# Geeky invasion of song lyrics

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geeky-invasion-of-song-lyrics/283259>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 5, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geeky-invasion-of-song-lyrics/283259 "2005-01-05T19:26:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geeky-invasion-of-song-lyrics/283259/1 "2005-01-05T19:26:48Z")

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Anyone else have any uber-geeky thoughts that just pop up, unbidden, and invade your otherwise blissfully ignorant enjoyment of a song?

I love the song by Seal “Kiss From A Rose.” It’s fun to sing along with. Forgetting the metaphors and innuendo, there was always some technical point that bothered me but I didn’t want to work at finding it. Hearing the song this morning I noticed it. The refrain goes:\*But did you know,  
That when it snows,  
My eyes become large and,  
The light that you shine can be seen.\*So … _when it snows, my eyes become large_. The snow would have to be thick and blocking vision for the pupils to dilate (light snow and with snow glare they would contract). So _the light that you shine can be seen_ is only visible in a dimly lit environment where your rods can detect low light levels. :geeky-smilie:

So _baby_ is really a very dim source - and I always hear (correction: heard!) it the other way 'round. It could be that the _light_ shines through heavy snow, but that’s not what the lyrics suggest. I still enjoy the song, but I laugh now when I hear that part.

Again, anyone else have any uber-geeky thoughts that just pop up, unbidden, and invade your otherwise blissfully ignorant enjoyment of a song?

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geeky-invasion-of-song-lyrics/283259/2 "2005-01-05T20:44:52Z")

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There’s another way to interpret this: When an author (or lyricist) says “my eyes became large”, it usually does not refer to pupil dilation! Rather, it refers to becoming, as it is said, “wide-eyed” - which may indicate shock, or in this case, affection. - Jinx

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**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geeky-invasion-of-song-lyrics/283259/3 "2005-01-05T21:15:29Z")

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> [@Jinx](#):
>
> …becoming, as it is said, “wide-eyed” - which may indicate shock, or in this case, affection

Yes, but sometimes the mind (mine at least) just fixates on one definition. Sometimes you hear lyrics with delight, sometimes with a spectrometer (or should that be audiometer?). 😛 😃

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**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geeky-invasion-of-song-lyrics/283259/4 "2005-01-05T21:47:20Z")

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I worried that my post might have sounded snarky when that wasn’t meant at all. Thank you for the better interpretation! “Wide-eyed” hadn’t crossed my mind. I can return to enjoying the song now without snickering, thanks. 🙂