Wrong word, same advice?

Randomly noted in a Reddit topic of ‘useful quotations’…

How to survive in a tyranny: Keep your mouth closed and your eyes open.

In 1969, Warden Copley gave the new intakes his standard speech. Imagine Edward G. Robinson as a gangster and you’ve got Warden Copley.

I heard him say:

Keep your mouth closed and your ass open.

Was he actually saying eyes? I guess it doesn’t matter much. Turned out to be good advice.