#VH1 Storytellers

[eye-of-the-purricane]

Stone Temple Pilots - Kitchenware & Candybars

(VH1 Storytellers, 2000-03-08) Filmed live at Metropolis Studios, New York, NY on Wednesday, March 8th, 2000. From the album: Purple (1994)

[infiniterichesinalittleroom]

I'll drink anything too thin to eat

Willie Nelson • VH1 Storytellers

[mitjalovse]

Both Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty reached their statuses way too fast, if you ask me. I agree, I shouldn't blame them for their successes, yet they sort of had their episode of VH1 Storytellers, before they released their third album. True, this doesn't suggest anything, but shouldn't those who concert there have more behind them? Then again, am I too critical to notice they did achieve a lot in a short period of time? Sure, the group didn't have much opus then – they still don't as we shall see later on –, though what they did made a lot of impact. Moreover, Rob Thomas continued to work as a songwriter, getting more high profile gigs.  True, I should take back what I said, they did deserve their edition of Storytellers.

[taylorswiftstylequestions]

Eyes Open will forever be beloved in my eyes- that song revives me.

And somehow the TV is even better which I thought impossible.

[ghost-of-you]

You know something 5sos needs to be invited to do? An MTV unplugged.

[maryjbligefashionbook]

Event: @therealmaryjblige - VH1 Storytellers - January 16, 2008 . #maryjblige #vh1 #story #NYC #fbf #storyteller https://www.instagram.com/p/CqLOtnjOOk2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Johnny Cash - Don't Take Your Guns to Town 1958

"Don't Take Your Guns to Town" is a song written and recorded by American singer Johnny Cash. It was released in December 1958 as the first single from his second studio album The Fabulous Johnny Cash. The single was his fifth release to reach #1 on the country chart, where it stayed for six weeks. The song was also a crossover hit peaking at #32 on the pop chart.

As was the case with many of his hits, Cash re-recorded the song on several occasions. In 1974, he recorded it in a more modern arrangement for the album The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me which also updated some of the lyrics. A more straight remake was recorded for the 1988 album Classic Cash: Hall of Fame Series. He also recorded a live version with Willie Nelson for the 1998 release VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson.

"Don't Take Your Guns to Town" received a total of 70,4% yes votes! Previous Johnny Cash polls: #81 "Hurt".

[hawkaye]

extraordinary girl - VH1 Storytellers 2005

[up-beattt]

Bruce trying to explain "Blinded By The Light" from VH1 Storytellers, 2005

[ziggy-stardust-is-in-love]

my head is a dangerous place right now

[thebreakfastgenie]

I want to thank the camera operators on this VH1 Storytellers thing for cutting to Crystal Taleifero after a fan made fun of Billy Joel for having two first names because her "oooooooh" reaction is priceless. Also Crystal I would die for you.

[zeroaddzero]

Bruce Springsteen on parenthood, from VH1 Storytellers [X]

[taylorswiftstylequestions]

me sitting here knowing over my lifetime i have listened to “eyes open” from beloved vh1 storytellers more than the studio version but sure taylor has never played it live before bbbbbbbb🧍‍♀️

[retropopcult]

"Thirty-Three" is a song by American rock band Smashing Pumpkins. It was released as a single from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), in November 1996. The song peaked at #39 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on January 24, 1997, becoming the band's fourth and final top-40 hit.

Lead singer Billy Corgan described it as "a simple song in a country tuning", and was the first song that he wrote after the Siamese Dream tour. The guitars in the song are tuned to EGBGBE half a step down, and the drum machine track is exactly the same track Corgan recorded when he laid down the demo version of the song, because he was unable to recreate it.

In a taping of VH1 Storytellers, Corgan joked that he planned on making "Thirty-Three", "Sixty-Six", and "Ninety-Nine", but only finished "Thirty-Three".

[foxes-that-run]

Eyes Open

Eyes Open was the second song Taylor wrote for Hunger Games. Taylor wrote it from Katniss' perspective and said she reflected on how our society compares to that in the book. To me X-Factor was part inspiration for it.

Eyes Open has the best lyric video of all, and it is from 2012! The stop motion and stationary bringing a childlike quality to a song about anxiety and losing innocence for cruel competition. ‘Eyes’ only appears in green or black, there is one eyes on purple paper for Speak Now, Taylors then Era.

What Taylor Said

At the VH1 Storytellers event at Harvey Mudd, Taylor Introduced it by saying it was interesting to get into the mindset of a character and:

When I started writing this song I started kind of applying it to life. How we're all kind of pinned up against each other. In school, in society, in like whatever celebrity world whatever it is. Everyone is like pinned up against each other like it's this weird competition. And so I wrote this song kinda based on Katniss running through a forest being chased by people but also, you know, the kind of society that we live in compared to the society she lives in.

Timeline

Eyes Open was registered in 2012. It was recorded at Pain in the Art Studio in Nashville. I was likely recorded in the first 3 weeks of the year. Taylor was in Nashville 12 January, 2012 when she performed Safe and Sound at a Civil Wars concert. It would have been complete before 23 January when Taylor was back in London. Thank you @cntfightmydemonsthyknowhowtoswim for your mad time skills.

Live Performances and 17 March

Taylor has played it live only ever three times:

17 March 2012, 2nd last Speak Now concert. 3 days before album.

15 October 2012, the day after Taylor performed on X-Factor UK.

17 October 2012, at the VH1 Storytellers event where she gave the above introduction.

When Taylor introduced it on 17 March she said: "Eyes Open ... I can't wait for you to hear, I'm really excited about it. I mean you don’t think I’ll get in trouble if I played it now?" The soundtrack was not out yet.

Eyes Open (Taylors Version) was released in the More Chapters on 17 March, 2023. Exactly 11 years after Taylor first played it live. At the time, this seemed random, yes Eras, but they were 3 deep cut re-records and a Lover vault released at a seemingly odd time.

So why 17 March? On 17 March, 2011, Taylor first played the mash-up of Fearless and Trains' Soul Sister, in Paris. Soul Sister was Harry's X-Factor Audition song, Harry was in Europe and not seen for days around that show. Taylor was then in London on the 20th when Harry performed in the X-factor tour at the O2. Post about that here. Taylor also included 16 March 2011 in the Lover Journal which mention a 4th grade book report and career anxiety, relevant to this song.

X-factor inspiration

The parallel between X-Factor and Hunger Games is not difficult to draw. In fact in 2013 even Simon Cowell did. As have 2012 contestant Ella Henderson and 2009 contestant Olly Murs. The second time Taylor played Eye's Open was also the day after she performed on X-Factor UK, which, to me, hints at the similarity in this song.

In January 2012 X-Factor was a UK reality show, in their first US interviews One Direction kept explaining what it was. Yet Taylor was not only familiar, but related to it. Which, the 2011 timeline covers. It seems they were friendly at that time.

Lyrics

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

The first verse sets the tension in the song, everybody is waiting and watching to see what happens, both in the Hunger Games, talent shows and celebrities. Throughout the song, it goes without saying each verse applies to the book, so I will focus more on the celebrity and X-factor angle.

The tricky thing is yesterday we were just children Playing soldiers, just pretending Dreaming dreams with happy endings In backyards, winning battles with our wooden swords But now we've stepped into a cruel world Where everybody stands and keeps score Keep your eyes open

While this verse applies in the book, I think it is where the comparison to a society with X-factor is most apparent. This verse speaks of someone who has experienced the cruel and competitive world speaking to someone naive to it. Taylor was 6 years (1/4 of her life) past her first record deal. In January 2012 Harry was younger and only 13 months into his first record deal. She worked for years to reach the point Harry found himself in overnight and potentially not ready for it.

On December 28 and 29 2011 Taylor posted these three photos, one with her face at sunset on a western coast (or early sunrise in the east) captioned 'childhood beach memories revisited', one with snow on a beach & safe and sound lyrics. It's unclear where they were taken, Taylor was not seen for weeks, it did snow on the beach in Liverpool that year. The lyrics in this verse of Eyes Open indicate a childhood she considered over christmas juxtaposed to fame.

Everybody's waiting for you to break down Everybody's watching to see the fallout Even when you're sleeping, sleeping Keep your ey-eyes open Keep your ey-eyes open Keep your ey-eyes open

Taylor repeated eye's open as a warning and others watching in other songs:

Wonderland: "I should have slept with one eye open at night" and "But there were strangers watching and whispers turned to talking"

I Don’t Wanna Live Forever: "Been sitting eyes wide open behind these four walls, hoping you’ll call"

Safe And Sound: "Just close your eyes"

Mirrorball: "Drunk as they watch my shattered edges glisten"

I know places “It's a scene, and we're out here in plain sight / I can hear them whisper as we pass by”

Run: We can go where our eyes can take usGo where no one else is, run

So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard Every lesson forms a new scar They never thought you'd make it this far But turn around (turn around) Oh, they've surrounded you It's a showdown (showdown) And nobody comes to save you now But you've got something they don't Yeah, you've got something they don't You just gotta keep your eyes open

This verse applies equally to Katniss as it does celebrity.

In particular the 'make it this far' and scars is reminiscent of overnight fame from a tv show. On 23 November 2011 the One Direction: A Year in the Making special (25 minutes) was released where Harry cried as he spoke about searching for online hate and an uncomfortable obsession with his personal life.

Everybody's waiting for you to break down Everybody's watching to see the fallout Even when you're sleeping, sleeping Keep your ey-eyes open x3 Keep your feet ready Heartbeat steady Keep your eyes open Keep your aim locked The night goes dark Keep your lights open

The closing of the song continues the comparison, that in Katniss's world as it is in a show like X-Factor or celebrity where people are obsessed with the outcome, but also not necessarily the wellbeing of actual people (or characters in Katniss's case) involved.

Taylors parting words are to remain with their eyes open, aim locked and lights open. This is an interesting almost start to several years of a battle hardened Taylor, who wrote about weapons as defensive metaphors for years. This battle metaphor continued though 1989 and reputation.

I Know Places: Cause they got the cages, they got the boxes and guns

Call It What You Want: My castle crumbled overnight, I brought a knife to a gunfight

Only in Lover and Evermore, 7 and 8 years later did Taylor start to talk of setting aside this battle hardened persona.

Daylight: Threw out our cloaks and our daggers because it’s morning now, it’s brighter now, now.

Long story short: When I dropped my sword I threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door and we live in peace.