Rhinestone Eyes

"Rhinestone Eyes" by Gorillaz is a multi-layered critique of modern society, focusing on themes of artificiality, environmental decay, and emotional detachment. The central metaphor of "rhinestone eyes" represents a superficial and manufactured perception of the world. Rhinestones, being imitation diamonds, symbolize fakeness, suggesting that love, experiences, and even people's inner selves have become hollow and mass-produced, much like goods from distant factories.

The song paints a dystopian picture where humanity's creations—powered by "plastic power"—have led to a disconnect from nature and genuine emotion. Lyrics like "Our pod is now washed up in bleach" and "Nature's corrupted in factories far away" point directly to environmental destruction and pollution as a consequence of consumerism and industrialization. The world described is one where natural phenomena are skewed, such as rain falling "like rhinestones from the sky," blending the authentic with the artificial in a disturbing way.

Furthermore, the song delves into a sense of personal alienation and emotional numbness. The narrator feels like a "scary gargoyle," a monstrous product of this artificial world, with a "frozen" heart. This emotional state is a reaction to a world where dreams are "paralytic" and powered by weeping engines, suggesting that ambition and progress come at a great spiritual and emotional cost. Some interpretations suggest the song is sung from the perspective of an artificial intelligence that has gained consciousness and is observing its human creators, seeing them as part of a predictable, programmed system. This aligns with Gorillaz's own status as a virtual band, blurring the lines between the real and the artificial.

The song begins with the narrator describing themself as a “scary gargoyle on a tower,” an artificial being created with “plastic power.” This establishes a sense of being manufactured and inhuman. The central image of “rhinestone eyes” is introduced, likened to “factories far away,” suggesting a gaze that is fake, mass-produced, and devoid of genuine emotion or soul. These eyes observe a world driven by “paralytic dreams,” ambitions that are so vast they become immobilizing. These dreams are powered by relentless engines that “weep,” fueled by “future pixels in factories far away,” a metaphor for the dehumanizing nature of industrial progress and the exploitation it entails.

A sense of crisis and environmental decay permeates the narrative. A call is made from the beach to the mainland, as their “pod is now washed up in bleach,” a stark image of natural life being corrupted and destroyed. The rising waves and oppressive heat signify an impending environmental collapse, a situation where “nobody knows what to do.” There’s a planned meeting under “sunshine pylons,” structures of the industrial world, while unnatural, rhinestone-like rain falls, further blending the artificial with the natural in a corrupted landscape.

The narrator expresses a profound sense of emotional coldness and detachment, stating, “my heart is frozen.” They have prayed to the “unmovable,” clinging to something solid and real like atoms of rock, yet they are caught in a time of unsettling change. A brief, fragmented scene with a woman in a taxi who “can’t see” because the light is too much introduces a theme of being overwhelmed and unable to perceive reality clearly. This moment underscores a strange new sense of loyalty that emerges from the dawn of this altered world.

The song's perspective then shifts to an observational, almost robotic point of view, noting the constant, unchanging routine of helicopters flying over the beach. This routine represents a programmed, systematic reality. In the summer, these helicopters are a “clear target” under blue skies, but in winter, the noise of their presence “reverberates in my lungs,” a physical manifestation of the oppressive, mechanized world. This recurring observation reinforces the idea that nature itself has been corrupted by these distant factories. The chorus then repeats, emphasizing the themes of artificial love and a future built on manufactured components, a world seen through rhinestone eyes.

"Rhinestone Eyes" is a track from Gorillaz's third studio album, Plastic Beach, released on March 3, 2010. The song was written by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, with Albarn also handling vocals, synthesizers, guitar, and drum programming. The recording took place in 2009, and according to the fictional band member Murdoc Niccals, part of it was recorded in his submarine. The track was produced by Gorillaz themselves, with mixing and additional recording by Jason Cox and Stephen Sedgwick.

"Rhinestone Eyes" was initially planned to be the fourth single released from Plastic Beach. Promotional physical copies were even sent to radio stations in the United States. However, the band and their label, Parlophone Records, ultimately decided to release the non-album single "Doncamatic" instead.

A storyboard version of a planned music video was released on the band's official YouTube channel on October 4, 2010. The video's narrative continues the storyline from the videos for "Stylo" and "On Melancholy Hill," showing the reunion of the virtual band members on Plastic Beach and a confrontation with the Boogieman. Due to budgeting issues with the record label EMI, a full, animated version of the video was never officially produced. However, years later, in 2017, freelance animator Richard Van As released a fan-made, fully animated version based on the original storyboards, which was met with positive reception, even from the official Gorillaz YouTube channel.

The rhythmic and rhyming structure of "Rhinestone Eyes" plays a crucial role in establishing its hypnotic and mechanical feel. The song is set to a driving, mid-tempo beat, creating a sense of relentless, forward motion, much like the "engines" mentioned in the lyrics. This steady, almost robotic rhythm underscores the themes of routine and programmed reality.

The lyrical rhythm often feels like a spoken-word poem delivered over the beat, with Damon Albarn's phrases flowing in a melancholic, narrative style rather than strictly adhering to a pop song structure. This gives the song a storytelling quality, as if the narrator is making a series of detached observations.

The rhyme scheme is not strictly consistent but often follows a pattern within its three-line stanzas, typically with the second and third lines rhyming or having a slant rhyme, which can be seen as AAB or ABC with internal rhymes. For example: "I'm a scary gargoyle on a tower / That you made with plastic power / Your rhinestone eyes are like factories far away." While 'power' and 'away' do not rhyme, the structure is carried by the rhythm. Another example: "When the paralytic dreams that we all seem to keep / Drive on engines 'til they weep / With future pixels in factories far away." This inconsistent rhyming adds to the song's slightly disjointed and inorganic feel, perfectly complementing its lyrical content about a fractured, artificial world.

"Rhinestone Eyes" employs a blend of musical and literary techniques to create its distinct dystopian atmosphere.

Musical Techniques:

• Instrumentation: The song is built on a foundation of synthesizers, a steady, motorik drum machine beat, and Damon Albarn's melancholic, almost detached vocals. The use of synthesizers, which can be seen as a 'computer singing,' enhances the theme of artificiality, especially during the instrumental solos.
• Arrangement: The track has a relatively minimalist and repetitive structure, which mirrors the lyrical theme of monotonous routines, like the helicopters flying over the beach. The layering of electronic textures creates a soundscape that is both spacious and claustrophobic.
• Vocal Delivery: Albarn's vocals are delivered in a calm, almost deadpan style, which contrasts with the weighty, apocalyptic themes of the lyrics. This understatement creates a sense of resignation and jadedness, as if the narrator is a weary observer of the world's decay.
• Sampling: The song reportedly incorporates a sample from another Gorillaz track, "Electric Shock," manipulated with a delay effect, adding to the song's layered, self-referential texture.

Literary Techniques:

• Imagery: The lyrics are packed with vivid, often jarring images that juxtapose the natural and the artificial (e.g., "rain is falling like rhinestones from the sky," "our pod is now washed up in bleach").
• Metaphor and Simile: The song is built around the central metaphor of "rhinestone eyes." Other notable examples include "Your rhinestone eyes are like factories far away" and "Your love's like rhinestones falling from the sky."
• Symbolism: Objects like plastic, gargoyles, and pylons are used symbolically to represent consumerism, alienation, and industrialization.
• Repetition: The recurring phrases "rhinestone eyes" and "factories far away" act as motifs, reinforcing the song's central themes of artificiality and detached destruction.

"Rhinestone Eyes" is a fan-favorite and critically recognized track from Gorillaz's acclaimed album Plastic Beach (2010). Although it was never released as an official single with a fully-produced music video, its popularity has endured. The song was featured in the popular video game FIFA 11, which exposed it to a massive global audience.

The song has been a staple in Gorillaz's live performances since its release, featured prominently in the Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour (2010), the Humanz Tour (2017–2018), and The Now Now Tour (2018), often being a highlight of their sets. The band also performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2010.

The unreleased music video has its own legacy. The release of the official storyboards in 2010 led to significant fan discussion about the intended conclusion of the Plastic Beach narrative. This culminated in a fan, Richard Van As, spending six years creating a fully animated version of the video, which he released in 2017. The video was a viral success and was even acknowledged positively by the band, showcasing the song's deep connection with its fanbase.

"Rhinestone Eyes" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that critique a synthetic and emotionally vacant modern world.

• Rhinestone Eyes: This central metaphor represents a facade of beauty and value that is ultimately fake. Rhinestones are imitation diamonds, symbolizing how people's perceptions, love, and emotions have become artificial, shallow, and mass-produced, like products from "factories far away". It suggests looking at the world without depth or genuine soul.
• Scary Gargoyle on a Tower: This image portrays the narrator as a monstrous, inanimate object created by humanity's "plastic power." It symbolizes a feeling of alienation and being a product of a corrupt, artificial society.
• Plastic Power: This refers to the flimsy, synthetic, and pervasive nature of modern consumerism and technology that shapes the world and the individuals within it. It can be interpreted as the power of credit cards, cheap goods, and an overall disposable culture.
• Factories Far Away: This recurring phrase signifies the detached and dehumanizing nature of modern production and its consequences. It points to outsourcing, pollution, and the exploitation of labor, which are kept at a distance, out of sight and mind for the consumer.
• Future Pixels: This metaphor suggests that in our technologically obsessed world, human beings and their futures are reduced to insignificant, digital components, losing their individuality and humanity.
• Pod Washed Up in Bleach: A stark image symbolizing the destruction of nature and social groups by pollution and artificiality. A 'pod' (like whales) implies community, now sterilized and lifeless.

"Rhinestone Eyes" features several recurring phrases and motifs that anchor its thematic concerns and enhance its memorable, hypnotic quality.

• "Rhinestone Eyes": This is the central motif of the song, appearing in the opening verse and repeated in the closing lines. It functions as the core symbol for artificiality, superficiality, and a world perceived through a fake, manufactured lens. Its repetition drills home the song's primary message about the loss of authenticity.
• "Factories Far Away": This phrase consistently follows the mention of "rhinestone eyes" and "future pixels." It serves as a powerful motif for the hidden, destructive source of the world's artificiality. Its repetition emphasizes the distance—both physical and psychological—between consumers and the environmental and human cost of the products they consume.
• "That's electric": This phrase is used as a vocal sample or ad-lib in the chorus sections. It's a literal nod to the electronic nature of the music, but it also serves as a motif for the artificial energy and manufactured excitement of the modern world. It punctuates the verses about corrupted nature and fake love, ironically highlighting their synthetic origins.
• The Helicopter Routine: The description of helicopters flying over the beach at the "same time every day, same routine" is a significant motif representing a programmed, monitored, and unchangeable reality. It speaks to a loss of spontaneity and the imposition of an artificial order on the natural world.