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"I'll Close My Eyes", first published in 1945, is a song written and composed by the English songwriter and bandleader Billy Reid. [1] This song is usually performed with altered lyrics by the American songwriter Buddy Kaye. The song has become a jazz standard.
The original version of the song had both music and lyrics written by Billy Reid. [1] In this original version, the song is a song of regret, with a verse introducing the theme in words which include: "Love was mine, you gave me a chance; But my heart was not content and I lost my romance.." The main song refrain then begins (as it does in the later version) "I'll close my eyes" but continues "and make believe it's you". [1] The song then continues on the theme that the singer has foolishly lost his love and can now only close his eyes and imagine her in his loneliness. It was recorded with the original Billy Reid words by the English singer Dorothy Squires, who had a close association with Billy Reid. [2]
Soon after its release, new words were written for the Billy Reid tune by the American songwriter Buddy Kaye. [3] The new words make the song more upbeat. [4] The initial phrase of the song remains "I'll close my eyes" but now it continues "...to everyone but you". The song then continues on the theme that the singer will always be faithful, will "lock my heart to any other caress" and will close his eyes to see his love "through the years" in "those moments when we're apart". [3] It thus becomes, not a song of loss, but a commitment to fidelity in a relationship which is expected to last. In this form, it was taken up by a number of singers. It was broadcast by Frances Langford with the new words as early as 1947, in a Maxwell House Radio Show. [5]
The Jazz standard "I'll Close My Eyes" (with Buddy Kaye lyrics) has been covered by 50+ recording artists, including the Dinah Washington (and Quincy Jones Orchestra) recording that is licensed for soundtrack use in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (film) and Lee Daniels’ THE BUTLER (film).
Performers who have recorded the song in vocal or instrumental versions include:
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1962.
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"I'm Walking Behind You" is a popular song which was written by Billy Reid and published in 1953. The recording by American singer Eddie Fisher was a No. 1 hit in both the US and UK Singles charts, but it had previously been recorded by Reid's former partner, Dorothy Squires, who had a hit with the song in the UK.
Dorothy Squires was a Welsh singer. Her early successes were achieved with "The Gypsy", "A Tree in the Meadow" and "I'm Walking Behind You" by her partner Billy Reid, and "Say It with Flowers" written by Squires with piano accompaniment by Russ Conway. Among her later well-known recordings were versions of "Till", "My Way", and "For Once in My Life". Other notable cover songs included "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening", "I'm in the Mood for Love", "Anytime", "If You Love Me " and "And So to Sleep Again".
William Gordon Reid was an English songwriter, bandleader, pianist and accordionist. He was the first British songwriter to reach the top of the US music chart, with The Ink Spots' 1946 recording of "The Gypsy", and was known for his close association with the singer Dorothy Squires, for whom he wrote that and many other songs.
"The Gypsy" is a popular song written by Billy Reid and published in 1945. The ballad tells the story of a person who visits a Gypsy fortune teller and is reassured that their partner is faithful. Though they both know it to be untrue, the narrator resolves to return, "'Cause I want to believe the Gypsy".
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Jules Leonard "Buddy" Kaye was an American songwriter, producer, and author. His songs were recorded by top performers, including Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Fitzgerald, McGuire Sisters, Glenn Miller, Sammy Kaye, Perry Como, Elvis Presley, Charles Aznavour, Tony Bennett, Cliff Richard, Pat Boone, Harry Belafonte, Bobby Darin, Little Richard, Barry Manilow, Karen Carpenter, Diana Krall, and Dusty Springfield. He scored number-one hits on the Billboard charts in 1945 with "Till The End Of Time", recorded by Perry Como, and in 1949 with "'A' You're Adorable ", recorded by Como and the Fontaine Sisters. Among his most recognizable tunes in pop culture are the theme songs to the Famous Studios theatrical cartoons Little Lulu and Little Audrey; the international hit song "Speedy Gonzales", recorded by Pat Boone; and the co-written theme song to the television series I Dream of Jeannie. In 1976, he won a Grammy Award for best children's album for his production of The Little Prince, narrated by Richard Burton.
The Sweetheart Tree is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released by Mercury Records on September 30, 1965, and included songs associated with Italy, France, Ireland, and Scotland as well as several selections, such as "I'll Close My Eyes" and "The Very Thought of You", from English composers.
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I'll Close My Eyes is a 1991 studio album by Mark Murphy.
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"Beautiful Brown Eyes" is a country song written by Alton Delmore, originally inspired by his oldest daughter. One of the best known versions of the song was originally arranged by Fiddlin' Arthur Smith & Alton Delmore of The Delmore Brothers in 1951. An award was presented to Alton Delmore for "Beautiful Brown Eyes" in 1951.
I'll Close My Eyes is an album by guitarist Doug Raney recorded in 1982 and released on the Danish label, SteepleChase.
