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For Your Eyes Only (song)

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This article is about the Sheena Easton song. For the Blondie song of this name, see The Hunter (Blondie album).
"For Your Eyes Only"
Standard UK/European and Brazilian picture sleeve
Single by Sheena Easton
from the album For Your Eyes Only
B-side"For Your Eyes Only" (instrumental)
Released15 June 1981[1]
Recorded1981
GenrePop,[2] soft rock[3]
Length3:04
2:54 (7")
LabelLiberty (original), RT Industries (current)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Christopher Neil
Sheena Easton singles chronology
"When He Shines"
(1981) 		"For Your Eyes Only"
(1981) 		"Just Another Broken Heart"
(1981)
James Bond theme singles chronology
"Moonraker"
(1979) 		"For Your Eyes Only"
(1981) 		"All Time High"
(1983)
Audio sample

"For Your Eyes Only" is the theme to the 12th James Bond movie of the same name, written by Bill Conti and Mick Leeson, and performed by Scottish singer Sheena Easton. The song reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number eight on the UK singles chart.[4][5] It was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards in 1982.

Background

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Conti – who was also responsible for the film's score – had originally written the song thinking about Donna Summer or Dusty Springfield, singers he thought "fit the Bond style". Film studio United Artists suggested Sheena Easton, an up-and-coming singer who had recently scored a No.1 hit in America with "Morning Train". Conti heard Easton's debut album Take My Time and felt unimpressed but decided to work with her in the song after meeting Easton in person.

Leeson's lyrics originally used "for your eyes only" only as the final line, as the lyricist felt he could only use the phrase as a conclusion. After credit sequence artist Maurice Binder complained about having to synchronize the unveiling of the title with it being said in the theme song, Conti decided to work with Leeson to write lyrics that opened with "for your eyes only".[6] The US band Blondie had previously been asked to write the title song but it was rejected in favour of Conti's by the Bond producers. (Blondie's recording of a completely different song, also called "For Your Eyes Only", appeared on their 1982 album The Hunter).

Easton is the only artist (to date) to be seen singing the theme song to a Bond movie during its opening titles, as Maurice Binder liked Easton's appearance and decided to add her to the credits.[7] Her seductive appearance in these clips was, according to Roger Moore, sexier than any of the Bond girls, although Easton herself states that the filming process was very unglamorous.[8][9] In particular, Binder had to attach Easton to a chair so she would be immobile during a take where the camera zooms on the singer's lips.[7]

This was one of the few Bond themes not to have a contribution by John Barry. The song was produced by Christopher Neil, who was Easton's regular producer at the time.

The song was released as a single in June 1981, at the same time as the film's launch. It became a worldwide hit, reaching the top ten in the UK, number 1 in the Netherlands and top five in the US. It remains one of Easton's biggest hits and is included on compilation soundtrack albums.[10]

Reception

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Record World said that Easton's vocal shows "overwhelming vocal range and power."[11]

Music video

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Two different music videos for the song were released. The first was the Maurice Binder title sequence from the film, but with the credits removed (therefore just showing Easton performing the song). The second was more conventional and was directed by Steve Barron.

Chart history

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Music Week" (PDF).
  2. ^ Chernov, Matthew (24 June 2021). "Sheena Easton on Singing 'For Your Eyes Only' and Loving Billie Eilish's Bond Song". Variety. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  3. ^ Slant Staff (October 4, 2021). "Every James Bond Theme Song Ranked". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 27, 2024. Sheena Easton's soft-rock power ballad matches the glossiness of For Your Eyes Only...
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books
  5. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
  6. ^ Bill Conti. For Your Eyes Only audio commentary. For Your Eyes Only - Ultimate Edition, Disk 1: MGM Home Entertainment.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  7. ^ a b Silhouettes - the James Bond Titles. You Only Live Twice Ultimate Edition, Disk 2: MGM Home Entertainment.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  8. ^ Channel 4 - Top Ten Pop Princesses (documentary)
  9. ^ BBC documentary - Never Can Say Goodbye, November 2000
  10. ^ Allmusic
  11. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. July 4, 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
  12. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 37, 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  13. ^ "Sheena Easton – For Your Eyes Only" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  14. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  15. ^ "Sheena Easton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  16. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 31, 1981". Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  17. ^ The 1981 Top 100 Singles chart is identified by the RPM Year-End article "Top 100 Singles (1981)". RPM. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  18. ^ Swiss Year-End Charts, 1981
  19. ^ "Number One Awards – Billboard's 1981 Year-End Charts : Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 51. December 26, 1981. p. YE-9. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1981 - 45cat".
  21. ^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 26, 1981
  22. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report (393). 4 January 1982 – via Imgur.
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