In 1989 Jeff Healey came out with this song that peaked at #5 in the Billboard 100, #86 in the UK, and #16 in Canada. The song was written by John Hiatt and Fred Koller.
Jeff Healey was a Canadian that started to play guitar when he was 3. He was blind and played the guitar on his lap. He could bend the notes to a limit where normal guitar players could not. His solos were just as interesting as the song themselves.
From Songfacts
“Angel Eyes” was written by the songwriters John Hiatt and Fred Koller, and produced by Greg Ladanyi. It stands as Jeff Healey’s only Billboard Top-40 hit; however, considering what a unique character he was, it seems most unfair to dismiss him as a one-hit wonder. Amongst many other things, he was much bigger on the Canada Singles chart; he picked up Juno Awards, got an Independent Music Award for Best Blues Album, and played alongside such talent as Dire Straits, Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, ZZ Top, and Eric Clapton.
Angel Eyes
Girl, you’re looking fine tonight
And every guy has got you in his sight
What you’re doing with a clown like me
Is surely one of life’s little mysteries
So tonight I’ll ask the stars above
“How did I ever win your love?”
What did I do?
What did I say
To turn your angel eyes my way?
Well, I’m the guy who never learned to dance
Never even got one second glance
Across a crowded room was close enough
I could look but I could never touch
So tonight I’ll ask, the stars above
“How did I ever win your love?”
What did I do?
What did I say
To turn your angel eyes my way?
Don’t anyone wake me
If it’s just a dream
‘Cause she’s the best thing
Ever happened to me
All you fellows
You can look all you like
But this girl you see
She’s leavin’ here with me tonight
There’s just one more thing that I need to know
If this is love why does it scare me so?
It must be somethin’ only you can see
‘Cause girl I feel it when you look at me
So tonight I’ll ask the stars above
“How did I ever win your love?”
What did I do?
What did I say,
To turn your angel eyes my way?
Hey, hey, hey, yeah, awww
Yeah, this guy is an amazing talent. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him live and he is a phenomenal guitarist. I love this song and I’m glad he had such a big hit with it but he is a prolific artist and a very underrated guitar god. He does a fantastic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps–gorgeous, almost as good as Prince’s rendition on the Grammy’s but not quite.
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The way he played guitar…it is hard to replicate becasue of the bends he can make that most can’t… Yes I like his version also. Great guitar player.
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Great musician.
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I did not know John Hiatt wrote this song until recently. Jeff Healey passed away in 2008.
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Yea from lung cancer. He was blind because of cancer…I didn’t know that. The way he played was unorthadoxed…and it worked well.
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