SONG These Eyes
WRITTEN BY Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings
PERFORMED BY The Guess Who, Junior Walker& The All Stars
APPEARS ON Wheatfield Soul, What Does It Take To Win Your Love
The Internet has done wonders for my life in many ways. It's opened a lot of doors. It's also a great way to find information about songs and artist at your convenience. Sometimes you learn about songs that you already enjoyed listening to but knew nothing about. The other day it helped me discover the origins of a song that I actual knew word for word but couldn't name. I know that sounds strange so let me explain.
I grew up in one of those houses where the grown ups controlled the music and what everyone listened to. For us that meant that if there was music being played it was classic rhythm and blues. I guess that's why at 35 years old I prefer those songs to most of the music of my own generation. I remember paying attention to the songs and learning the words but I never really used to pay attention to the title of the song and the artist. That's why I know how a lot of songs sound but don't always know the person performing it.
The other day I was at my desk listening to some music on YouTube while I worked on some reports. I was listening to this song by the Chi-Lites when one of the related videos caught my attention. The clip was a song called These Eyes performed by a group called The Guess Who. While the title of the song seemed familiar the group was totally unknown to me. I decided to click on the clip to see if it was that song and it was. Now I know this song so well that I can sing it word for word. It's the same groove I remember but I was sure it wasn't the same artist. I did some searching and found out The Guess Who was a Canadian rock band who recorded the song in 1969. It was their first U.S. top ten hit. They were also the first Canadian group to score a number one hit in America with the song "American Woman". I find that amusing since it’s another song I know really well and never paid attention to the artist.
I was happy I found the name of it but I still didn't think that The Guess Who was the same group who recorded the version that I used to listen to. The voice was too familiar to be a group I never heard of before. I did a little more research and it turns out that the song was recorded by Junior Walker and The All Stars a year after The Guess Who originally released it. I found a clip of the Junior Walker version and listened to it for the rest of the day at work. I am glad I discovered the original version of this song because I have to admit that even though it some guys from Canada it has just as much soul to me as Junior Walker and The All Star's remake. The only thing that the Junior Walker version has the original doesn't is a wicked saxophone player blowing his soul out of the horn. The saxophone solo gives that version extra points. Other than that they are both really good.
Lyrics
These eyes cry every night for you
These arms long to hold you again
The hurtin's on me, yeah
But I will never be free, no, my baby, no no
You gave a promise to me, yeah
And you broke it, you broke it, oh no
These eyes watched you bring my world to an end
This heart could not accept and pretend
The hurtin's on me, yeah
But I will never be free, no no no
You took the vow with me, yeah
And you spoke it, you spoke it, babe
These eyes are cryin'
These eyes have seen a lot of loves
But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you
These eyes are cryin'
These eyes have seen a lot of loves
But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you
These eyes are cryin'
These eyes have seen a lot of loves
But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you
These eyes cry every night for you
These arms, these arms long to hold you, hold you again
These eyes are cryin'
These eyes have seen a lot of loves
But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you
These eyes are cryin'
These eyes have seen a lot of loves
But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you
These eyes are cryin'
These eyes have seen a lot of loves
But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you
These eyes are cryin'
These eyes have seen a lot of loves
But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Great song! I went out and bought The Best of the Guess Who, which I listened to over and over back in high school. It's still a 5-star collection!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the R&B covers until now -- and that Jr Walker version is sweet -- which shows something I truly value about this blog. It's pretty cool that we both grew up listening to different versions of the same song and come together over them on a blog.
Believe it or not, I listened to "The Best of the Guess Who" on the plane coming back from Ireland -- it was one of the selections on the media center. Love "These Eyes" I think I first heard it on the "Superstars of the 70s" 8-track that a friend had.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy both versions, but I play Jr. Walker's all of the time--I mean sometimes I punch the repeat button and listen repeatedly. I listen to "What Does It Take to Win Your Love for Me" more often. I am grateful we have all of this music and can play most of it anytime we choose.
ReplyDelete