Greatest Love Songs Ever: #12 “I Only Have Eyes For You”
By Tom Quiner, Board President, Pulse Life Advocates
“My love must be a kind of blind love,
I can’t see anyone but you.”
These two lines launch the viewer on a dreamy journey down lover’s lane. I heard Art Garfunkel’s version of this song (above) in 1975 when I began courting my wife. This became ‘our’ song.
I pause here to ask: do you and the love of your life have YOUR own special song? If you don’t, it’s not too late to come up with one.
When I hear “I Only Have Eyes For You,” I am instantly transported back in time a half a century to those intoxicating days of falling in love. I turn over in my head the romantic dates, the parties, the dreams about our future together, and the knowledge that God was in the middle of all of it all.
This song drips with romance, and I drink in every drop of it every time I hear it.
Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics) wrote the song in 1934. (Warren wrote another incredible love song that made it into my top ten, which you’ll be hearing six weeks from now.)
The Flamingos sing “I Only Have Eyes For You”
The Flamingos recorded a doo wop version of “I Only Have Eyes for You” in 1959, reaching #11 on Billboard’s Hot 100 List. You can see how a great song can be interpreted in creative ways.
The lyrics speak to young lovers in the first blush of first love. Dubin nails it with these front-loaded lyrics:
“Are the stars out tonight?
I don’t know if it’s cloudy or bright,
I only have eyes for you, dear.”
Wonderful. Warren does his job by composing a beautiful melody that keeps these words singing nine decades after it was written.
Love songs by their very nature are romantic. As I reviewed my complete list of the 52 Greatest Love Songs Ever, none exceed “I Only Have Eyes For You” in terms of sheer romance.
Michael Bublé sings “I Only Have Eyes For You”
Michael Bublé offers his own twist with his big band treatment of the song. But for me, it’s Art Garfunkel who sings it the way my heart wants to hear it.
I didn’t think it’s possible for any song to top this one, but next week’s does with another entry from the great writing team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
In the meantime, keep listening to these songs. Create yourself a playlist. Pulse Life Advocates will put their own list out on Spotify once the entire list is revealed.
Love songs like these put us in touch with our humanity. They help soften a culture’s heart to our neighbors, who include our unborn brothers and sisters.
If you’re a little shy about getting up on a soap box and proclaiming a robust pro-life message into a hot mic before a large crowd, how about if you simply share this list with your friends and family?
Every little bit of love helps, because love is the antidote to abortion. Share the love. And, please, if you’re able, make a gift to Pulse and help US spread a pro-life message to our fellow Iowans. Thank-you.
