Outside Influences - Rational Youth - In Your Eyes 08/15/2019 04:10 a.m.
In Your Eyes
Saw a million years into the past and to the future
The beginning and the middle and the end
Saw the rise and fall of every fool who came before me
Saw them lying on the ground around your feet
Got an instinct that tells me when I’m warm
Like a weather vane before a coming storm
But when you looked at me I suddenly realized
I felt the fire and I saw a universe in your eyes
I saw a universe in your eyes
Looked into the ocean looked into the sky
Saw your face in every wave and every cloud
Saw the desert dunes burning red on the horizon
I could see you there in every grain of sand
Got a weakness for things that I don’t need
And the danger signs I don’t pay any heed
But when you looked at me I suddenly realized
I felt the power and I saw a universe in your eyes
I saw a universe in your eyes
You may come have from Heaven
You might have come from Hell
But somewhere in-between
You must have learned your lessons well
Cause no matter how I try
I can’t stop thinking about you
Got an instinct that tells me when I’m warm
Like a weather vane before a coming storm
But when you looked at me I suddenly realized
I felt the fire and I saw a universe in your eyes
I saw a universe in your eyes
I saw a universe in your eyes…
One of my many favorite songs from the early to mid 1980s, by Rational Youth, a Canadian New wave Synth-pop band, out of Montreal. What I like about this particular song’s lyrics is that it is essentially a love/dedication poem, without being syrupy, full of confidence and a sense of destiny, that I’m sure every man and woman can relate to in their own way.
While researching the song, I was unable to find the lyrics anywhere on the Net, and so had to type them out while listening to three different versions on Youtube. In Your Eyes first appears on the album, Rational Youth (1983), followed by a 12” extended version. The third version (video below) appears on the 1985 album, Heredity. Another thing I like about the song is that in listening to the various versions, discovered that there have been subtle changes of verses between the 1983 and 1985 versions. The last main verse beginning with: You may have come from Heaven, appears and has replaced the verse starting with: Looked into the ocean looked into the sky. What I’ve done here is taken a little artistic licence, and merged the two main versions to display the full beauty of the lyrics.
In Your Eyes was written by Tracy Howe, with assistance from then band members, Bill Vorn and Kevin Komoda. Rational Youth will soon (August 30, 2019) be releasing an updated version of their first album, Cold War Night Life.
