What does Eyes Open mean?

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Taylor Swift: Eyes Open Meaning

Tagged: Eyes [suggest]

Song Released: 2011

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Eyes Open Lyrics

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Everybody's waiting
Everybody's watching
Even when you sleeping
Keep your eyes open

A tricky thing as yesterday we were just children
Playing soldiers just pretending
Dreaming dreams with happy endings
In backyards, winning battles with...


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    Mar 27th, 2012 3:13pm report

    Besides the meaning linked to Hunger Games, which surely is what inspired this song,i think it can be interpreted as something more. I think it can be read as the general passage from childhood to adulthood and so to a new kind of life and dreams, inside a hostile world; and that's something that happens so fast. "but now we've stepped into a cruel world, where everybody stands to keep score" And you find out in real life everyone is there to judge you and trying to make you fall; suddenly you know you must look behind you, and all of your certainties fall down and you must be ready to let go of everything just to fight, and defend yourself because no one's going to do that for you, as when you were a kid.
    I think this is a metaphor for what happens when you step into real life and you realize you're on your own and everything depends on you, while in your early years you had always thought you were strong enough to face it all and you were looking forward to that; and then suddenly it it turns cold and dark and it's pretty different from how you imagined it.


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    Dec 11th, 2017 12:26am report

    According to Swift, she wrote the song about Katniss's "relationship" with the Capitol. Swift describes the song as the opposite of the melancholic "Safe & Sound," stating that "[it is] more frantic and fast-paced, a completely different shade of music." wikipedia
    ~ Unruffled


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    Dec 10th, 2017 12:28pm report

    I think the song is for teens that are growing into young men/women for when they are coming from collage and they have to remember that there parents wont be there for them and they have to keep there EYES OPEN. At all times because they don't know how to trust people now and days are wanting you to mess up you cant even trust your own family you may no know but they are the main ones you need to look out for.


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    Oct 19th, 2014 10:47pm report

    Amazing how well this song correlates to the Hunger Games. Not that I should be surprised--Taylor's lyrics are all deep. The reason that it's about growing up is because The Hunger Games is about growing up (except in a more exaggerated pov of course). This song has no flaws. <3


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    Jun 17th, 2014 6:33pm report

    This is a very well written song it goes along perfectly with the hunger games. If you read the book then take one sentence of the lyrics and compare it with what happens in the book you will agree.


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    Jun 6th, 2014 6:43pm report

    I interpret this song two ways.

    1.The Hunger Games. "The tricky thing is yesterday we were just children play in soldiers just pretending" it seems yesterday you were just a child and know you are a tribute. "Everbodys waiting for you to break down" the tributes and people in the districts waiting for you to die. "Everybody's watching to see the fall out" the cameras watching you. "Even when your sleeping keep your eyes open" people will kill you when you sleep.

    2. You are growing up and everybody judges you


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    Oct 19th, 2013 10:15pm report

    I think this song explains how you grow out of childhood and experience the adult world. The lyrics " The tricky thing is yesterday we were just children playing soldiers, just pretending, dreaming dreams with happy endings," really explain childhood and how everything was so innocent and beautiful. But then the lyrics " But now we've stepped into a cruel world, where everybody stands and keeps score," is like when you grow up and people judge you a lot.


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    May 9th, 2013 5:20pm report

    I think that this song means that no matter where you go or what you do somebody is always going to try to make your life misetable. That whatever you do wrong there will always be someone there to crititize you. ( but now we stepped into a cruel world. Where every body stands and keeps score) . I also think that it kindof describes Katniss' life. Every bodies waiting for her to messup and all. Great song. Great books! I can' wait for Catching Fire!


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    Feb 3rd, 2013 2:03pm report

    Everybody's waiting for you to mess up. It's about people who you thought were your friends but they just sort of threw you away. They're just waiting for you to mess up so they can judge you and make you small.

    Hope this helps!


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    Jan 28th, 2013 1:50pm report

    It means that when you finally step into the real world people try to "break " you as in to make fall down and never feel confident. Or when your in high school and your the smart one everyone tries to make look like the weirdo and they actually surround but you need to look out for those and when she says. " keep your eyes open so here are two steps ahead and staying on guard they'd never thought you'd make this far look around they've surounded you its a showdown and nobody has come to save you now but u got somthing they don't." She means that ur smarter than them and you can use your brain to help u. And when she says nobodys gonna save u it means that's ur on you own.so you just gotta stay focused no matter what cuz when she says everybody is watching its those that want you to breakdown so stay on guard and just keep your eyes open so you never breakdown in front of those that want u to breakdown cause that's THEIR opprotunity to make it worse. That's what it means


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    Sep 10th, 2012 9:06am report

    I believe it is talking about as one of the tributes.
    "Keep your eyes open" means stay alive. Keep your eyes open to stay alive or a symbol of you will fight to survive. "Everybody's watching" Watch what you do because people in the district are literally watching you and you are under pressure. "Even when you're sleeping" It is true, the game makers keep the cameras rolling, meaning they are always watching you 24/7. Obviously it can be referred to the Hunger Games but also a lot more.


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    Aug 4th, 2012 8:14pm report

    I have two.
    1. Its about Katniss facing the hunger games and not just watvhing it on tv.
    2. Its about growing up with really high shoes to fill.


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    Jul 13th, 2012 7:34pm report

    besides the hunger games the song "eyes open" by taylor swift i think the song is about how the the past it all fun and games but as we get older life has change .their are chages in the world like being looked down at and being judged...so you have to keep your eyes open to the changing world.


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    Jun 18th, 2012 6:12pm report

    growing up is of course one meaning,but this song means more then that to me.some people are loners and not liked by alot of people and i find this song explains how they feel."everybodys waiting for you to break down",it means more then they want to see you mess up,it means they are waiting for something really bad to happen."but now we've stepped into a cruel world where everyone stands and keeps score"means everyone is mean and like bullys you and keeps score of like what happens or something like that.
    i know what it means because im one of the loners who these things have happened to a d its not fun and songs explains how we feel.its like Taylor is singing it about us and not the hunger games sometimes.
    i find this song a little bit of a comfort to me.i find it seems like Taylor knows what we have gone through and that feels good.

    so next time you see someone sad and alone take the to say hello and be nice,it could just make their day.


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    Jun 12th, 2012 6:25pm report

    I think that yes, it does describe the hunger games. But it also says that there are always going to be tough times and that there is always going to be somebody who wants you to fall. But you cant let them have that satifaction. You have to keep your eyes open;)


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    May 17th, 2012 5:40pm report

    This song is more then just the hunger games its the way society is now everybodys watching for you to do something wrong and fail but now youve made it far and all the people watching cant belive that you made it that far in life.

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