A Little Death Around the Eyes is a song co-written by Peter Doherty and Carl Barât[1] Prior to its official release as track #4 on Peter Doherty's solo album, it was also recorded in acoustic form for the Acousticalullaby: Skag and Bone Mix.
In an interview on FrenchDogBlues.com, Doherty claimed that "Me and [Carl] wrote a song together called ‘A Little Death Around the Eyes.' That's my favourite song ever!"[2] In a later interview with Clash magazine, he attributed the section “Your boyfriend’s name was Dave / I was bold and brave / and now you’re mine” to Barât.
Of the song title, Doherty told the NME, "It’s the title of a novel [Carl's] sister wrote and he hated me writing a song called that." "A little death" is a translation of "la petite mort" (usually translated as "the little death"), a French expression signifying the post-orgasmic fainting spells or unconsciousness some lovers experience.
In his online diary, producer Stephen Street described "A Little Death Around the Eyes" as "a song which I think is one of the best tracks I have ever worked on in the studio ..., it's sublime!" The NME compared "A Little Death Around the Eyes" to work by The Last Shadow Puppets and Scott Walker.
Near the end of the song, the lyrics cite classic English fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk.
Grace/Wastelands | Peter Doherty | Album | 2009-03-16 |
Wet Your Whistle And Get Bombed | Babyshambles | Session | 2005 |
Acousticalullaby (Skag & Bone Mix) | Peter Doherty | Session | 2004-04 |
Only Peons Make Excuses | Peter Doherty | Fan mixtape | 2004-04 |
Roundhouse, Camden | Peter Doherty | Camden Roundhouse, London | 2009-09-19 |
The Other Stage, Glastonbury | Peter Doherty | Worthy Farm, Glastonbury Festival, UK | 2009-06-27 |
A little death around the eyes
Your boyfriend's name was Dave
But I was bold and brave
And now you're mine
You'll cook and clean and sew when I tell you to
When I ask you to
If I ask you to
Then I want you to
You don't need telling twice with me
No you don't need telling twice
You know who wears the trousers
No one wears the trousers
(In a nutshell)
To break free
Yeah well, you'll never break free of me
Your boyfriend's name was Dave
I was bold and brave
And now you're mine
You'll cook and clean and sew when I tell you to
And you'll dance and screw when I want you to
In the hotel room you take your medicine
On all fours that's your medicine
You're feeling better, son?
(Filling in the cracks)
Feeling any better, son?
(In a nutshell I'll wish upon a star)
Some vague idea of a man you used to be
Of the man you used to be to me
(Filling in the cracks)
Fee fi fo fum
Smell the blood of an Englishman
Be he alive or be he dead
(Filling in the cracks)
(Wish upon a star)
A little death around the eyes
Older version:
A little death around the eyes
Take your medicine in your hotel room
That's your medicine
Better rest on all fours
That's your medicine
In a nut shell
Your boyfriend's name was Dave
But I was bold and brave
And now you're mine
You cook and clean and sow when I tell you to
Dance and then you screw when I want you to
If I ask you to
A little death around the eyes
Your boyfriend's name was Dave
I was bold and brave
NameA Little Death Around the Eyes
BandPeter Doherty
CreditsCarl Barat
Peter Doherty
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