Many musicians and songwriters have written about various forms of blindness over the years.
Often, these songs have to do with feeling blind in love, being blind to the truth, or ultimately seeing things differently.
Below, we’ve ranked our favorite songs that deal with blindness!
1. “Blind Love” by Tom Waits
“Blind Love” by Tom Waits, released in 1985 on the album Rain Dogs, details the end of a relationship. Waits has broken up with his romantic partner and is sad about it. Throughout the song, he sings about how he must be experiencing “Blind Love”.
Therefore, this song discusses blindness when it comes to love and relationships. Even though Waits’ relationship is over, he still misses and thinks about his ex — leading him to be blind to everything else.
2. “Love Is Blindness” by U2
U2 released “Love Is Blindness” in 1991 on their album Achtung Baby. The song quickly became a fan favorite and led to many other artists covering the song!
As for the meaning of the song, many people have different interpretations. First of all, the song details the end of a romantic relationship. However, many also believe this song shows that too much love can lead to blindness, which is bad.
For example, if you love your partner, friend, or country too much, you’re blind to everything else. This idea is driven home in the chorus’s lyrics, “Love is blindness, I don’t wanna see / Won’t you wrap the night around me?”
3. “Blind” by Talking Heads
Talking Heads’ 1988 song “Blind” discusses how many people can be blind to what is happening around them in society. The song details different scenarios in which terrible things occur. However, nobody really does anything about it, as they are blind or ignorant to these problems that are happening right in front of their face!
4. “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James
Ellington Jordan, Etta James, and Billy Foster wrote the blues classic “I’d Rather Go Blind” in 1967. This song quickly became beloved by so many around the world and is now often declared a classic by many.
In this song, James sings about the end of a romantic relationship. She doesn’t want this romance to end, but her man is leaving her for another woman. She sings, “ would rather go blind boy / Than to see you walk away from me child, and all / So you see, I love you so much”.
5. “Shadows and Light” by Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell released “Shadows and Light” on her 1975 album The Hissing of Summer Lawns. In this great 70s song, Mitchell describes different aspects of life and the world. She mentions how life is neutral, as there are both good and bad things. There is both a sun and a moon.
She also expresses this idea by talking about blindness. Toward the beginning of the song, she sings the lyrics, “Every picture has its shadows and it has some source of light / Blindness, blindness and sight”.
6. “Blind” by Korn
Korn released “Blind” as their first single as a band in the early 90s. The song is still one of the most beloved songs by the rock band’s fans!
Throughout the song, the band sings about how they feel lost and blind. However, they know this and are trying to work it out. While the song isn’t necessarily hopeful, they are aware.
For example, the lyrics state, “If I don’t find a way to / See through the gray that clouds my mind / This time I look to see what’s between the lines”. However, this is quickly followed by the repeated phrase “I can see, I can see I’m going blind”!
7. “Blind Man Blues” by Muddy Waters
And now, let’s look at a classic blues song. This classic blues song by Muddy Waters isn’t as vague or metaphorical as some of the other songs on this list. Here, Waters narrates a story about being a blind man and the difficulties he faces. This is the “Blind Man Blues”, after all.
8. “Try a Little Kindness” by Glen Campbell
When Glen Campbell released “Try a Little Kindness” in 1970, the song became a huge hit. This song ended up hitting the charts around the world and even hit the #1 spot in some countries!
As you may have guessed from the song’s title, “Try a Little Kindness” is all about spreading kindness when you can. Help people out when you see that someone needs help.
Campbell sings, “And if you’ll try a little kindness and you’ll overlook the blindness / Of the narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets”. Here, Campbell is encouraging people to see again or see things differently. If you’re kind, you won’t be ignorant or blind!
9. “Blind” by Trey Songz
2010’s “Blind” by Trey Songz is another song that deals with people in blind love. In this song, Songz narrates a story about how a man fell in love with a woman and saw nothing wrong with her. He was blind, though, and this woman ended up leaving him heartbroken eventually.
10. “I Only Have Eyes For You” by The Flamingos
While “I Only Have Eyes For You” was first written in 1934, and while the song has been covered by a variety of different artists over the years, The Flamingos have the best and most known version.
The Flamingos released their own version of this song in 1959, and it subsequently hit the charts and became a huge hit upon its release.
As with other songs on this list, “I Only Have Eyes For You” deals with someone falling in love with another and becoming blind to everything else as a result. The lyrics state, “My love must be a kind of blind love / I can’t see anyone but you”.
11. “Condemnation” by Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode’s 1993 song “Condemnation” discusses the feelings and thoughts that can arise when one feels condemned. The band rails against those who condemn certain people or things. Instead, they would like people to open up their eyes.
For example, in the chorus, the band sings, “If for kindness you substitute blindness / Please open your eyes”.
12. “Love Is Blind” by Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys’ 2009 song “Love Is Blind”, which is on her album The Element of Freedom, also deals with blindness in love or romantic relationships.
In this song, Keys sings about how so many of her friends wonder about her. They can’t understand why she has fallen in love with her romantic partner. But Keys throughout the song explains that “Love Is Blind”.
13. “Goin’ Blind” by Kiss
Kiss released “Goin’ Blind” on their 1974 album Hotter Than Hell. The song details how an old 93-year-old man is literally going blind. He tells this to a 16-year-old girl he’s talking to.
This Kiss song actually has a lot of history and different versions behind it. In the original version — which Kiss often still performs live — the lyrics say, “Little lady from the land beneath the sea”. This suggests that this tale is about a dying old sea captain talking to a mermaid!
14. “Blind” by Jason Derulo
Jason Derulo’s 2010 song “Blind” discusses his realization that his relationship is not good. Thus, the relationship must end. He thought he was in love and thought this woman was good for him, but in reality, he was just blind to who she really was.
In this song, Derulo sings, “Love made me blind, so I couldn’t see / All the lies you told were right in front of me / Since love made me blind, you made a fool of me”.
15. “I Go Blind” by Hootie & The Blowfish
Hootie & The Blowfish released their cover version of “I Go Blind” in the 90s. When the song was featured on the hit show Friends, it landed high on the music charts.
“I Go Blind” also deals with blindness when it comes to love. However, this song is a bit more positive than some of the other songs we’ve talked about in this list. Instead of blindness being perceived as negative, this song can be heard as more positive about going blind while in love!
16. “Awaken” by Yes
Yes released “Awaken” on their 1977 album Keys to Ascension. There are many different meanings listeners can get by listening to “Awaken”. As the title suggests, this entire song is about awakening to your truer or better self.
As a result of this theme, it’s natural for the band to reference blindness! The lyrics state, “Workings of man / Crying out from the fire set aflame / By his blindness to see / That the warmth of his being / Is promised for his seeing / His reaching so clearly”.
17. “I Tried” by Brandy
Brandy’s 2004 song “I Tried” talks about a failed romantic relationship. Brady discusses how she couldn’t end up trusting her romantic partner. She really tried to be blind to his ways and stick by his side. However, at the end of the day, she couldn’t trust him and ended up leaving him.
The song also deals with her emotions after learning that her partner cheated on her with another woman. She tried to be blind to all that he did and said, though he eventually left. She only stayed with him for so long because she wanted to be cool!
18. “The Sorrowful Wife” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
In Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ 2001 song “The Sorrowful Wife”, Cave tells a story about marrying a woman and spending time with her. However, this life isn’t perfect. Through the years, mistakes were made by the narrator.
Towards the end of the song, Cave sings about how the husband seemingly sees these mistakes now. He sings, “Help me now, I was blind / I was a fool”.
19. “Blind Love” by The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band’s song “Blind Love” also deals with feeling blind while in love, as so many songs on this list do! Here, the band sings about a failed relationship that has met its end. However, the singer is very upset and still misses his woman, who is now with others.
He sings, “Blind love, blind love / It oughta be a crime”. He can’t help but continue to love his ex, even though they are no longer together.
20. “Big Parade” by The Lumineers
The Lumineers released “Big Parade” on their 2012 album The Lumineers. This folk song can be seen as two separate stories. First, we have the story of the “Big Parade”. The band narrates a parade they’re seeing which includes a presidential candidate — hinted to be JFK.
However, this isn’t the only part of the song worth mentioning. Towards the beginning and end of the song — and throughout, in small ways — a love story is told. The singer says, ”All my life I was blind / I was blind, now I see,” when talking to a girl he’s in love with.
Listen to the full playlist on YouTube here.