Re: Naked Eye

    =20
     My favorite Who song is Naked Eye.  I've really enjoyed the thread=20
     about each members meaning of the song.  Like any good song, the=20
     lyrics to Naked Eye are totally up to the interpretation of the=20
     listener.  Naked Eyes' ability to fit into each individual persons=20
     life and be meaningful to such a large group of diverse individuals
     shows the genius of Townshends song writing.
    =20
     Here's my $.02 on the meaning of naked eye:
    =20
     The underlying meaning that the song is trying to convey is the fact=20
     that the big picture or the bigger reality of life is sometimes quite=20
     different from the outward appearances and perceptions as we travel=20
     through it on an individual basis. =20
    =20
     "Take a little dope and walk out in the air the stars are all=20
     connected to the brain..."
    =20
     This conjures up a vivid image of the biggest of all realities, that=20
     of the universe as a whole.  Who hasn't gazed at the stars and=20
     wondered which stars might have other life forms circling on other=20
     planets.  Gazing at stars always puts things in better perspective for=
=20
     me because it really brings home what a tiny reality or existence we=20
     all have as individuals.  The universe is far bigger than our local=20
     perceptions.
    =20
     "Find me a woman and lay down on the ground her pleasure comes falling=
=20
     down like rain..."
    =20
     I agree with Mark Leaman that this is obviously a reference to sex.  I=
=20
     think what's trying to be expressed is that sex is great at the time=20
     but the bigger picture of relationships and dating in short the bigger=
=20
     dynamics is far more complicated. =20
    =20
     "Get myself a car feel power as I fly oh now I'm really in control..."
    =20
     Oh Yeah, who hasn't felt this at one time or another especially when=20
     they first learn to drive.  'Course the reality is that cars are=20
     inherently dangerous and even if we feel we are "really in control"=20
     the reality is that a blown tire or major malfunction could occur at=20
     any time.  When I hear this, I always think of a friend of mine who=20
     rolled his new vet the first day he bought it.  I'm sure he thought to=
=20
     himself "Oh now I'm really in control"... I'm sure he felt that way up=
=20
     until he got a little too sideways.... In short, "It don't happen that=
=20
     way at all".
    =20
     "It all looks fine to the naked eye but it don't really happen that=20
     way at all..."
    =20
     This is the "but" or counterpoint to the first three lines.  The=20
     first three lines depict pleasurable carefree behavior.  The counter-=20
     point is that it may seem fine to the naked eye, but the reality is=20
     that things are often way more complicated than they seem. =20
    =20
     "You sign your own name and I sign mine they're both the same, but we=20
     still get separate rooms..."=20
    =20
     I've always seen this as a reference to a troubled marriage (Pete's?).=
=20
     They both have the same last names, but they end up checking into a=20
     hotel and get separate rooms.  In other words, to outward appearances=20
     they might appear as a happy couple, but the reality is they don't=20
     sleep together anymore.  I've known many couples that seemed outwardly=
    =20
     happy and compatible and then found out they divorced shortly=20
     thereafter.
    =20
     "You can cover up your guts but if you cover up your nuts you're=20
     admitting that there must be something wrong..."=20
    =20
     This is a divergence of the main theme of the song.  I think what's=20
     being said here is that you might be able hide your vulnerabilities by=
=20
     withdrawing and acting defensively towards people but if you take it=20
     far enough to where you don't have a life (i.e. active sex life) that=20
     it's time to admit that there's something wrong and that its time for
     a change..
    =20
     "Press any button and milk and honey flows"

     Another reference to a pleasurable carefree existence.  We live in a
     world dominated by modern conveniences.... 'Course the other side to
     this story is the stress and environmental problems that a technology
     has brought to society.

     "The world begins behind your neighbor's wall..."=20

     Another depiction of the bigger reality.  In other words the bigger
     reality is not just your own perceptions, but your neighbors and your
     neighbors neighbor and......ad infinitum.

     "You hold the gun and I hold the wound and we stand looking in each=20
     other's eyes"

     This line is my personal favorite.  It blows me away (no pun intended)
     the kind of visuals one sentence like this can create.  This depicts
     an incredible act of aggression.  We don't know the events leading=20
     up to it, but we can only conclude that both parties must have been=20
     totally caught up in their own perceptions and individual realities fo=
r   =20
     something like this to have occurred.  Immediately after the act thoug=
h,  =20
     they stand and look into each others eyes and finally begin to
     comprehend the big picture (i.e.. the ramifications of what's just=20
     happened).

     "Both think we know what's right, both know we know what's wrong, we t=
ell=20
     ourselves so many lies..."=20

     Another example of how wrong our own individual realities might be
     and how easy it is to delude ourselves into believing a falsehood.

     "We aren't pawns in any game, not tools of bigger men, there's only on=
e=20
     who can really move us all..."=20

     Here's where Pete begins to preach to us.  Obviously he's saying that
     we should take responsibility for our own lives while at the same time
     realizing the frailties and limitations of our existence.  He then goe=
s
     on to say that God (in whatever form) is the only person who is=20
     capable of clueing us into the big picture.