In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel song)

Infobox Single
Name = In Your Eyes


Artist = Peter Gabriel
from Album = So
B-side =
Released = 1986
Format = 7" single, 12" single, CD single
Recorded = 1985
Genre = Pop/Rock/ballad
Length = 5:29 (7" LP version)
8:55 (12" special mix)
Label = Geffen Records
Writer = Peter Gabriel
Producer = Peter Gabriel, Bill Laswell and Daniel Lanois
Certification =
Chart position = * #1 (US Mainstream Rock Tracks) (reissue)
* #26 (US)
Last single = "Sledgehammer"
(1986)
This single = "In Your Eyes"
(1986)
Next single = "Red Rain"
(1987)

"In Your Eyes" is a hit rock/pop single from Peter Gabriel's 1986 album "So". It reached #1 on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986.cite book |title= Rock N' Roll Gold Rush |last= Dean |first= Maury |authorlink= Maury Dean |coauthors= |year= 2003 |publisher= Algora |location= |isbn= 0-87586-207-1 |pages= 222 |url= ] It was not released as a single in the UK. Gabriel later released an extended version of the song which was nearly 9 minutes in length (as compared to the original 5:29). Like many of his songs, "In Your Eyes" contains significant African influences, even more so when performed live (on the "So" tour) as an extended vocal duet with Youssou N'Dour.

"In Your Eyes" was written about Gabriel's one-time girlfriend, actress Rosanna Arquette.

In 1989, the song appeared in the Cameron Crowe film, "Say Anything", in a scene where broken-hearted Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) serenades his former girlfriend (Ione Skye) outside her bedroom window by holding up a boombox above his head and playing the song for her. (This scene has become a standard pop culture reference for romance.) Although this re-popularized the song, it charted but failed to crack the top 40 in its second run, reaching #41.

The song was the finale of the Secret World Tour, and is the final track on the "Secret World Live" album.

In 1993, Gabriel performed the song on "Saturday Night Live". [ [http://snlarc.jt.org/ep.php?i=199304108 SNL Archives | Episode.] Retrieved August 27, 2007.]

The song was included on the US version of his 2003 compilation "Hit", but not on the European or Japanese versions.

This song also appeared in the 2005 episode of "Cold Case" entitled "Family", involving a 1988 murder. The song apears towards the end when case is resolved.

Track listing

# "In Your Eyes" (LP Version) – 5:29
# "In Your Eyes" (Special Mix) – 8:55

Cover versions

* Neal Morse recorded an acoustic version of the song, along with Solsbury Hill, for an Inner Circle (fan club) release.
* A pop punk rendition of the song was released by the band SR-71 on their third album "Here We Go Again".
* An acoustic cover was performed by Darren Hayes and released on the "I Miss You" single.
* Jeffrey Gaines has released both a studio and an acoustic cover of the song (this version is often mistaken for Ben Harper).
* Christian artist Nichole Nordeman performed a cover of the song on her album "Woven & Spun".
* Aaron Lewis of Staind performed a cover of the song with his previous band J-Cat.
* Lori McKenna contributed a cover of the song to the 2005 compilation "High School Reunion".
* Sara Bareilles covered this song in a live session that is included on the bonus disc to "Little Voice".
* Dianne Reeves covered this song on various live performances in jazz style.
* Matt Ketteman & Cameron Mizell included an acoustic cover of this song on their album "Follow Through".
* Heart guitarist and vocalist Nancy Wilson covered this song on her 1999 solo live album "Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop".

References