Behind Blue Eyes

"Behind Blue Eyes"
Belgian sleeve single
Single by the Who
from the album Who's Next
B-side
ReleasedOctober 1971
RecordedMay–June 1971
StudioOlympic, London
Genre
Length
  • 3:41 (album version)
  • 3:28 (original version)
LabelPolydor (Europe)
Decca (US)
SongwriterPete Townshend
Producers
The Who singles chronology
"Baba O'Riley"
(1971)		 "Behind Blue Eyes"
(1971)		 "Join Together"
(1972)

"Behind Blue Eyes" is a song by the English rock band the Who. It was released as the second single from the band's fifth studio album, Who's Next (1971), and was originally written by Pete Townshend for his Lifehouse project. The single entered the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on 6 November 1971, reaching number 34. The song is one of the Who's best-known recordings and has been covered by many artists, including Limp Bizkit.

Background

"Behind Blue Eyes" originated after a Tommy Tour concert in Denver, on 9 June 1970. Following the performance, Townshend became tempted by a female groupie, but he instead went back to his room alone, possibly as a result of the teachings of his spiritual leader, Meher Baba. 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:

"Behind Blue Eyes" really is off the wall because that was a song sung by the villain of the piece [Jumbo], the fact that he felt in the original story that he was forced into a position of being a villain whereas he felt he was a good guy.

Composition

"Behind Blue Eyes" is an art rock and folk rock ballad, with a moderate tempo of 116 beats per minute. It starts with a solo voice singing over an arpeggiated acoustic guitar in the key of E minor. Then, a bass guitar and ethereal harmonies are added before the song breaks out into a full-scale rock anthem. A second theme is introduced near the end, followed by 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, where the technique was used in "Christmas" and "Go to the Mirror!" The guitar riff at the end of the anthemic rock section is also used after the bridge during the song "Won't Get Fooled Again", perhaps serving as a link between the two songs when both were intended to be parts of a single rock opera.

Release

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

"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" in the US and "Going Mobile" in Europe, the song reached number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 24 on Cashbox, with the latter calling it "another Townshend masterpiece in traditional Who fashion."

Critical reception

Record World said that the band "slows the pace considerably until its break. Then the guys get down to some smashing, crashing British rock & roll."

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1971–1972) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 23
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)34
US Billboard Hot 10034
US Cash Box 24
Chart (2012) Peak
position
France (SNEP)147

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

In other media

Camila Cabello covered "Behind Blue Eyes" for Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred's live action trailer

Limp Bizkit version

"Behind Blue Eyes"
Single by Limp Bizkit
from the album Results May Vary
B-side"Just Drop Dead"
Released23 September 2003 (2003-09-23)
GenreAlternative rock
Length
  • 4:28 (without hidden track)
  • 5:58 (album version with hidden track)
Label
SongwriterPete Townshend
ProducerFred Durst
Limp Bizkit singles chronology
"Eat You Alive"
(2003)		 "Behind Blue Eyes"
(2003)		 "Home Sweet Home/Bittersweet Symphony"
(2005)
Music video
"Behind Blue Eyes" (Gothika version) on YouTube

"Behind Blue Eyes" was covered by American nu metal band Limp Bizkit. It was released in 2003 as a single from their album Results May Vary. Limp Bizkit's arrangement is notable for featuring a Speak & Spell during the bridge. 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, it reached number 71 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was 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 20 hit in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, while peaking at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. In Australasia, it reached number four in Australia and number five in New Zealand.

Critical reception

"Behind Blue Eyes" was panned by Rolling Stone magazine readers, who named it the second-worst cover song of all time. Conversely, Sun-Sentinel praised the cover, stating that it proves "Durst can do more than just rap." Eberhard Dobler of Laut.de similarly noted that Durst's singing had come a long way from in their George Michael cover, "Faith", while the song itself continues the band's shift to melodic alternative rock, started in the previous single, "Eat You Alive".

Music videos

Two music videos were released for Limp Bizkit's version of "Behind Blue Eyes". The first (available on the band's YouTube channel), depicts the song dubbed over various footage of the band on tour intercut with frontman Fred Durst performing the song. The other features Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry. Loosely based on the motion picture Gothika, in which Berry stars, this video also contains a shot directly showing the movie's title. It depicts Berry and Durst in a relationship similar to the storyline of the film. The song also appeared during the credits of the film itself and this video was included as a bonus feature on its DVD.

Track listings

UK CD single

  1. "Behind Blue Eyes" (album version)
  2. "Just Drop Dead"
  3. "Rollin'" (DJ Monk vs. the Track Mack remix)
  4. "Behind Blue Eyes" (video)

European 7-inch single and German mini-CD single

  1. "Behind Blue Eyes" (album version) – 4:30
  2. "Just Drop Dead" – 4:02

Australasian CD single

  1. "Behind Blue Eyes" (album version)
  2. "Just Drop Dead"
  3. "My Way" (remixed by DJ Lethal)
  4. "Behind Blue Eyes" (video)

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) Platinum 70,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI) 2× Platinum 600,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) 2× Platinum 60,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway) Gold 5,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) Gold 20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA) Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 23 September 2003 Digital download
3 November 2003 Contemporary hit radio
United Kingdom 24 November 2003 CD
Australia 1 December 2003

References

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