Composition
"Behind These Hazel Eyes" was written by Clarkson, Max Martin, and Dr. Luke and was produced by the latter two. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, it is set in common time and has a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of F sharp minor with Clarkson's vocal range spanning over two octaves from F#3 to A5. The song begins with Clarkson wailing "oh oh oh" over a restless percussion. In the first verse, the music becomes quiet to focus on Clarkson's vocal as she wails "Seems like just yesterday/You were a part of me/I used to stand so tall/I used to be so strong/Your arms around me tight/Everything it felt so right/Unbreakable like nothing could go wrong." During the chorus, the sound of electronic guitar is dominant as she vocalizes "Here I am/Once again/I’m torn into pieces/Can’t deny it/Can’t pretend/Just thought you were the one/Broken up deep inside/But you won’t get to see the tears I cry/Behind these hazel eyes." Gil Kaufman of MTV noticed that the song "soared on crunchy guitars, driving beats and anthemic, agitated choruses."
Lyrically, the song narrates the story of a failed relationship which initially started off well. Clarkson regrets having allowed herself to be vulnerable to her ex-boyfriend and she is determined that despite the pain that she feels, he will not get the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Michael Paoletta of Billboard praised Clarkson's vocal, writing "Clarkson simply delivers a loose, tour-de-force vocal that simmers alongside a steroid-charged musical backdrop that is fun, fast and furious." Scott Juba of The Trade praised the production of the song, writing "The song’s strong hook pulls listeners in and involves them in the lyrics without ever becoming gimmicky or manipulative." He also complimented Clarkson's vocal which "oscillates between pain and defiance with near pinpoint accuracy."
Read more about this topic: Behind These Hazel Eyes
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