Jealous Eyes from Before Seventeen by Nicholas Wells

March, 2004, Age 15
All of my frustrations and longing in a song. I can picture myself back in 10th grade math, so exhausted physically and in spirit, staring out the window up through the clouds, and thinking about how nice life COULD be. If only.
I carried the sentiment of this song around as my story for many years after this. You can even hear it in one of my more recent songs, “Understand”, with the line “I didn’t choose this war with the universe, waving its middle finger at me.” I think that learning to accept what is actually the universe’s indifference to me has helped me find some peace, a couple of decades later.

Tracklist

14.	Jealous Eyes	4:05

Lyrics

Sometimes we’ve all just got to
Take it easy
Sometimes life can move so fast
It’s like she’s taking her breath and
Making it breezy
And I’m missing the clouds that have passed.

And though the wind is blinding
So many dreams I’m finding
Are coming true for someone else

It’s just a matter of
Who will live the life you dream of
Who will win the glance of your jealous eyes
Who never cries

Cause someone else will always
Win a life in which the sun will always rise
And you’ve got nothing left
But your jealous eyes

Regretting everything I
Cannot help at all
Sometimes she doesn’t seem to care
I dream of romance, dream of
Singing my songs to her
Running my fingers through her hair

Becoming angry once more
So much life to live for
I’m just so close and yet so far

It’s just a matter of
Who will live the life you dream of
Who will win the glance of your jealous eyes
Who never cries

Cause someone else will always
Win a life in which the sun will always rise
And you’ve got nothing left
But your jealous eyes

Credits

from Before Seventeen, released June 8, 2025

License