"Behind Blue Eyes" is a song by English rock band

the Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

. It is the second single from the band's fifth album, ''

Who's Next ''Who's Next'' is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted '' Lifehouse'' project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album '' ...

'' (1971), and was originally written by

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Towns ...

for his '' Lifehouse'' project. The song is one of the Who's best-known recordings and has been covered by many artists, including

Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American rap rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers. The band's music is marked by D ...

Background

"Behind Blue Eyes" originated after a Who concert in

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

on 9 June 1970. Following the performance, Townshend became tempted by a female

groupie The term groupie is a slang word that refers to a fan of a particular musical group who follows the band around while they are on tour or who attends as many of their public appearances as possible, with the hope of meeting them. The term is us ...

, but he instead went back to his room alone, possibly as a result of the teachings of his spiritual leader,

Meher Baba Meher Baba (born Merwan Sheriar Irani; 25 February 1894 – 31 January 1969) was an Indian spiritual master who said he was the Avatar, or God in human form, of the age. A major spiritual figure of the 20th century, he had a following of ...

. Upon reaching his room, he began writing a prayer, the first words being "When my fist clenches, crack it open..." These words later appeared as lyrics in the "climactic rocking section" of "Behind Blue Eyes." When "Behind Blue Eyes" was to be released as part of the aborted ''Lifehouse'' project, the song was sung from the point of view of the main villain, Jumbo. The lyrics are a first-person lament from Jumbo, who is always angry and full of angst because of all the pressure and temptation that surrounds him, and the song was intended to be his "theme song" had the project been successful. Pete Townshend said of the song's lyrics: The version of "Behind Blue Eyes" released on ''Who's Next'' in 1971 was the second version the band recorded; the first was recorded at the Record Plant in New York on 18 March 1971 and features

Al Kooper Al Kooper (born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt; February 5, 1944) is a retired American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears, although he did not stay with the group long enough to share its popularity. ...

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated ...

. The original version was released as a bonus track on the 1995 CD reissue of ''

''. "Behind Blue Eyes" was initially considered for a UK single release, but Townshend claimed that the song was "too much out of character" for the British singles market. However, the song did eventually see a single release in France, Belgium, the United States and the Netherlands. Backed with "

My Wife "My Wife" is a song by the British rock band the Who, written by bass guitarist John Entwistle. It was originally released in 1971 on ''Who's Next'' and later as the B-side of the single "Baba O'Riley" on 6 November 1971 in Europe by Polydor Re ...

" in the US and " Going Mobile" in Europe, the song reached #34 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #24 on '' Cashbox''. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an onli ...

'' called it "another Townshend masterpiece in traditional Who fashion." Pete Townshend has also recorded two solo versions of the song. The original

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

of the song was featured on the ''

Scoop Scoop, Scoops or The scoop may refer to: Objects * Scoop (tool), a shovel-like tool, particularly one deep and curved, used in digging * Scoop (machine part), a component of machinery to carry things * Scoop stretcher, a device used for casualt ...

'' album. The demo along with a newer recording of the song featuring an orchestral backing was featured in ''

The Lifehouse Chronicles ''Lifehouse Chronicles'' is a box set released in 2000 by Pete Townshend with the focus of the box being the formerly "abandoned" '' Lifehouse'' rock opera. The set contains song demos by Pete Townshend; including solo versions of "Baba O'Riley ...

''.

Composition

The song starts with a solo voice singing over an

arpeggiated A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves. An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...

acoustic guitar in the key of

E minor E minor is a minor scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative major is G major and its parallel major is E major. The E natural minor scale is: : Changes needed ...

, and a bass guitar and ethereal harmonies are added. Eventually, the song breaks out into a full-scale

rock anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short s ...

, with a second theme being introduced near the end, before a brief reprise of the quieter first theme. Songs written in alternating sections were a feature of Townshend's writing of the period, going back at least to ''

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

'', where the technique was used in "

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

" and "

Go to the Mirror! "Go to the Mirror!" is a song written by Pete Townshend of the Who. It appears as the fifteenth track on the group's first rock opera, '' Tommy'' (1969). "Go to the Mirror!" is included on the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs th ...

" The guitar riff at the end of the rock anthem section is also used after the

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually someth ...

during the song "

Won't Get Fooled Again "Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the English rock band the Who, written by Pete Townshend. It was released as a single in June 1971, reaching the top 10 in the UK, while the full eight-and-a-half-minute version appears as the final track ...

", perhaps serving as a link between the two songs when both were intended to be parts of a single rock opera.

Charts

Certifications

Personnel

Roger Daltrey Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the rock band The Who. Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include " My Generation", " Pinball Wizard", " Won't Get Fooled ...

– lead vocals *

– acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals *

John Entwistle John Alec Entwistle (9 October 194427 June 2002) was an English musician who was the bassist for the rock band The Who. Entwistle's music career spanned over four decades. Nicknamed "The Ox" and "Thunderfingers", he was the band's only member ...

– bass, backing vocals *

Keith Moon Keith John Moon (23 August 19467 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour and addiction to drugs and alcohol. Moon grew ...

– drums

In other media

In the WB television series ''

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the 1992 film of the same name, also written by Whedon, although the events of the film are not consid ...

'', the episode " Where the Wild Things Are" (2000) features the character Rupert Giles (

Anthony Stewart Head Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February 1954) is an English actor and singer. Primarily a performer in musical theatre, he rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s following his role in the Gold Blend couple television advertisements for Nescafé, w ...

) singing a cover of the song. A cover was used in the FX television series, ''

Legion Legion may refer to: Military * Roman legion, the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army * Spanish Legion, an elite military unit within the Spanish Army * Legion of the United States, a reorganization of the United States Army from 179 ...

'', in season 2, episode 11. The show's creator, Noah Hawley, sings the track with

Jeff Russo Jeff Russo (born August 31) is an American composer, songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and music producer, and one of the two founding members of American rock band Tonic. He is also a founding member of acoustic rock band Low Stars. Russo is als ...

on backing vocals as well as any instruments used in the song. However, in the context of the show,

Dan Stevens Daniel Jonathan Stevens (born 10 October 1982) is a British actor and writer. He first drew international attention for his role as Matthew Crawley in the ITV acclaimed period drama series '' Downton Abbey'' (2010–2012). He also starred as ...

and

Navid Negahban Navid Negahban ( fa, نوید نگهبان; born June 2, 1968) is an Iranian-American actor. He has appeared on '' 24'', ''Homeland'', '' Mistresses'' and as Amahl Farouk / Shadow King in the second and third seasons of FX's ''Legion''. He has al ...

sing the song in English and Persian.

Limp Bizkit version

"Behind Blue Eyes" was covered by American

rap rock Rap rock is a fusion genre that fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock's most popular subgenres include rap metal and rapcore, which include heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented influences, res ...

group

. It was released in 2003 as a single from their album ''

Results May Vary ''Results May Vary'' is the fourth studio album by American rap rock band Limp Bizkit, released on September 23, 2003, through Flip and Interscope Records. It is the band's only release under the sole-leadership of vocalist Fred Durst after the t ...

''. Limp Bizkit's arrangement is notable for featuring a Speak & Spell during the

. This, together with a new verse and an extra chorus, replaces the rock theme of the Who's version. The song is followed by a hidden track titled "All That Easy", after a few seconds of silence, making the total length 5:58. However, the hidden track is not featured in the single release. Although the cover received mainly negative reviews and reached only number 71 on the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

, it was more successful worldwide. It reached number one in the Czech Republic and Sweden and charted within the top three in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Norway. Elsewhere in Europe, it became a top-twenty hit in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland while peaking at number 18 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

. In

Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologic ...

, it reached number four in Australia and number five in New Zealand.

Critical reception

The cover was panned by ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' magazine readers, who named it the second-worst cover song of all time. Conversely, ''

Sun-Sentinel The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as surrounding B ...

'' praised the cover (and "Build a Bridge"), saying that "Durst can do more than just rap."

Music video

The music video features

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning actress

Halle Berry Halle Maria Berry (; born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and coming in sixth in the Mi ...

. It contains scenes from the motion picture ''

Gothika ''Gothika'' is a 2003 American supernatural psychological thriller film directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, written by Sebastian Gutierrez, and starring Halle Berry in the title role, Robert Downey Jr., Penélope Cruz, Charles S. Dutton, John Carroll ...

'', in which Berry stars. It depicts Berry and Limp Bizkit's vocalist

Fred Durst William Frederick Durst (born August 20, 1970) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and director. He is the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit, formed in 1994, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He ap ...

in a relationship similar to the storyline of the film. The song also appeared during the credits of the film itself and its music video was also featured as a bonus feature on the DVD release of the film.

Track listings

UK CD single # "Behind Blue Eyes" (album version) # "Just Drop Dead" # " Rollin'" (DJ Monk vs. the Track Mack remix) # "Behind Blue Eyes" (video) European 7-inch single and German mini-CD single # "Behind Blue Eyes" (album version) – 4:30 # "Just Drop Dead" – 4:02 Australasian CD single # "Behind Blue Eyes" (album version) # "Just Drop Dead" # "

My Way "My Way" is a song popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra set to the music of the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed by Jacques Revaux with lyrics by Gilles Thibaut and Claude François and first performed in 1967 by Claude François. Its E ...

" (remixed by

DJ Lethal Leor Dimant ( lv, Leors Dimants, russian: Леор Григорьевич Димант, ; born December 18, 1972), better known as DJ Lethal, is a Latvian-American turntablist and producer and is best known as a member of the groups House of Pa ...

) # "Behind Blue Eyes" (video)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Behind Blue Eyes 1970s ballads 1971 singles 1971 songs 2003 singles Decca Records singles Flip Records (1994) singles Jon English songs Interscope Records singles Limp Bizkit songs MCA Records singles Music videos directed by Fred Durst Number-one singles in the Czech Republic Number-one singles in Sweden Polydor Records singles Rock ballads Song recordings produced by Glyn Johns Song recordings produced by Pete Townshend Song recordings produced by Rick Rubin Songs about loneliness Songs written by Pete Townshend Track Records singles The Who songs Tokio Hotel songs 2021 singles