When You Close Your Eyes

Last updated
"When You Close Your Eyes"
Single by Night Ranger
from the album Midnight Madness
B-side "Why Does Love Have to Change"
ReleasedJuly 1984 (1984-07) [1]
Genre
Length4:08
Label MCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Pat Glasser
Night Ranger singles chronology
"Sister Christian"
(1984)		"When You Close Your Eyes"
(1984)		"Sentimental Street"
(1985)

"When You Close Your Eyes" is a song by American rock band Night Ranger from their 1983 album Midnight Madness . [4]

Contents

In the U.S., the single reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. [5] [6] Ultimate Classic Rock ranked "When You Close Your Eyes" at number five on their list of Top 10 Night Ranger Songs. [7]

Background

Singer Jack Blades sat at a piano in the recording studio and improvised some chords one day, and started spontaneously singing, "When you close your eyes, do you dream about me?" He showed it to Harry Maslin, co-owner of the studio, who was impressed and urged him to keep working on the song. Blades worked out the music with the rest of the band, but they were stuck on the lyrics, and it was distracting trying to write in Hollywood. So Blades flew to his parents' home in Scottsdale, Arizona, and sat by their pool for three days, writing lyrics to "When You Close Your Eyes" and a few other songs. [8] Blades said,

It all kind of came to me, just about how you move on in your life. I thought about my old girlfriend, where we split up, and I wonder if she ever thinks about the past, and all these things you went through when you were growing up, and all these things you did when you were together, and your first love, and the first woman that I made love to. And then everybody moves on in their lives, and you just go in separate ways. And I always wondered, "When you close your eyes, do you think about me?" [8]

Music video

In the music video, scenes of the band performing are interspersed with a man's memories of his ex-girlfriend, and scenes showing her current situation, as a housewife with a husband represented by a chimpanzee. [9]

In addition, there is a slightly modified version of this video, which, among other differences, features the chimpanzee less prominently. [10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."When You Close Your Eyes"Blades, Fitzgerald, Gillis4:19
2."Why Does Love Have To Change"Blades3:49
Total length:8:08

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1984)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [11] 41
US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 14
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [13] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)Position
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard) [14] 98

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Night Ranger</span> American hard rock band

Night Ranger is an American hard rock band from San Francisco formed in 1979 that gained popularity during the 1980s with a series of albums and singles. Guitarist Brad Gillis and drummer Kelly Keagy have been the band's only constant members, though bassist Jack Blades performed on all but one of their albums. Other current members of the band include guitarist Keri Kelli and keyboardist Eric Levy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)</span> 1997 single by Green Day

"Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" (or "Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)") is a song by American rock band Green Day, released in December 1997 as the second single from their fifth studio album, Nimrod (1997). It is one of their most popular songs and has also become a staple of their concerts, usually played as the final song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higher (Creed song)</span> 1999 single by Creed

"Higher" is a song by American rock band Creed. It was released on August 31, 1999, as the lead single from their second studio album, Human Clay. The song became the bands breakthrough hit as it was their first song to reach the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at number seven in July 2000. It spent a total of 57 weeks upon the survey, the longest stay for any Creed song on the Hot 100. "Higher" also became the band's second chart-topping hit on rock radio as it topped both the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, for a then-record of 17 weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ozzy Osbourne discography</span>

The discography of Ozzy Osbourne, an English heavy metal vocalist, consists of 13 studio albums, five live albums, seven compilation albums, five extended plays (EPs), 65 singles, nine video albums and 41 music videos. After being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979, Osbourne started his solo career with a band consisting of guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake. The group released their debut album Blizzard of Ozz in 1980, which reached number 7 on the UK Albums Chart, number 8 on the Canadian Albums Chart, and number 21 on the US Billboard 200. Singles "Crazy Train" and "Mr Crowley" reached the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart, and the album has been certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 1981's Diary of a Madman reached the top 20 in the UK, Canada and the US, and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The album was the last to feature Daisley and Kerslake, both of whom were fired before its release and replaced by Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge, respectively, as well as the last to feature Rhoads, who died in a plane crash on 19 March 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closing Time (Semisonic song)</span> 1998 single by Semisonic

"Closing Time" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released on March 10, 1998, as the lead single from their second studio album, Feeling Strangely Fine, and began to receive mainstream radio airplay on April 27, 1998. The ballad was written by Dan Wilson and produced by Nick Launay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sister Christian</span> 1984 single by Night Ranger

"Sister Christian" is a power ballad by the American hard rock band Night Ranger. It was released in March 1984 as the second single from their album Midnight Madness. It was ranked No. 32 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980s. It was written and sung by the band's drummer, Kelly Keagy, for his sister. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and staying on the charts for 24 weeks. It also reached No. 1 in Canada. The song is used in several films, including Boogie Nights (1997), Superstar (1999), Friday the 13th (2009) and Ben Affleck's 2023 film Air (2023).

<i>Midnight Madness</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Night Ranger

Midnight Madness is the second studio album by American rock band Night Ranger, released on October 26, 1983, on MCA Records. The album produced three charting singles and contains the band's best known hit, "Sister Christian." It remains their highest selling album at over a million copies sold in the US. A remastered CD was reissued by Rock Candy Records in September 2023

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazing (Aerosmith song)</span> 1993 single by Aerosmith

"Amazing" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. Don Henley lends his vocals, shadowing lead singer Steven Tyler in parts of this song. The rock ballad was written by Tyler and longtime band friend and collaborator Richie Supa. It peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number three on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, number nine on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40. The song was also successful abroad, peaking at number two in Iceland, number four in Canada, number five in Norway, and the top 20 in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

<i>Dawn Patrol</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Night Ranger

Dawn Patrol is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Night Ranger, released on November 1, 1982, by Neil Bogart's The Boardwalk Entertainment Co. The cover art of the album features dishes of the Very Large Array in central New Mexico. A remastered CD was reissued by Rock Candy Records in September 2023

<span class="mw-page-title-main">There Will Never Be Another Tonight</span> 1991 single by Bryan Adams

"There Will Never Be Another Tonight" is a song written by Bryan Adams, Robert Lange, and Jim Vallance for Adams sixth studio album Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). It was the third single released from the album, in November 1991. The song peaked at number two on Canada's RPM Top Singles chart, number six on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has only appeared on one compilation album released by Adams: Anthology (2005). Starting in 2009, the song is used as the opening theme song for the CBC reality competition, Battle of the Blades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Night</span> 1971 single by Van Morrison

"Wild Night" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and is the opening track on his fifth studio album Tupelo Honey. It was released as a single in 1971 and reached number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2022, the song peaked at #1 on the radio airplay chart in Canada.

<i>7 Wishes</i> (Night Ranger album) 1985 studio album by Night Ranger

7 Wishes is the third studio album by the American hard rock band Night Ranger, released in 1985 and produced by Pat Glasser. The album features three Billboard Hot 100 chart hits: "Sentimental Street" reached No. 8, "Four in the Morning" No. 19 and "Goodbye" No. 17.

<i>Big Life</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Night Ranger

Big Life is the fourth studio album by Night Ranger, released in March 1987. It featured the single "The Secret of My Success", which was written for the 1987 film of the same name starring Michael J. Fox. The single flopped, stalling outside the Top 40, peaking at No. 64. It was a top twenty hit on the Mainstream Rock Chart though, hitting number 12, and was one of the most played videos in the spring of 1987 on MTV. "Hearts Away" was the second single/video and peaked at No. 90 on the Hot 100 chart. The third single/video, "Color of Your Smile" failed to chart in the U.S. at all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Mama Don't Dance</span> 1972 single by Loggins and Messina

"Your Mama Don't Dance" is a hit 1972 song by the rock duo Loggins and Messina. Released on their self-titled album Loggins and Messina, it reached number four on the Billboard pop chart and number 19 on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart as a single in early 1973.

"Don't Tell Me You Love Me" is a song by Night Ranger written by Jack Blades from their 1982 album, Dawn Patrol. It was released as a single in December 1982.

"(You Can Still) Rock in America" is a song written by Jack Blades and Brad Gillis, and the first single released from Night Ranger's 1983 album Midnight Madness. Former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath singer Glenn Hughes contribute backing vocals on the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Enough</span> 1990 single by Damn Yankees

"High Enough" is a song by American supergroup Damn Yankees from their self titled debut album. A power ballad, it is their most successful single in terms of chart position and sales, rising to No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the group's first top-ten pop single. It also reached No. 2 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The success of "High Enough" helped send its parent album into the top 20 on the US albums chart.

"Goodbye" is a power ballad by the American hard rock band Night Ranger. It was released in October 1985, as the third and last single from their album 7 Wishes. It was written by guitarist Jeff Watson and singer Jack Blades. The lead vocals on this song are sung by drummer Kelly Keagy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Night Ranger discography</span> Cataloging of published recordings by Night Ranger

Night Ranger is an American hard rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979 by Jack Blades, Kelly Keagy and Brad Gillis. A year later Alan Fitzgerald and Jeff Watson joined completing their original lineup. Their discography consists of 13 studio albums, nine live albums, six compilation albums and 16 singles.

<i>Man in Motion</i> (Night Ranger album) 1988 studio album by Night Ranger

Man in Motion is the fifth studio album by Night Ranger, released in 1988. This album was the first studio album recorded by Night Ranger after the departure of keyboardist Alan Fitzgerald, who was replaced by Jesse Bradman.

References

  1. ↑ "Night Ranger singles".
  2. ↑ "Midnight Madness - Night Ranger". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  3. ↑ "36 Essential '80s Pop Metal Tracks". Stereogum. 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2020-06-02. #28
  4. ↑ Roth, Jason (November 2001). "Motorin' Mania". Spin . p. 88.
  5. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  6. ↑ "Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  7. ↑ Wardlaw, Matt (December 28, 2012). "Top 10 Night Ranger Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  8. 1 2 Ortega, Shawna (March 15, 2010). "Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ Night Ranger - When You Close Your Eyes @YouTube.com (Version 1) Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  10. ↑ Night Ranger - When You Close Your Eyes @YouTube.com Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  11. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8602." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Night Ranger Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Night Ranger Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.


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.