Eyes Without a Face (song)
Encyclopedia
"Eyes Without a Face" is a song by Billy Idol
, co-written with guitarist Steve Stevens
from Idol's 1983 album Rebel Yell
. The song is softer and more ballad-like than most of the album's other singles.
, becoming Idol's first Top 10 hit in the U.S.
In the liner notes
for the Expanded Edition of Rebel Yell, Billy Idol notes that this song was one of the first three written for the album (the other two being the title track and "(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows.") The original track was recorded in Studio A at Electric Lady Studios in New York, with a Linn drum machine
and the bass parts played by Steve Webster.
The song is notable for the female voice of Perri Lister
that sings 'Les yeux sans visage' (French
for 'eyes without a face') as a background chorus.
The title of the song refers to French director Georges Franju
's movie 'Les yeux sans visage
' (1960).
and begins with a close-up of Idol's sneering face, interspersed with three unidentifiable ('faceless') female singers. During the song's bridge, the scene changes to Steve Stevens soloing on guitar and Idol in familiar punk
poses while dancing in a flaming hexagon surrounded by hooded acolytes. The imagery of the video contrasts with the relative softness of the song and its lyrics of longing.
Reportedly filmed in a marathon 30-hour session, the video was released in June 1984 and subsequently nominated for MTV Video Music Awards
for "Best Editing
" and "Best Cinematography
". The video's extensive filming near fog machines, lighting, and fire sources nearly fused Idol's contact lenses. At the conclusion of filming, Idol attempted to leave, and promptly passed out on the studio lawn from exhaustion. Initially mistaken for a vagrant, a police officer who roused Idol was alarmed at his reddened eyes. The officer immediately brought Idol to a local hospital, where doctors were able to coax out the lenses, saving his vision.
(This is documentented on his Bio on the Biography Channel)
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, co-written with guitarist Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens is an American guitarist and songwriter.He is best known for playing for other artists and less known for his critically acclaimed solo efforts , collaborations Steve Stevens (born as Steven Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter.He...
from Idol's 1983 album Rebel Yell
Rebel Yell (album)
Rebel Yell is the second album by British punk rock artist Billy Idol, released in 1983. It was very successful with four singles on the U.S. Hot 100 charts, while the album reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album charts...
. The song is softer and more ballad-like than most of the album's other singles.
Song information
Released on May 29, 1984, this was the second single from the Rebel Yell album. It was very successful and reached a high of #4 on the Billboard ChartsBillboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, becoming Idol's first Top 10 hit in the U.S.
In the liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
for the Expanded Edition of Rebel Yell, Billy Idol notes that this song was one of the first three written for the album (the other two being the title track and "(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows.") The original track was recorded in Studio A at Electric Lady Studios in New York, with a Linn drum machine
Linn LM-1
The LM-1 Drum Computer, manufactured by Linn Electronics Inc., was the first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums. Conceived and designed by Roger Linn, it was also one of the first programmable drum machines...
and the bass parts played by Steve Webster.
The song is notable for the female voice of Perri Lister
Perri Lister
Perri Lister , is an English actress, dancer, and singer. She featured in her first film in 1980, and has since appeared in films and television series...
that sings 'Les yeux sans visage' (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for 'eyes without a face') as a background chorus.
The title of the song refers to French director Georges Franju
Georges Franju
-External links:* at Allmovie...
's movie 'Les yeux sans visage
Eyes Without a Face
Eyes Without a Face is a 1960 French-language horror film adaptation of Jean Redon's novel, directed by Georges Franju, and starring Pierre Brasseur and Alida Valli. During the film's production, consideration was given to the standards of European censors by setting the right tone, minimizing...
' (1960).
Music video
The video was directed by David MalletDavid Mallet (director)
David Mallet is a British director particularly noted for his work on music videos, including David Bowie's innovative "Ashes to Ashes", Rush's "Distant Early Warning, and Queen's "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want to Break Free" videos. He has also served as a producer on television programmes including...
and begins with a close-up of Idol's sneering face, interspersed with three unidentifiable ('faceless') female singers. During the song's bridge, the scene changes to Steve Stevens soloing on guitar and Idol in familiar punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
poses while dancing in a flaming hexagon surrounded by hooded acolytes. The imagery of the video contrasts with the relative softness of the song and its lyrics of longing.
Reportedly filmed in a marathon 30-hour session, the video was released in June 1984 and subsequently nominated for MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
for "Best Editing
MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Editing in a Video. Five artists are tied for the record of biggest winner in this category, each having won the award twice: Peter Gabriel, R.E.M., Madonna, The White Stripes, and Gnarls Barkley. The latter two, in fact, won...
" and "Best Cinematography
MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Cinematography in a Video. Madonna is the biggest Winner in this category with 3 wins....
". The video's extensive filming near fog machines, lighting, and fire sources nearly fused Idol's contact lenses. At the conclusion of filming, Idol attempted to leave, and promptly passed out on the studio lawn from exhaustion. Initially mistaken for a vagrant, a police officer who roused Idol was alarmed at his reddened eyes. The officer immediately brought Idol to a local hospital, where doctors were able to coax out the lenses, saving his vision.
(This is documentented on his Bio on the Biography Channel)
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 10 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 14 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 21 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
18 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
4 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
5 |
Production
"Eyes Without a Face" was written by Billy Idol and Steve Stevens and produced by Keith Forsey. Credits on the song include:- Vocals - Billy IdolBilly IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
- Guitars - Steve Stevens
- Bass - Sal CuevasSal CuevasElectric bass guitarist and upright bassist Salvador "Sal" Cuevas was for many years, a member of the salsa music group Fania All-Stars, circa , as well as several other top name salsa groups of the time .Sal also enjoyed the title of Musical Director to Willie Colon's orquestra both during...
- Drums - Thommy PriceThommy PriceThommy Price is a rock musician from Brooklyn, New York. He's played drums in numerous bands, including Billy Idol, Blue Öyster Cult, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and is an in-demand session drummer.-History:...
- Keyboards - Judi Dozier
- Background vocals - Perri ListerPerri ListerPerri Lister , is an English actress, dancer, and singer. She featured in her first film in 1980, and has since appeared in films and television series...
- Engineered by Dave Wittman
Covers
- Trent ReznorTrent ReznorMichael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
has covered this song with the band The Urge. - The song has been covered by ScooterScooter (band)Scooter are a German hard dance band founded in Hamburg, who have sold over 25 million records and earned over 80 gold and platinum awards. Scooter are considered the most successful single-record German act with 23 top ten hits. The band is currently composed of members H.P. Baxxter, Rick J....
on their 19981998 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
album No Time to ChillNo Time to ChillNo Time to Chill is the fifth studio album by German techno band Scooter, released in 1998. It plays host to three singles, "How Much Is the Fish?", "We Are The Greatest/I Was Made For Lovin' You" and "Call Me Mañana"...
and by Paul AnkaPaul AnkaPaul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
on his 20052005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
album Rock SwingsRock SwingsRock Swings is an album by Paul Anka. Recorded in November 2004 and released on May 31, 2005 in Canada and June 7, 2005 in the United States, it contains swing jazz covers of popular rock and pop songs from the 1980s and 1990s....
. It was also covered by Tori AmosTori AmosTori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
live the same year. - The song was parodied on Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
by cast member Pamela StephensonPamela StephensonPamela Helen Stephenson Connolly is a New Zealand-born Australian clinical psychologist and writer now resident in the United Kingdom. She is best known for her work as an actress and comedian during the 1980s...
, who performed as Idol in male drag. The parodied version was "Wrong Voice, Right Face", a hybrid of this song and lyrics from 1940's era standards.