Blue Eyes (Elton John song)
| "Blue Eyes" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Elton John | ||||
| from the album Jump Up! | ||||
| B-side | "Hey Papa Legba" | |||
| Released | March 1982 (International) July 1982 (North America) | |||
| Recorded | September–October 1981 | |||
| Length | 3:27 | |||
| Label | Geffen (US) Rocket (UK) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Chris Thomas | |||
| Elton John singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 International single sleeve | ||||
"Blue Eyes" is a song performed by Elton John with music and lyrics written by Elton John and Gary Osborne. It was released in 1982, both as a single and on the album Jump Up!. It hit No. 8 in the UK; in the US, it spent three weeks at No. 10 on the Cash Box chart, went to No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and spent two weeks at No. 1 on the AC chart.[1]
Music video
The video for the song was filmed in Australia, on Sydney's famous Bondi to Bronte walk.
The exact location is at the most easterly point of Marks Park, Tamarama, where a low, sandstone turret rests on the top of the cliffs and overlooks the Tasman Sea. The white grand piano was positioned right in the middle of the turret. The song and video was in dedication to Elizabeth Taylor.
Technical details
Harmonically, the song is complex, with the verses in the key of B flat, and the chorus in the key of D minor. An instrumental solo, in the related flat major key of E flat, serves as a bridge and outro.
Accolades
- Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Blue Eyes" | Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male[2] | Nominated |
Chart performance
Weekly charts
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 4 |
| Belgium | 8 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles[4] | 5 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary [5] | 1 |
| Germany | 51 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[6] | 8 |
| Netherlands | 19 |
| New Zealand[7] | 11 |
| South Africa[8] | 7 |
| Switzerland | 9 |
| UK Singles Chart | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[9] | 1 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [10] | 10 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1982) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) [11] | 54 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles [12] | 49 |
| Netherlands [13] | 80 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [14] | 62 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [15] | 59 |
Band
- Elton John – piano, vocals
- Dee Murray – bass
- James Newton Howard – synthesizer, Fender Rhodes electric piano, string arrangements
- Jeff Porcaro – drums, possible tambourine
See also
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 128.
- ^ "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Blue Eyes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- ^ NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, May 16, 1982
- ^ http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html
- ^ "Adult Contemporary Music Chart - Billboard". Billboard.
- ^ "Top 100 1978-12-30". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1982
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982". musicoutfitters.com.
- ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1982". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-09-13. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
