In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel song)

Last updated

"In Your Eyes"
Pgiye.jpg
Artwork for 1986 12-inch maxi-single release
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album So
ReleasedAugust 1986 (US)
Recorded1985
Genre Rock
Length
  • 5:23 (album version)
  • 6:12 (remixed 7" version)
  • 4:53 (7" Special mix; 1989 re-release)
  • 7:10 (12" Special mix)
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s) Peter Gabriel
Producer(s)
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
"Don't Give Up"
(1986)		"In Your Eyes"
(1986)		"Big Time"
(1987)
Music video
"In Your Eyes" on YouTube

"In Your Eyes" is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel from his fifth solo studio album So (1986). It features Youssou N'Dour singing a part at the end of the song translated into his native Wolof. Gabriel's lyrics were inspired by an African tradition of ambiguity in song between romantic love and love of God. [1]

Contents

"In Your Eyes" was not released as a single in the UK but released as the second single from So in the US, achieving strong radio airplay and regular MTV rotation. It reached number 1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks on 13 September 1986 and peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November. [2] Gabriel released two extended versions of the song as a 12" vinyl single in the US. The first ran 6:15 and was the single version. The second, "Special" mix, ran 7:14 and was the B-side. In Australia, "In Your Eyes" peaked at number 97 in November 1986. [3]

The track was featured in the teen drama film Say Anything... (1989) starring John Cusack and Ione Skye. [4] The song was the finale of the Secret World Tour and the final track on the 1994 Secret World Live album, where it is over 11 minutes long and includes the extra lyrics from the Special Mix, in addition to solos by the other singers and players. It was included on the US version of his 2003 compilation Hit , but not the European or Japanese versions.

In 2005, the song gave Gabriel his first gold single, certified in the US by the RIAA. [5]

Background

Inspired by a trip to a cathedral in Barcelona, Spain, Gabriel wrote lyrics for another So era song, "Sagrada". [6] Gabriel derived the lyrics from two sources: the Sagrada Família in Barcelona and the construction of the Winchester Mystery House, but he never finished the composition despite performing it live on a few occasions. [7] "Sagrada" was scrapped early on, although some elements, including the vocal melody and chord changes, were transferred over to "In Your Eyes". [6] The song was restructured on several occasions and required six reels of tape to piece together. [8]

When determining the track order for So, Gabriel wanted "In Your Eyes" to be the final track, but its prominent bassline meant it had to be placed earlier on the vinyl edition where the phonograph stylus had more room to vibrate. This restriction was no longer an issue for later CD releases, and the track was placed at the end of the album. [9] Gabriel refused to play "In Your Eyes" for any of the record company executives until the song was made more experimental. [8]

Recording

The song incorporates vocals from Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour. [10] Gabriel invited N'Dour to his Ashcombe House for lunch and played him a demo of "In Your Eyes" with the intention of having N'Dour record some vocals in English. Instead, N'Dour translated certain lines of the song into his native Wolof language and improvised his parts on the spot, prompting Gabriel to join in. Jenny Cathcart, a BBC researcher who acted as N'Dour's interpreter, recalled that "everybody was incredibly uplifted that afternoon. Youssou didn't even know he was going to do this; it was as if it was meant to be". [11] Jerry Marotta, who was one of the two drummers who played on "In Your Eyes", recalled that N'Dour was several hours late for the recording session and recorded his vocal take in thirty minutes. [8]

Despite not being credited with the instrument in the album's liner notes, [12] Daniel Lanois stated in a 2023 interview with Rick Beato that he played an acoustic twelve-string guitar on the song's chorus. Lanois was not impressed with the quality of the guitar and believed that it was "not a very nice instrument". He further stated that the guitar part provided "a support role that a drum might play. But in this case, the support was such that it was high frequency, harmonic, high-speed component underneath a relatively low slow phrasing from the vocal." [13] The arpeggiating guitar part during the chorus was a composite of two different tracks that were layered over chordal accompaniment from a piano and synthesiser. David Rhodes, who played the song's electric guitars, noted his preference for having "a lack of definition" between the synthesizers and guitars. [14]

Manu Katché was brought into the recording studio to play drums on "In Your Eyes", which was one of the first songs he worked on with Gabriel along with "Don't Give Up". Both Katche and Marotta played drums on the song, with the former also overdubbing a talking drum and additional percussion. [15] Some of the drums were reinforced by a surdo sample, which was aligned with some of the kick drum hits. [8] Katché recalled that he struggled to find a proper approach to the song, so Gabriel loosened him up by performing an African dance.

He was awkward, because he couldn't really dance. But if Peter, who didn't know me very well—because it was only the third or fourth day in the studio—tried to help me like that, then there was a message there. With that dance, that was [what] he wanted me to feel. [16]

Critical reception

Cash Box called it a "sweet and tuneful ballad" and praised Gabriel's "plaintive voice and sensational spacious production work." [17] Billboard called it a "dreamily textured mood piece." [18] Rolling Stone thought that "In Your Eyes" was "perhaps the closest thing to a conventional love ballad Gabriel has ever recorded." [19]

Writing for AllMusic, Stewart Mason called "In Your Eyes" the "finest pure love song Gabriel had ever written and one of his best songs." [20] MusicHound has described the song as being flavoured by worldbeat influences. [21] Far Out Magazine said "just like every other mid-1980s album, it [So] needed a big ballad at its centre in order to sell big. Luckily, Gabriel had just the thing with 'In Your Eyes'", and that the song "was the most nakedly emotional song that Gabriel had ever produced up to that point. The simplicity of the song's sentiment never gets compromised, with Gabriel filtering in poetic interpretations of love and devotion." [22]

Say Anything...

The song was used twice in the 1989 US Cameron Crowe film Say Anything... , as well as its trailer. A famous scene from the film occurs when broken-hearted Lloyd Dobler serenades his ex-girlfriend, Diane Court, outside her bedroom window by holding a boombox up above his head and playing the song for her. Repopularized by its usage in the film, the song reentered the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 41. This release was shorter, with a length of 4:53. [2]

Crowe says that Rosanna Arquette, who is believed to be the inspiration for the song, encouraged Peter Gabriel to consider allowing the film to use the song. [23] Gabriel asked to see Crowe's film and Crowe asked the production company to send Gabriel a rough cut. Gabriel rejected the use of his song, telling Crowe that he was uneasy about the overdose of the main character at the end; the studio had erroneously sent Gabriel the film Wired instead. He later approved the use of "In Your Eyes" upon seeing Say Anything.... [24]

In a September 2012 interview with Rolling Stone , discussing the 25th anniversary of So , Gabriel commented on the cultural impact of the scene, "It definitely gave [the song] a second life, because now it's so often parodied in comedy shows and it is one of the modern day Romeo and Juliet balcony clichés. I've talked to John Cusack about that. We're sort of trapped together in a minuscule moment of contemporary culture." [25] In October 2012, as Gabriel played the first few bars of the song during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl, Cusack walked onto the stage, handed him a boombox and took a bow, before quickly walking off again. Cameron Crowe was also present at the concert and later tweeted "Peter Gabriel and John Cusack on stage together at the Hollywood Bowl tonight. Won't forget that... ever." [26]

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1986–1987)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [3] 97
Canada Top Singles (RPM)29
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [27] 50
US Billboard Hot 100 [28] 26
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [29] 1

Performances

On the This Way Up Tour tour (1986–1987), it was performed with an extended vocal duet with Youssou N'Dour, mainly during his North American concerts. [30] [31]

In 1993, Gabriel performed the song on Saturday Night Live , during its 18th season. [32]

On 10 April 2014, Gabriel performed the song with an extended vocal duet with N'Dour as Gabriel was being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The event, which took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, was filmed and was later televised in late May 2014 on the HBO cable channel.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Gabriel</span> English musician (born 1950)

Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career with "Solsbury Hill" as his first single. After releasing four successful studio albums, all titled Peter Gabriel, his fifth studio album So (1986) became his best-selling release and is certified triple platinum in the UK and five times platinum in the US. The album's most successful single, "Sledgehammer", won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. A 2011 Time report said "Sledgehammer" was the most played music video of all time on MTV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Youssou N'Dour</span> Senegalese politician and musician (born 1959)

Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, "perhaps the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and much of Africa and in 2023, the same publication ranked him at number 69 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. From April 2012 to September 2013, he was Senegal's Minister of Tourism.

<i>Passion</i> (Peter Gabriel album) 1989 soundtrack album by Peter Gabriel

Passion is an album released in 1989 by the English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel. It was the first Peter Gabriel album to be released on Real World Records, Gabriel's second soundtrack, and his eighth album overall.

<i>Say Anything...</i> 1989 American teen romantic comedy-drama film

Say Anything... is a 1989 American teen romantic comedy drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe. The film follows the romance between Lloyd Dobler, an average student, and Diane Court, the class valedictorian, immediately after their graduation from high school.

<i>So</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Peter Gabriel

So is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel, released on 19 May 1986 by Charisma Records and Virgin Records. After working on the soundtrack to the film Birdy (1984), producer Daniel Lanois was invited to remain at Gabriel's Somerset home during 1985 to work on his next solo project. Initial sessions for So consisted of Gabriel, Lanois and guitarist David Rhodes, although these grew to include a number of percussionists.

<i>Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats</i> 1990 greatest hits album by Peter Gabriel

Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats is a compilation album by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released in 1990 as Gabriel's first career retrospective, including songs from his first solo album Peter Gabriel (1977), through Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ (1989). It was remastered with most of Gabriel's catalogue in 2002. The vinyl version of the album is called Shaking the Tree: Twelve Golden Greats.

<i>Birdy</i> (Peter Gabriel album) 1985 soundtrack album by Peter Gabriel

Birdy is the first soundtrack and sixth album overall by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel for the movie of the same name, released in 1985. The album marked Gabriel's first work with producer Daniel Lanois. It was remastered with most of Gabriel's catalogue in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manu Katché</span> French drummer and songwriter (born 1958)

Manu Katché is a French drummer and songwriter of Ivorian descent. He has worked extensively as a session musician, notably with Sting and Peter Gabriel, and his solo albums as a bandleader are largely in the jazz fusion style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Rain (song)</span> 1987 single by Peter Gabriel

"Red Rain" is the first track on English rock musician Peter Gabriel's fifth solo studio album So (1986). In the United States, it was initially only released as a promotional single and reached number three on Billboard magazine's Mainstream Rock chart in June 1986, where it stayed for three weeks between July and August. A year later, in June 1987, it was released as a commercial single in parts of Europe, Australia and the United States, peaking at 46 in the UK Singles Chart after entering the chart in July of that year. A live version also charted in the US and the UK in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel song)</span> 1986 single by Peter Gabriel

"Sledgehammer" is a song by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released in April 1986 as the lead single from his fifth studio album, So (1986). It was produced by Gabriel and Daniel Lanois. It reached No. 1 in Canada on 21 July 1986, where it spent four weeks; No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States on 26 July 1986; and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, thanks in part to its music video. It was his biggest hit in North America and ties with "Games Without Frontiers" as his biggest hit in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Time (Peter Gabriel song)</span> 1986 Peter Gabriel song

"Big Time" is a song by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel from his fifth studio album So (1986). It was his second top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at no. 8.

<i>Robbie Robertson</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson is the solo debut album by Canadian rock musician Robbie Robertson, released in 1987. Though Robertson had been a professional musician since the late 1950s, notably a founder of and primary songwriter for The Band, this was his first solo album. Robbie Robertson won the Juno Award for "Album of the Year", and producers Daniel Lanois and Robertson won the "Producer of the Year" Juno award, both in 1989; there were no Juno Awards in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Gabriel discography</span>

This is the solo discography of Peter Gabriel, an English singer-songwriter, musician and humanitarian activist who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career. His 1986 album, So, is his most commercially successful, selling five million copies in America, and the album's biggest hit, "Sledgehammer", won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. The song is the most played music video in the history of the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steam (Peter Gabriel song)</span> 1993 single by Peter Gabriel

"Steam" is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, released in January 1993 by Geffen Records as the second single from his sixth album, Us (1992). Gabriel, who wrote the song and produced it with Daniel Lanois, has said that the song is about a relationship in which the woman is sophisticated, bright, cultured, and knows everything about anything while the man knows nothing about anything; however, he does know about the woman, and she does not know much about herself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digging in the Dirt</span> 1992 single by Peter Gabriel

"Digging in the Dirt" is a song by British musician Peter Gabriel. It was released as the first single taken from his sixth studio album, Us, on 7 September 1992. The song was a minor hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 52, but it topped both the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and Album Rock Tracks charts. The song was moderately successful on the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 24, and it reached the top 10 in Canada, Portugal, and Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back to Front Tour</span> 2012–14 concert tour by Peter Gabriel

Back to Front was a concert tour by Peter Gabriel, a retrospective performance based on every song from his 1986 multi-platinum album So played in sequence. The backing band included musicians that Gabriel toured with in 1986–87 in support of the album's initial release.

<i>Set</i> (Youssou NDour album) 1990 studio album by Youssou NDour

Set is an album by the Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour, released in 1990. The album in part inspired the Senegalese youth movement Set-Setal, which sought to beautify Dakar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaking the Tree (song)</span> 1989 single by Youssou NDour & Peter Gabriel

"Shakin' the Tree" is a 1989 song by Youssou N'Dour and Peter Gabriel from the Youssou N'Dour album The Lion. Released as a single, it reached number 61 on the UK official singles chart on 17 June 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That Voice Again</span> 1986 promotional single by Peter Gabriel

"That Voice Again" is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So. The song was released as a promotional single and reached No. 14 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. Gabriel identified "That Voice Again" as one of his favorite songs on the album.

"Excellent Birds" is a song written by Laurie Anderson and Peter Gabriel. It was first included on Anderson's Mister Heartbreak album in 1984. Gabriel later reworked the song for his 1986 So album with the title "This is the Picture (Excellent Birds)". This version was excluded from the original vinyl edition of So but appeared as the final track on the cassette and CD releases. For later editions of So, "In Your Eyes" was placed the last song on So instead, moving "This is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" earlier in the track listing.

References

  1. ↑ John McCullough (20 February 2012). "Peter Gabriel & Africa". Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush . Algora. p.  222. ISBN   0-87586-207-1.
  3. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 120. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.
  4. ↑ "John Cusack relives 'Say Anything' boombox moment with Peter Gabriel". NBC. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Peter Gabriel – "In Your Eyes" Archived 26 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine . RIAA. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  6. 1 2 Bowman, Durrell (2 September 2016). Experiencing Peter Gabriel: A Listener's Companion. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 136–138. ISBN   978-1-44225-199-1.
  7. ↑ So (CD liner notes). Peter Gabriel. United Kingdom: Real World. 2012. PGCD 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. 1 2 3 4 Hein, Ethan (9 July 2014). "Killen and Marotta". The Ethan Hein Blog. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  9. ↑ Google; Gabriel, Peter (22 October 2012). Peter Gabriel: "Back to Front", Talks at Google (Interview). Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  10. ↑ Pareles, Jon (15 June 1986). "Peter Gabriel Sings of Lost Ego". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  11. ↑ Scarfe, Graeme (2021). Peter Gabriel: Every Album, Every Song. United Kingdom: SonicBond. p. 51. ISBN   978-1-78952-138-2.
  12. ↑ Peter Gabriel (So) (booklet). Peter Gabriel. Wiltshire: Real World Records. 2010.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Laing, Rob (18 May 2023). "Daniel Lanois talks producing and his memories of making So with Peter Gabriel: "If you don't get to a soulful place making a record, don't put it out"". MusicRadar. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "David Rhodes Archive - Guitar Player Magazine - September 1987". David Rhodes Archive. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "Peter Gabriel: "In Your Eyes"". Drummer Cafe. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  16. ↑ Stemkovsky, Ilya (December 2019). "Manu Katché: The drummer on many a classic rock album stays vital by avoiding the obvious, ignoring the plaudits, and always being himself" (PDF). Modern Drummer. p. 60.
  17. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 30 August 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  18. ↑ "Reviews". Billboard. 30 August 1986. p. 83. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  19. ↑ Holmes, Tim (14 August 1986). "So". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  20. ↑ Mason, Stewart. "In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  21. ↑ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. ISBN   9780787610371 . Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  22. ↑ "Listen to Peter Gabriel's isolated vocal on 'In Your Eyes'". FarOutMagazine.co.uk. 3 December 2022.
  23. ↑ Adams, Jason (3 November 2009). "'Say Anything' turns 20: Cameron Crowe's crazy story behind 'In Your Eyes' and Lloyd Dobler's boom box". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  24. ↑ "Why the Boombox Scene in Say Anything Almost Didn't Happen". Mental Floss. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  25. ↑ Q&A: Peter Gabriel Reflects On His Landmark 1986 Album So Archived 9 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 4 September 2012
  26. ↑ Gawker.com: Peter Gabriel's Performance of In Your Eyes Interrupted By John Cusack Holding A Boombox Archived 18 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 October 2012
  27. ↑ "Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes". Top 40 Singles.
  28. ↑ "Peter Gabriel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  29. ↑ "Peter Gabriel Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  30. ↑ Soundtrack of my life: Youssou N'Dour The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2011
  31. ↑ "Peter Gabriel On Tour (5): This Way Up Tour 1986–87: Big Time (Success)". genesis-news.com. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  32. ↑ SNL Archives | Episode. Archived 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 27 August 2007.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.