Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Red Eyes And Tears Lyrics
The Band Behind the Song
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1998. The band consists of Peter Hayes (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Robert Levon Been (vocals, bass, guitar), and Leah Shapiro (drums). BRMC is known for their loud, distorted guitar sound, dark lyrics, and gritty, bluesy style that draws from punk, garage rock, and shoegaze influences.
The Song: Red Eyes And Tears
"Red Eyes And Tears" is the opening track and lead single from BRMC's debut album, "B.R.M.C.", released in 2001. The song has become one of the band's most popular and enduring tracks, known for its haunting melody, hypnotic rhythm, and poetic lyrics.
The song opens with a slow, bluesy guitar riff that sets the brooding, melancholic tone of the track. Hayes' vocals enter with the first verse, singing in a low, mournful tone:
"As the storm clouds gather across this dim lit room
Strange vibrations echo to a distant moon
And all around the air reeks of loss and fidelity
As the perfumed angels left you with nothing
But red eyes and tears"
The opening verse sets the stage for the rest of the song, introducing themes of loss, regret, and despair. The "storm clouds" and "strange vibrations" create a sense of foreboding and unease, while the "perfumed angels" suggest a sense of betrayal or abandonment.
The chorus of the song is simple but effective, repeating the phrase "Red eyes and tears" over and over again. This repetition adds to the hypnotic, trance-like quality of the track, drawing the listener deeper into its emotional landscape.
Themes and Imagery
"Red Eyes And Tears" is a song that is steeped in symbolism and imagery, evoking a dark, dreamlike world that is both beautiful and haunting. The song touches on themes of love, loss, and the fragility of human existence, using vivid, surreal images to convey its message.
One of the central images in the song is that of the "perfumed angels", a phrase that appears several times throughout the track. The angels are described as having "left you with nothing but red eyes and tears", suggesting that they have somehow betrayed or abandoned the narrator.
The image of the angels is an interesting one, as it can be interpreted in a number of different ways. On one hand, the angels could represent a romantic partner who has left the narrator heartbroken and alone. On the other hand, the angels could be seen as a metaphor for something more abstract, such as hope, faith, or even life itself.
Another powerful image in the song is that of the "distant moon", which is mentioned in the opening verse. The moon is a symbol of mystery, beauty, and the unknown, suggesting that the narrator is lost in a world that is beyond his or her understanding. The moon also has a romantic connotation, suggesting that the narrator is pining for a lost love.
The song is full of other striking images, such as "storm clouds", "dim lit rooms", and "perfumed air". These images create a vivid, evocative world that is both surreal and deeply emotional.
Emotions and Message
"Red Eyes And Tears" is a song that is filled with raw, intense emotions. The track conveys a sense of sadness, regret, and longing that is palpable from the first note. The lyrics are filled with powerful, evocative language that captures the pain and despair of the narrator.
The repetition of the phrase "Red eyes and tears" in the chorus adds to the emotional impact of the song, emphasizing the sense of loss and heartbreak that the narrator is feeling. The hypnotic, trance-like quality of the track also adds to its emotional power, drawing the listener deeper into the narrator's world.
At its core, "Red Eyes And Tears" is a song about the fragility of human existence and the pain of loss. The imagery and emotions conveyed in the track suggest that life is fleeting and uncertain, and that the only constant is the inevitability of change and loss.
Conclusion
"Red Eyes And Tears" is a powerful, haunting track that showcases BRMC's unique sound and style. The song is filled with vivid, evocative imagery and raw, intense emotions that capture the pain and despair of the narrator. Through its powerful lyrics and hypnotic melody, the track conveys a message about the fragility of human existence and the pain of loss that is both universal and deeply personal.