These Eyes

{{Infobox song | name = These Eyes | cover = The Guess Who - These Eyes.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[The Guess Who]] | album = [[Wheatfield Soul]] | B-side = Lightfoot | released = December 1968 (Canada) March 1969 (US) | recorded = September 19 and 21, 1968 | studio = | venue = | genre = {{hlist|[[Pop rock]]<ref name="RSguide">{{cite book|last=Edmonds|first=Ben|chapter=The Guess Who|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|date=November 2, 2004|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|publisher=Simon & Schuster|location=New York|pages=348–349}}</ref><ref name="AllMusic Swihart">{{AllMusic |class=album|id=mw0000205120|title= The Guess Who - ''Track Record: The Guess Who Collection'' (1988) Review|last= Swihart|first= Stanton|access-date= December 3, 2024}}</ref>|[[baroque pop]]<ref>{{cite web|first=Gary |last=Hill |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-the-guess-who-rca-mw0000195501 |title=The Best of the Guess Who [RCA] - The Guess Who | Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref>|[[blue-eyed soul]]<ref name="Christgau2000">{{cite book|first=Robert|last=Christgau|title=Any Old Way You Choose it: Rock and Other Pop Music, 1967-1973|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pXvuAAAAMAAJ&q=these+eyes|date=1 January 2000|publisher=Cooper Square Press|isbn=978-0-8154-1041-6|page=91}}</ref>}} | length = {{Duration|m=3|s=45}} | label = Nimbus 9 (Canada) [[RCA Victor]] (US) | writer = [[Randy Bachman]], [[Burton Cummings]] | producer = [[Jack Richardson (record producer)|Jack Richardson]] | prev_title = Of a Dropping Pin | prev_year = 1968 | next_title = [[Laughing (The Guess Who song)|Laughing]] | next_title2 = [[Undun (song)|Undun]] | next_year = 1969 }}

"'''These Eyes'''" is a song by the Canadian [[rock and roll|rock]] band [[The Guess Who]]. The song was co-written by the group's lead guitarist [[Randy Bachman]] and lead singer [[Burton Cummings]] and originally included on the band's 1969 album ''[[Wheatfield Soul]]''. It was first released as a single (backed by a tribute to [[Gordon Lightfoot]] titled "Lightfoot"), in their native Canada, where its chart success (#7),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5936&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=98q6tcgku7546lsrfi3gr83pp7 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref> along with the influence of [[CKLW-AM]] Windsor's radio station music director [[Rosalie Trombley]], helped land them a U.S. distribution deal with [[RCA Records]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Karen |last=Bliss |url=https://www.readability.com/articles/qdowbsdy |title=The Legacy of Rosalie Trombley, Radio Pioneer Immortalized in Bob Seger's 'Rosalie' and Breaker of 'Bennie and the Jets' | Billboard |website=Readability.com |date=2016-01-21 |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref> It was subsequently released in the U.S. in March 1969, and became a breakthrough success for the group (and for Canadian music in general, which would see a sudden rise in popularity throughout North America<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yorke |first=Ritchie |author-link=Ritchie Yorke |date=1970 |title=After Guess Who Single, Canadian Chart Boom |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref>); it would be their first single to reach the top ten on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Pop Singles]] chart, peaking at number six,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=These+Eyes+by+The+Guess+Who&id=43098 |title=These Eyes (song by The Guess Who) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts |website=Musicvf.com |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref> and would eventually be certified gold by the [[RIAA]] for sales of over one million copies. It was also a top ten hit in South Africa. While it was actually the 18th single released by the band overall, it was the first from the line-up of Cummings, Bachman, Jim Kale, and [[Garry Peterson]] as produced by [[Jack Richardson (record producer)|Jack Richardson]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Joe |last=Viglione |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/wheatfield-soul-mw0000199923 |title=Wheatfield Soul - The Guess Who | Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref>

==Background and writing== Bachman had the original piano chords with an original title of "These Arms". Cummings changed the title to "These Eyes" and added the middle eight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1489 |title=These Eyes by The Guess Who Songfacts |website=Songfacts.com |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref> At first, the band didn't even want to release the song considering the gentle ballad too great a departure from their hard rock roots.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canoe.com/JamConcertsA2D/bachman_randy_101703-sun.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031212210451/http://www.canoe.com/JamConcertsA2D/bachman_randy_101703-sun.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 12, 2003|title=History lesson|access-date=April 4, 2020}}</ref> The song features an orchestral arrangement by [[Ben McPeek]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Guess Who Wheatfield Soul Liner Notes|last=Chapman|first=Ralph|publisher=Iconoclassic Records|year=2009|location=Hyannis Port, MA|pages=2}}</ref>

==Content== The song is noted for its repeated long section which starts in [[C major]], then goes up a whole tone to [[D major]], then up a whole tone again in [[E major]], and finally in the coda to [[F-sharp major]], before the fade.

==Personnel== *[[Burton Cummings]] - lead vocals, [[Hohner Pianet]] electric piano *[[Randy Bachman]] - guitar *[[Jim Kale]] - bass *[[Garry Peterson]] - drums

==Covers== Among the many cover versions released over the years, [[Junior Walker & the All-Stars]]' version reached number three on the [[Billboard Black Singles|R&B Singles Chart]], number 16 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Pop Singles]] in October 1969,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=These+Eyes+by+Jr.+Walker+%26+the+All-Stars&id=23488 |title=These Eyes (song by Jr. Walker & the All-Stars) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts |website=Musicvf.com |date=1969-10-25 |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref> and number 28 in [[RPM (magazine)|Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6125.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - December 27, 1969}}</ref>

[[Alton Ellis]]' cover of this song is featured on his 1970 album ''[[Sunday Coming]]''. This reggae arrangement was produced by [[Coxsone Dodd]]. In 1971 another reggae adaptation followed: "These Eyes (Crying every night)" by [[Stranger Cole]] (produced by Byron Smith) followed by [[Tommy McCook|Tommy McCook and the Supersonics]] instrumental version titled "Mighty Alley". Subsequently [[U-Roy]] and [[Hopeton Lewis]] sang and toasted new lyrics over "Mighty Alley" to create the recording "Tom Drunk", both recordings produced by [[Duke Reid]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roots-archives.com/release/3071 |title=U Roy - Version Galore |publisher=Roots Archives |date=2014-03-02 |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref> [[Herman Marquis]] also issued an instrumental version titled "Tom's Version", produced by Byron Smith.

[[Michael Bolton]], then known as Michael Bolotin, covered the song on his 1976 sophomore solo album ''[[Everyday of My Life (album)|Everyday of My Life]]''.

[[Natalie Cole]] covered the song on her 1981 album ''[[Happy Love]]'', her final album under her [[Capitol Records]] contract.

Filipino Singer [[Gary Valenciano]] covered the song on his 1995 album ''Outside Looking In'' with his Dance Version.

Canadian hip-hop artist [[Maestro Fresh Wes]] sampled this song for his 1998 Canadian hit "[[Stick to Your Vision]]" from the ''[[Built to Last (Maestro album)|Built to Last]]'' album. In addition, the chorus (of which the first part states "These eyes/Seen a lot of shame in the game/These eyes/Seen a lot of pain in the fame/These eyes/Seen a lot of highs and lows/But that's just the way life goes") uses Burton Cummings' vocals for the words "these eyes" in a call-and-response manner.

Canadian musician [[Lawrence Gowan]] released a cover of the song on his ''Best of...'' greatest hits release in 1997 as a tribute to the Guess Who being the first concert he ever saw when he was a child.

The song was also covered by [[jacksoul]] on their 2006 album ''[[mySOUL]]''.

The song was also featured in the 2007 American comedy film ''[[Superbad (film)|Superbad]]'' where it is sung by [[Michael Cera]].

The band [[Ween]] would often perform a humorous cover of the song live called "Deez Nutz".

In 2008, Gregg Gillis, better known to the public as [[Girl Talk (musician)|Girl Talk]], sampled the song for the track entitled "Set It Off" from his fourth album, ''[[Feed the Animals]]''.

The song is briefly sung by [[Donkey (Shrek)|Donkey]] at one point in the 2010 [[DreamWorks Animation]] film, ''[[Shrek Forever After]]''.

[[Angie Stone]] did a soulful version of the song on her 2016 ''Covered in Soul'' album.

==Other uses in popular culture== The Guess Who's version appears in a [[2018 in television|2018]] [[TV commercial]] for [[JBL (company)|JBL]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ispot.tv/ad/wlMz/jbl-pulse-3-sound-you-can-see-song-by-the-guess-who|title=JBL Pulse 3 Commercial, 'Sound You Can See' Song by The Guess Who|work=ispot.tv|access-date=February 18, 2018}}</ref> This version was also used in the 2005 [[psychological thriller]] film ''[[Stay (2005 film)|Stay]]'', directed by [[Marc Forster]]. The song is also featured in the 2007 comedy film ''[[Superbad (film)|Superbad]]'' and the 2024 Canadian comedy-drama film ''[[Universal Language (2024 film)|Universal Language]]''.

[[Labatt USA]] used These Eyes for their advertisement for [[Labatt Blue]] in 2015.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211206/qCdIFR-nTkU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201101040257/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCdIFR-nTkU Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCdIFR-nTkU| title = Labatt Blue Gold Beer Bear | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1969) !Peak position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Singles ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=19}}</ref> | align="center"| 100 |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|7|chartid=5396|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023|refname=CAN1}} |- !scope="row"|South African Singles Chart<ref>{{cite web|first=Brian |last=Currin |url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(G).html|title=South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (A) |website=Rock.co.za |access-date=November 8, 2023}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|10 |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|6|artist=The Guess Who|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}} |} {{col-2}}

===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1969) !Peak position |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|30|chartid=6104|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023|refname=CAN2}} |- !scope="row"|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1969.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=2016-10-02}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|44 |- !scope="row"|U.S. ''[[Cash Box]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1969YESP.html |title=Top 100 Year End Charts: 1969 |work=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox Magazine]] |access-date=2016-05-20 |archive-date=2013-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305115129/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1969YESP.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|22 |} {{col-end}}

==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=The Guess Who|title=These Eyes|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=1968|certyear=2022|access-date=January 24, 2024}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Guess Who|title=These Eyes|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1969|certyear=1969|certref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=These+Eyes#search_section|title=American single certifications – These Eyes|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|access-date=January 24, 2024}}</ref>}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:1960s ballads]] [[Category:1968 songs]] [[Category:1968 singles]] [[Category:1969 singles]] [[Category:Baroque pop songs]] [[Category:Songs written by Randy Bachman]] [[Category:Songs written by Burton Cummings]] [[Category:The Guess Who songs]] [[Category:Junior Walker songs]] [[Category:Michael Bolton songs]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Richardson (record producer)]] [[Category:RCA Records singles]] [[Category:RCA Victor singles]] [[Category:Angie Stone songs]] [[Category:Pop ballads]] [[Category:Soul ballads]]