TotW 10/23/2023 - 10/29/2023: PETER GABRIEL - In Your Eyes

1st Official Post
    • Official Post

    Your rating for "In Your Eyes" by PETER GABRIEL 23

    1. 15 points - outstanding (9) 39%
    2. 14 points - very good (4) 17%
    3. 13 points - very good - (3) 13%
    4. 12 points - good + (2) 9%
    5. 11 points - good (3) 13%
    6. 10 points - good - (0) 0%
    7. 09 points - satisfactory + (2) 9%
    8. 08 points - satisfactory (0) 0%
    9. 07 points - satisfactory - (0) 0%
    10. 06 points - sufficient + (0) 0%
    11. 05 points - sufficient (0) 0%
    12. 04 points - sufficient - (0) 0%
    13. 03 points - poor + (0) 0%
    14. 02 points - poor (0) 0%
    15. 01 points - poor - (0) 0%
    16. 00 points - abysmal (0) 0%

    We invite you to share interesting facts and tidbits about this track. Let's look at the track in the context of the band's / the artist's history, at the music, the songwriting and all other aspects that are relevant for this track. Please do stick to the discussion of the track above. Comparisons to other tracks are okay, but remember that the other track you may be keen to talk about has or will have its own Track Of The Week thread. If you spot a mistake or if you can close a gap in the fact sheet above please feel free to contact martinus or Christian about it; we will gladly add and improve!


    PETER GABRIEL - In Your Eyes
    Year: 1986
    Album: So
    Working title: ?
    Credits: Gabriel
    Lyrics: Yes
    Length: 5:27
    Musicians: Peter Gabriel, Tony Levin, David Rhodes, Manu Katche, Jerry Marotta, Larry Klein, Daniel Lanois,
    Played live: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2023
    Cover versions: Renée Fleming, Nichole Nordeman, Banks, Lori McKenna, Alan Frew, Vitamin String Quartet, SR-71, Ninja Sex Party, John Tesh, Darren Hayes, Jeffrey Gaines, Oldies in Jazz, The Brown Derbies, Mike Massé feat. Jeff Hall, Sara Bareilles, Emmett Lee Stang

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    Notes: As far as interesting facts about our current TotW are concerned, one doesn't even know where to start: Youssou N'Dour sings the chorus at the end in his mother tongue Wolof. Sa bet chi lamp, chi tangaay, sa bet maangi ci biir is supposed to mean something like In your eyes, the light, the heat. As a single from Peter's most successful album, the song clearly falls behind the other singles (e.g. Sledgehammer) - at least in terms of chart positions. Nevertheless, according to setlist.fm, In Your Eyes is the third most frequently played song by Peter Gabriel live. Only Solsbury Hill (number 1) and Biko (number 2) were performed live more often. This statistic alone, unsurprising for fans, should make the song's popularity clear. The fact that the song has been covered by at least the above-mentioned artists/bands further underlines this fact. Three years after its release, the track was used in the film Teen Lover (original title: Say Anything...) with John Cusack. And there is certainly much more to say about this TotW. Gabriel leaves it up to the listener to decide whether the song describes the love between a man and a woman or a person's relationship with God. We leave it up to you to vote for this TotW and to let us know what you think..

    cheers

    Christian


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    Everything I love about PG in one song. Quite an impressive feat in the mid 80s, when he's obviously juggling his usual style with a more commercial sound.


    I'm not always a fan of the live reworking of songs, but I love what he does with it live.


    Automatic 15 points.

    I gave it a 15. It is a pop masterpiece. It is not as challenging as some of his other great songs, but I can't think of many better expressions of joy. I far prefer the extended version, which he plays live and I think was the originally intended vision for the song as there is also a studio version with similar structure.


    In terms of the recorded live versions, I love the version from the So tour with N'Dour joining in to sing his classic part. However the version from the Secret World tour is also magical. Paula Cole and Papa Wemba's vocalizations are lovely. I dig Jean-Claude Naimro's keyboard break. Shankar's haunting violin adds great atmosphere. And Katche's wonderful syncopated drumming adds all the right surprises. I am puzzled that Gabriel left in his vocal flub for one of the choruses, given his tendency to "cheat" and fix these problems.

    14/15

    I always thought the album version was nearly perfect, but in fact not perfect. The above mentioned single version IS perfect, nevertheless. The track works well live as well.

    I purchased SO just after it was released. I figured this song would fly up the charts immediately, but it wasn't until the 90s that I suddenly heard it spring up in commercials, movie promos, etc. A late bloomer of a song but a good one.

    Love I get so lost, sometimes

    Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart

    When I want to run away

    I drive off in my car

    But whichever way I go

    I come back to the place you are


    Enough said,, absolute classic imho...