These Eyes

Album: Wheatfield Soul (1969)
Charted: 6
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Songfacts®:

  • Randy Bachman started writing this song when he was waiting in the living room at the house of his date, Lorayne Stevenson. She was taking a long time getting ready so Bachman sat at the piano and wrote the beginning of this song. Lorayne - the girl he was waiting for - he later married (they were married for about 10 years and had six children together). Bachman claims the song took him just 15 minutes to write once he sat down with his bandmate Burton Cummings to put it together. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Nathan - Winkler, Canada
  • While doodling on the piano in the living room of Lorayne's parents' home, Randy - a guitarist and definitely not a pianist - innocently constructed unconventional piano fingerings for the opening Dm7 and Cmaj7 chords. His Guess Who collaborator Burton Cummings, a trained Royal Conservatory Of Music pianist, later complimented Randy for devising riffs that were technically wrong but sonically right for the emerging song. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Richard Skelly - a music journalist in Canada
  • The Guess Who had some big hits under their belt in their native Canada, but this song earned them international acclaim and a US record deal with RCA. They wrote the song at a time when they were gigging constantly, and also serving as the house band on a Canadian TV show called Let's Go, where they would play covers of hit songs. "These Eyes" was the culmination of their efforts, and it became their first Top 10 hit in the US. The next year, they had two US chart-toppers: "American Woman" and "No Sugar Tonight."
  • When they weren't touring, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings would meet for songwriting sessions on Saturday mornings, and it was at one of these sessions that they completed the song. The band was still struggling at the time, and Cummings was still living with his mother, where these songwriting sessions took place. It turned out to be an enlivening songwriting environment, as the pair composed many of their early songs at Cummings' mother's piano.
  • Randy Bachman had the original piano chords with an original title of "These Arms." Burton Cummings changed the title to "These Eyes" and added the middle eight. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Barry Kesten - Bellmore, United States
  • Jr. Walker and The All Stars also charted with a cover of this song in 1969. It went #16 pop, #3 R&B in the US. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Robin - Birmingham, AL
  • This song was used in scenes for the 2005 movie Stay. It was also used in the 2007 movie Superbad where a high-school student sings it to appease a tough group of people who insist he's a singer.

Comments: 28

  • Shaun from KentuckyMy pops towed a car for a fella who owned a scrap yard, there was a big folder of CDs that were in the car. The guy let Dad bring them to me, The Guess Who's greatest hits CD was in there, that's how I DISCovered the Guess Who in the year 2000 at age 17
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 24, 1969, the Canadian group, the Guess Who, made their U.S. television debut when they performed "These Eyes" on the ABC-TV network Saturday-afternoon program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was in it's second of two weeks at #10 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; the following week it would peak at #6 {for 1 week} and it spent 14 weeks on the Top 100...
    In their native Canada it reached #7 {for 2 weeks} on the RPM Singles chart...
    Later in 1969 Jr. Walker and the All-Stars covered "These Eyes"; their version would reached #16 {for 1 week} on the Hot Top 100 on December 21st, and on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart it reached #3...
    Between 1965 and 1975 the Guess Who had twenty-one records on the Hot Top 100 chart; six made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "American Woman" for 3 weeks on May 3rd, 1970.
  • Steve from Whittier, CaGreat song, but where is the link for "No Time"? That was first recorded at RCA NYC for "Canned Wheat" in 1969, then re-emerged as a completely new recording for "America Woman" as recorded at RCA Chicago. "No Time" was one of the biggest hits for the Guess Who and yet its entry still is nowhere to be found.
  • Suzanne from Basking Ridge, NjI adore this song and have it on my iPod....but if it comes on the radio I always stop and listen...I have just alwats loved this gorgeous song.
  • Jim from Frederick, OkI first heard " These Eyes" in 1969 when I was in England, I just love this song. It brings back good memories. This is the best song I have ever heard and will be even after I die.
    Jim, Frederick, Oklahoma
  • Nicole from Plymouth, MaI absolutly heart this song. It reminds me of one of my favorite people :) These Eyes...
  • Mark from Lancaster, Payou dont have the best the guess who song of all time called , no time , come on know would be a good time to add these great great song whats the matter with you people!!!
  • Bill from Methuen, MaJust for the record, Denise is Randy's second wife. Randy started the song in 1966 while waiting for his future wife Lorayne (I believe they were in Regina)and finished the song with Burton at the piano at his (Burton's) mother's house on Bannerman Ave in Winnepeg sometime in 1967.
  • Mike from Great Bend, KsGive me the days when this song first came out kicked butt and I will never ask for more.
  • Lou from Southampton, United KingdomI heard this song once in 1969 I was in a local youth club at the time. It took me 25 years to finaly get a copy and hear it again, its in my top ten favorite songs.
  • Heather from Madrid, SpainI remember first hearing this song ever, my dad got his albums out and we listened to the album and when i heard this song it became my favorite song of all time. I cry every time i listen to it, i love it so much.
  • David from Wilson, NyThis song was originally released on the album Wheatfield Soul
  • Ken from London, CanadaI love this song ,how expressive.And knowing now that Randy had written this song while waiting for his now wife Denise.I often find myself singing and playing this song on my piano for my girlfriend of one month and we know the connection is there.What a great inspiration Randy and Burton your music is to your fans.God bless you both in 2008 and as Burton says Go With The Good Spirits Ken,London Ontario
  • Michael Dorkins from San Fransico, CaI also love this song Ron. I came across it on the film Superbad and have been rinsing it ever since.
  • Rico from Eastern, NcThis was one of the first songs I can ever remember hearing as a child. I was 4 years old...my mom would drive us around town in a 1973 Datsun B210 and play this over and over on the 8-TRACK!!! We didn't have much money and all she had to play was the Guess Who's Greatest Hits and the Eagles' Greatest Hits. It never ceases to amaze me that, even at 36, these songs still evoke such strong emotions in me.
  • Sam from Toronto, CanadaFurthermore about the song, The guys say theu wrote it in about 30 mins at Burtons grandmothers old piano at his Moms house in Winnipeg,Randy had the dum dum -dada da dada and These Arms title , Burton was impressed that the guitar player would actually play those notes to him on piano and they continued writing the song till finished.Burton says onstage , it was the song that changed their lives forever and that nothing was ever the same since These Eyes for the 4 guys from the PEG.Also says it was 30 minutes well spent.latest 3 cds and dvds are out in Canada from sonybmg music- sam@bmfproductions.com
  • Sam from Toronto, CanadaHI im their tour manager , Burton and Randy now have a band called Bachman Cummings and still rock today. Catch them ontour or at officialburtoncummings.com,randybachman.com,officilbachmancummings.com
  • Susana from Havana, OtherI remember hearing this song when I was about 14 yrs old. I have never heard a song since that really describes the feeling of someone who falls in love with someone who they don't really know well....
  • Warrinder from A Town, CanadaThe Guess Who were originally known as The Silverstones, then Chad Allen and the Silverstone, then Chad Allen and the Reflections, then Chad Allan and the Expressions. "Shakin' All Over" was their first #1 and their only one as Chad Allen and the Expressions. It went to #22 in the states.
  • Alan from Grande Prairie, Alberta, CanadaThe Guess Who were originally known as "Chad Allen and the Expressions". They had a big hit in Canada with "Shaking All Over". Have an original copy of that album. Raw but interesting.
  • Mike from Vancouver, CanadaThis song was used as a sample in the Torronto rapper Maestro Fresh Wes's song "Stick to Your Vision" from his album "Built to Last".
  • Derek from Sarnia, CanadaJerry from Somerville...I love The Guess Who but I don't think you can say they are better than The Who...i feel like i'm being unpatriotic here but c'mon The Who are considered by many to be the best rock band ever.
  • Fyodor from Denver, CoI've always been fascinated with how they started with a very middle of the road, even schmaltzy song like this (don't worry, I like it!) and then eventually moved on to the hard rock of American Woman. Seems more often it's the other way around, and in fact Burton Cummings did get kinda schmaltzy again in his solo career!
  • Ben from Tucson, AzThe song was a big hit but the original record hasn't been released on CD, has it?
  • Jerry from Somerville, TnThis band is awesome...Comare The Guess Who to The Who..People will say The Who Who?
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI love this song, too!
  • Aj from Cleveland, GaAs do I, Ron. As do I.
  • Ron from Detroit, MiBoy, I love this song. It's one of my favorite Guess Who songs. I especially love the guitar part. Just hitting those chords and then muting the strings. It sounds so great. Definitely ahead of their time.
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