I Only Have Eyes For You by jmjiloveyou

jmjiloveyou - I Only Have Eyes For You

jmjiloveyou

Dec 27, 2024 09:11am

"I Only Have Eyes for You" is a song by composer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Warren" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harry Warren</a> and lyricist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Dubin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Al Dubin</a>. The song was written for the 1934 film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dames_(film)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dames</a>, in which it was performed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Powell" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dick Powell</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[1]</a> Several other successful recordings of the song were made in 1934, and it later became a hit for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flamingos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the Flamingos</a> in 1959 and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Garfunkel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Art Garfunkel</a> in 1975.<h2>Charting versions</h2><h3>1934 versions</h3>In addition to the original version by Dick Powell, recordings of the song by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Selvin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ben Selvin</a> (vocal by Howard Phillips), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_Duchin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eddy Duchin</a> (vocal by Lew Sherwood), and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Froman" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jane Froman</a> became hits in 1934.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[2]</a><h3>The Flamingos version</h3><ul><li>"I Only Have Eyes for You</li></ul>"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Flamingos_-_I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You.jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6f/The_Flamingos_-_I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You.jpg/220px-The_Flamingos_-_I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You.jpg" height="220" width="220"></a><ul><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Single</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flamingos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the Flamingos</a>from the album Flamingo Serenade <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-side_and_B-side" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">B-side</a>"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight_Sweetheart_(Ray_Noble,_Jimmy_Campbell_and_Reg_Connelly_song)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodnight, Sweetheart</a>"</li><li>"At the Prom"</li><li>ReleasedMay 1959<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-May1959-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[3]</a>Recorded1959<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recording_studio" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Studio</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Sound_Studios" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bell Sound</a> (New York City)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_genre" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Genre</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doo-wop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Doo-wop</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Zellner-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[4]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Rolling_Stone_Staff_2024-5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[5]</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_music" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pop</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[6]</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_roll" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rock and roll</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[7]</a></li></ul>Length3:20<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_label" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Label</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_Records" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">End</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songwriter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Songwriter(s)</a>Harry Warren, Al Dubin<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_producer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Producer(s)</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Goldner" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">George Goldner</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flamingos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Flamingos</a> singles chronology "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Walked_In" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Love Walked In</a>" (1959) "I Only Have Eyes for You" (1959) "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yours_(Qui%C3%A9reme_Mucho)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yours</a>" (1959) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flamingos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Flamingos</a> recorded a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doo-wop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">doo-wop</a> adaptation of "I Only Have Eyes for You" at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Sound_Studios" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bell Sound Studios</a> in New York City in 1959.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Zellner-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[4]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Buskin-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[8]</a> Their version was commercially successful, peaking at number 11 on the US <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Billboard Hot 100</a> chart and number 3 on the Billboard <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_R%26B/Hip-Hop_Songs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hot R&B</a> chart.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[9]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-10" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[10]</a>Building on the surprise success of the Flamingos' single "Lovers Never Say Goodbye", which had become a number 52 crossover hit on the Hot 100 in February 1959,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Buskin-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[8]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-11" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[11]</a> "I Only Have Eyes for You" was selected by producer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Goldner" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">George Goldner</a> among a group of 33 standards that the Flamingos might record for the album Flamingo Serenade. The Flamingos recorded a dozen songs from Goldner's list, but "I Only Have Eyes for You" proved difficult. Flamingos high tenor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_%22Buzzy%22_Johnson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Terry "Buzzy" Johnson</a>, who was also the group's arranger, was advised by lead tenor Nate Nelson to do something exotic with the refrain: "Go way out on it! Make it Russian, like '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_the_Volga_Boatmen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Song of the Volga Boatman</a>'". The solution came to Johnson while he was sleeping, and he quickly called the group to his room at around 4 am to have them rehearse the new version, complete with doo-wop backing vocals and harmonies. In the studio, Johnson directed the session musicians to play piano, guitar and gentle <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percussion_mallet#Brush" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">brush</a>-driven drums in a stretched-out triplet rhythm, emphasizing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_(chord)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">third</a> of the chord in the guitar and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(chord)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fifth</a> in the piano. This created a floating <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-melody" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">counter-melody</a> to the vocal harmonies. Heavy <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverberation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reverberation</a> was added to the vocals at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering_(audio)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mastering</a> stage, under the direction of Goldner.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Buskin-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[8]</a>Goldner initially thought the song was not commercial enough to be a single, and so he sequenced it first on side tw of the album Flamingo Serenade. Radio DJs started playing the song, however,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Buskin-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[8]</a> and it was released as a single in early May 1959.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-May1959-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[3]</a> It first entered the Billboard pop chart on May 30 at number sixty,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-12" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[12]</a> peaking at number eleven in July. The Billboard <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Year-End</a> chart ranked it as the 73rd biggest hit of 1959.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-13" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[13]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rolling Stone</a> magazine placed the Flamingos' version of "I Only Have Eyes for You" at number 158 on their 2011 list of the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone%27s_500_Greatest_Songs_of_All_Time" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">500 Greatest Songs of All Time</a>".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-14" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[14]</a> In 2003, it was inducted into the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Hall_of_Fame" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grammy Hall of Fame</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-15" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[15]</a> In 2009, Johnson said the song was making even more money for him at the time than when the Flamingos were together.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-Buskin-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[8]</a><h3>Cliff Richard version</h3>A 1964 recording by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Richard" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cliff Richard</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norrie_Paramor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Norrie Paramor</a> Orchestra peaked at number 31 on the Australian chart.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-16" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[16]</a><h3>The Lettermen version</h3>A 1966 recording by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lettermen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the Lettermen</a> went to number 4 on the US Easy Listening chart and number 72 on Hot 100.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-17" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[17]</a><h3>Jerry Butler version</h3>In 1972, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Butler" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jerry Butler</a>'s version on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Records" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mercury records</a> spent eight weeks on the Billboard R&B chart, reaching a positional high of number 20. It also charted in the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 85.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You#cite_note-18" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[18]</a><h3>Art Garfunkel version</h3>"I Only Have Eyes for You"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You_-_Art_Garfunkel.jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c8/I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You_-_Art_Garfunkel.jpg/220px-I_Only_Have_Eyes_for_You_-_Art_Garfunkel.jpg" height="165" width="220"></a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_(music)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Single</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Garfunkel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Art Garfunkel</a>from the album <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakaway_(Art_Garfunkel_album)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Breakaway</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-side_and_B-side" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">B-side</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bish_(album)#"Looking_for_the_Right_One"" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"Looking for the Right One"</a>ReleasedAugust 1975Recorded1975<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_genre" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Genre</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_rock" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Soft rock</a>Length3:30<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_label" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Label</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Records" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Columbia</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songwriter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">S</a>