Analysis Of Lyrics

The Streets - Dry Your Eyes

We have selected this track which is from an album called 'A Grand Don't Come For Free'. This whole album involves a narrative; it tells a story about a relationship slowly breaking down. The first track shows him having a very bad day where nothing is going to plan. He then comes home and finds one thousand pounds which he had saved up has gone missing. The next few songs begin the story where he starts seeing a girl and is about to go meet up with her and one of his friends. The fourth track is called, 'blinded by the lights', where he was suppose to meet his girlfriend and his mate but has been stood up. As he sat there drinking by himself taking cocaine and ecstacy he catches her cheating on him with his friend. However, he just thought he was seeing things because of the drugs. The next few songs portrays him still with her, but slowly they fall into an argument and she breaks up with him. He then decides to go on a holiday filled with heavy night drinking and trying to impress other girls, but comes back regreting what he just did as he realises he still wants to be with simone. There is then a track called; 'What Is He Thinking?', where he realises it was that friend who had been stealing his money.

Then came along, 'Dry Your Eyes'.
This track involves the guy trying to cope with the break up. He is depressed and can't stop thinking about her.
In one single moment your whole life can turn 'round
I stand there for a minute starin’ straight into the ground
Lookin’ to the left slightly, then lookin’ back down
World feels like it’s caved in – proper sorry frown
Please let me show you where we could only just be, for us
I can change and I can grow or we could adjust
The wicked thing about us is we always have trust
We can even have an open relationship, if you must
I look at her she stares almost straight back at me
But her eyes glaze over like she’s lookin’ straight through me
Then her eyes must have closed for what seems an eternity
When they open up she’s lookin’ down at her feet
In the first verse it is almost as if he is trying to get her back still. At the same time it is describing how he is feeling without his girlfriends presence.
Dry your eyes mate
I know it’s hard to take but her mind has been made up
There’s plenty more fish in the sea
Dry your eyes mate
I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts
But you’ve got to walk away now
It’s over

In the chorus, he is telling himself that she has made up her mind and doesn't want to get back together. So now he has to move on and should try to find someone else.  

So then I move my hand up from down by my side
It's shakin’, my life is crashin’ before my eyes
Turn the palm of my hand up to face the skies
Touch the bottom of her chin and let out a sigh
‘Cause I can’t imagine my life without you and me
There’s things I can’t imagine doin’, things I can’t imagine seein’
It weren't supposed to be easy, surely
Please, please, I beg you please
She brings her hands up towards where my hands rested
She wraps her fingers round mine with the softness she’s blessed with
She peels away my fingers, looks at me and then gestures
By pushin’ my hand away to my chest, from hers
Again, he is trying to get her back but she continues to push away.This verse shows the desperation as he cannot cope not being able to see a life or future without her.

Dry your eyes mate
I know it’s hard to take but her mind has been made up
There’s plenty more fish in the sea
Dry your eyes mate
I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts
But you’ve got to walk away now
It’s over

And I’m just standin’ there, I can’t say a word
‘Cause everythin’s just gone
I’ve got nothin’
Absolutely nothin’

These four lines show how he believes that because he has lost her, he has now lost everything!

Tryin’ to pull her close out of bare desperation
Put my arms around her tryin’ to change what she’s sayin’
Pull my head level with hers so she might engage in
Look into her eyes to make her listen again
I’m not gonna fuckin’, just fuckin’ leave it all now
‘Cause you said it'd be forever and that was your vow
And you’re gonna let our things simply crash and fall down
You’re well out of order now, this is well out of town
She pulls away, my arms are tightly clamped round her waist
Gently pushes me back and she looks at me straight
Turns around so she’s now got her back to my face
Takes one step forward, looks back, and then walks away
This one was very heartbreaking verse. He brings her close once again yet she still pushes him away from her. This time as she walks away, she turns and looks back at him for one last time and then just 'walks away' as it mentions in the lyrics. This verse is the one to assure him it is definetely over.

Dry your eyes mate
I know it’s hard to take but her mind has been made up
There’s plenty more fish in the sea
Dry your eyes mate
I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts
But you’ve got to walk away now
It’s over

I know in the past I’ve found it hard to say
Tellin’ you things, but not tellin’ straight
But the more I pull on your hand and say
The more you pull away

Dry your eyes mate
I know it’s hard to take but her mind has been made up
There’s plenty more fish in the sea
Dry your eyes mate
I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts
But you’ve got to walk away now.

The final track is called, 'Empty Cans' where it actually shows that they are beginning to try and sort things out.