Somebody's Watching Me

Rockwell's 'Somebody's Watching Me' is a song that taps into the universal feeling of paranoia and the fear of being constantly observed. Released in 1984, during an era when society was becoming increasingly aware of surveillance and privacy issues, the song resonates with the anxiety of losing one's privacy. The lyrics describe the daily life of an average person who feels like they are under constant surveillance, to the point where even the most mundane activities feel compromised.

The song cleverly uses pop culture references, such as 'The Twilight Zone' and Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho,' to illustrate the protagonist's creeping sense of dread. These references serve to amplify the feeling of unease and the fear that someone might always be watching. The chorus, with its catchy and repetitive line 'I always feel like somebody's watching me,' encapsulates the song's central theme of surveillance and the erosion of personal privacy. The mention of the IRS at the end of the song adds a humorous twist, suggesting that the feeling of being watched could also be related to the anxiety of being audited or monitored by government entities.

Rockwell's hit is more than just a catchy tune; it's a commentary on the psychological impact of living in a surveillance society. The song's enduring popularity suggests that the issues it addresses are still relevant today, as technology has only increased the ways in which our privacy can be compromised. 'Somebody's Watching Me' remains a cultural touchstone for discussions about the balance between security and privacy in the modern world.