Iris
by Live

Album: Throwing Copper (1994)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song seems to be about a man that is getting oral sex from a woman, and he's afraid of developing feelings for her: "The felix of your truth will always break it and the iris of your eye will always shake it and the armies, the armies I have created will always hate it will always bait you on."

    He seems to be having a major struggle with the idea of falling in love. It's sometimes easier to remain distanced and just experience the physical gratification rather than risk the vulnerability of an emotional attachment. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Denise - Yuba City, CA
  • When asked about the significance of eyes and irises in his songwriting, lead singer Ed Kowalczyk explained: "I really believe in that cliché 'the eyes are the window to the soul.' I think that eyes are beautiful and you can tell everything by a person's eyes. To me, irises, and eyes in particular are important to me in my life. So that's it!"
  • Live performed this as part of their nine-song set at Woodstock '94. The event helped build a buzz around Throwing Copper, which was slowly climbing the albums chart in America, where it would eventually sell 8 million copies. In 2019, the band released their Woodstock set as part of the 25th anniversary of the album.

Comments: 5

  • Mitch Conner from UsThis song seems to me to almost certainly about the relationship between sex and love, and how sex/lust can mascaraed as love ("Perverted by the sentimental and mistaken for love"). The physical description suggests oral sex (because someone asked I am reposting this: Looking into someone's eyes while your hands are on their head, combined with the rest of the lyrics, strongly suggest this), and how during that moment it can feel like love, when it's really hormones and other things. And so, the only way to truly feel love is to conquer those baser urges ("Until I take their flags"). At least that's the vibe I pick up.
  • Christine from New YorkOral sex? Huh? Where do you see that?
  • Bluethunder42 from EarthWould a band as good as Live waste such a great piece of music on a brain dead topic as oral sex? The lyrics aren't even correct on this site and many others. Where it says "Until I take their Price", they should actually be "Until I take their flags", which is a reference to the armies mentioned in the chorus. It has always struck me as a song about a battle over something that broke out and the two sides battle over conflicting versions of the story in its aftermath.
  • AnonymousIt's about revolution, truth, justice... https://bit.ly/3rYPThr
  • John from Brisbane, AustraliaIt's about masturbation.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Brandi Carlile

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New York

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.