting atmosphere, and the suggestion to "take one of these" implies a need to escape or find some kind of relief.
The chorus, with its repetition of "Look into my eyes," creates a sense of intimacy and connection. It suggests a desire to be seen and understood by someone else, to be recognized on a deeper level. The phrase "I love you, honey" further reinforces this longing for emotional connection. The repetition of "quiet" could be interpreted as a plea to silence the noise of the outside world and focus solely on the connection between two individuals, perhaps in an attempt to break free from the chaos and confusion of the previous verse.
The second verse introduces the image of a city haunted by past memories, where laughter and dancing have been replaced by something more sinister. The singer asks the listener to look into their eyes again, claiming to know and see them, emphasizing the desire for a mutual understanding and recognition of each other's true selves. The repetition of "I love you, honey" and "I feel it, honey" suggests a deep emotional attachment and a longing to be loved in return.
The bridge presents a metaphorical reflection in a mirror, where the listener's tears are melting their face, symbolizing the erosion of their emotions and their struggle to feel. The mentioning of "remember your lungs" could be an encouragement to take a deep breath and awaken their senses again. It could also hint at the importance of remembering one's capacity to feel and experience life fully. The repeated phrase "Remember your lungs" further emphasizes this idea.
The final chorus repeats the previous sections, with an added emphasis on love and the feeling of being hypnotized. The repeating refrain suggests a cycle of emotional captivity, with the listener being trapped in a state of hypnosis. The song concludes with another plea to look into the singer's eyes, further highlighting the need for connection, recognition, and perhaps even a way to break free from the hypnotic spell they find themselves in.
Overall, "Hypnotized" delves into themes of disconnection, longing for emotional connection, and the search for authenticity and self-awareness in a disorienting and confusing world. The lyrics offer a mix of surreal imagery and emotional pleas, creating a vivid and introspective narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
The trees are in the meadow
Nature is in harmony and at peace
The cows are in the trees
Unusual and unexpected things are happening
The people aren't anywhere to be found
The human presence is missing or lost
Better take one of these
Find something to hold on to for guidance or stability
Look into my eyes
Become fully attentive and focused
I love you, honey
A heartfelt expression of affection
I see you, honey
Deep understanding and connection
I know it, honey
Certain of the truth or outcome
Quiet, quiet
Calmness and serenity
Oh, I love you honey
Emotional attachment and care
Oh, I feel it, honey
Intense sensation or experience
Oh, you're hypnotized, hypnotized
Under a spell or influence, captivated
Silent as a citizen
As quiet as an ordinary person
City streets with ghosts and pasts
Urban environments with lingering memories and history
They used to laugh and dance here
Past joy and celebration in this place
Until the spell was cast
A transformative enchantment or influence occurred
The mirror draws down your head
A reflective surface lowers your gaze, influencing your perception
You think the image is real
Believing in an illusion or distorted reality
Your tears are melting your face
Emotional distress causing physical manifestation
But you forgot how to feel
Disconnected from emotions and sensations
Remember your lungs
Reconnect with the breath and life force within you
The weight of your bones
The heaviness and burden of existence
Wake up and look into my eyes
Rediscover consciousness and awareness by focusing on the present
I know you, honey
Deep familiarity and understanding
I feel you, honey
Sensing and empathizing with your emotions
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Merrill Garbus, Nathaniel Brenner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind