City girls just seem to find out early/
How to open doors with just a smile.
“Lyin Eyes” is from the early period of The Eagles work. The Eagles work is best understood as before Joe Walsh and after. This is before, Hotel California was after. Notice the country stylings. The Eagles were very much a southern rock band in the beginning…but from California rather than Alabama.
Lyin’ Eyes is a great ‘story song’ about a young woman who takes an older husband—presumably for his money—but still keeps another lover on the side. This girl is not painted kindly in the song. The great opening lyrics above paint her as a woman who uses her sexuality to get everything she wants in life. They euphemistically call her a city girl. Today we’d call her a sugar baby (I guess?).
The story is interesting because of the little details: it appears that she loves her boyfriend and promises to leave her husband, it also appears that the husband is aware of the affair and perhaps turns his head to it due to indifference or due to powerlessness. Regardless, you can see the lie in her eyes. She does not come across as a sympathetic character.
This song shows off some of the great harmonizing that the Eagles produced. While they weren’t on the level with the all-time best (in terms of harmonizing), they were one tier below. They sing some pretty complex harmonies here. The bassline does a lot to drive this song, though it is not fancy. This is good work by Randy Meisner. Glenn Frey or Don Henley were responsible for most of their songs and this might be Frey’s best.
Lyin’ Eyes Lyrics
City girls just seem to find out early,
How to open doors with just a smile.
A rich old man
And she won’t have to worry,
She’ll dress up all in lace and go in style.
Late at night a big old house gets lonely-
I guess every form of refuge has its price.
And it breaks her heart to think her love is only
Given to a man with hands as cold as ice.
So she tells him she must go out for the evening-
To comfort an old friend who’s feelin’ down.
But he knows where she’s goin’ as she’s leavin’,
She is headed for the cheatin’ side of town.
You can’t hide your lyin’ eyes,
And your smile is a thin disguise.
I thought by now you’d realize,
There ain’t no way to hide your lyin’ eyes.
On the other side of town a boy is waiting,
With fiery eyes and dreams no one could steal.
She drives on through the night anticipating,
‘Cause he makes her feel the way she used to feel.
She rushes to his arms, they fall together.
She whispers that it’s only for awhile.
She swears that soon she’ll be comin’ back forever,
She pulls away and leaves him with a smile.
You can’t hide your lyin’ eyes,
And your smile is a thin disguise.
I thought by now you’d realize,
There ain’t now way to hide your lyin’ eyes.
She gets up and pours herself a strong one,
And stares out at the stars up in the sky.
Another night, it’s gonna be a long one.
She draws the shade and hangs her head to cry.
She wonders how it ever got this crazy.
She thinks about a boy she knew in school.
Did she get tired or did she just get lazy?
She’s so far gone she feels just like a fool.
My oh my, you sure know how to arrange things.
You set it up so well, so carefully.
Ain’t it funny how your new life didn’t change things?
You’re still the same old girl you used to be.
You can’t hide your lyin’ eyes,
And your smile is a thin disguise.
I thought by now you’d realize,
There ain’t no way to hide your lyin’ eyes.
There ain’t no way to hide your lyin’ eyes.
Honey, you can’t hide your lyin’ eyes.
Songwriters: Glenn Frey / Don Henley
