Billy Idol’s “Eyes Without a Face” Lyrics Meaning
The title of this song was derived from a 1960 French film named “Les Yeux sans Visage”. Listeners may notice that this is the same phrase repeated in the chorus. It translate into English as “eyes without a face”.
It has been postulated that this song is directly based on that film. Even if such is not the case, “Les Yeux sans Visage” has influenced this track beyond just its title.
All things considered, the central character is the singer. The beginning of the song depicts him as behind depressed, not too far from disaster. However, the main issue on his mind is someone who is apparently his lover. This is a person who for the most part he perceives as being untruthful. And ultimately, he concludes that she has “no human grace” and is “eyes without a face”. This seems to be his way of saying that, in his opinion, she treats him inhumanly and by extension is herself lesser of a human being.
However, he has decided to play her game in the name of perpetuating the romance. But now it seems he has come to regret that decision since it is contributing to his overall negative disposition. So the singer finally decides that it would be in his best interest to forsake the relationship and throw a few jabs at home girl on the way out.
Facts about “Eyes Without a Face”
- “Eyes Without a Face” was the first time Billy Idol cracked the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, where the song peaked at number four.
- This song also charted in a number of other countries, including reaching number 18 in the United Kingdom.
- “Eyes Without a Face” came out on 10 November 1983 as part of Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell album. Later it would serve as the second single released from that album.
- The official music video to this song received two nominations, including Best Cinematography in a Video at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards.
- Billy Idol actually suffered from an eye injury as a result of neglecting his contact lenses during the three-day shooting of the music video.
- The woman who provides the French vocals for “Eyes Without a Face” was Billy Idol’s girlfriend, a professional dancer by the name of Perri Lister, whom he dated throughout the ‘80s.
- The duo of Steve Stevens and Billy Idol both wrote and produced this track.
- Its publisher is Chrysalis Records.
Love it
Me too
I have liked this song for years, but never really knew the lyrics (until Youtube) nor their meaning. Until this. Speaks directly to my failed marriage. Hurt, sadness, anger, resignation, ambivalence – did it all.
The key is not to be a human without grace. Forgive her to be set free
No one cares, keep a diary and get over yourself.
Seems like you’re the one with a large ego, telling somebody that they can’t say why they like a song.
For me, this song represents the lie my wife lived while married to me. In the end she dropped me after 24 years of marriage, due to a neurological disease I had developed…….
this song and lyrics is truely a time related song..will never die
This was one of my best friend’s favorite songs growing up. He died way too young, RIP Anthony.
I am sorry for your lost
i lost about 80% of my friends , to drunk & car accidents , Alcohol , drugs , etc
the Good ones , the best ones were the first to leave , about this music
will be always actual , will always make sense no mater what year , decade or century
I will feel this way until I’ve felt this way, and never want to feel this way ever again. (if that makes any sense)
Parri Lister aged very well.
it’s a catchy title, but eyes without a face just means she’s just a pair of eyes to him. I really don’t get that analogy. A face with no eyes would be better as that would mean she was too blind to see him and whatever else she could be blind to
I agree
I’ve seen the movie, although I don’t know what the song has to do with it. Except for only the title.
I have the original film lobby poster – viciously perfect
Hello,
To me this song is about any time you have a relationship with someone, or some company (you may be a long-time customer) or something that has been intimate with you, and you discover that person or that company has done very bad things and has hurt many people, and you discover that person oror company cannot care for anyone else but themselves or itself. A person may turn out to be a sociopath, a company may turn out to be run by sociopaths. This song is about what happens, and how you feel, when you in fact discover this. A very good song for empaths like me