Writer: Peter Gabriel
Producers: Daniel Lanois and Peter Gabriel
Recorded: 1983-86 at Real World Studios in Bath, England
Released: May 1986
| Players: | Peter Gabriel — vocals, keyboards Manu Katche — drums, percussion Jerry Marotta — drums Larry Klein — bass Tony Levin — bass David Rhodes — guitar Richard Tee — piano Youssou N'dour — vocals Michael Been, Jim Kerr, David Rhodes, Ronnie Bright — backing vocals |
| Album: | So (Geffen, 1986) |
Though it's one of Peter Gabriel's richest and most moving love songs, it's unclear exactly who the subject of “In Your Eyes” is. He had not yet split from his wife Jill, but there were rumors that he had already begun seeing actress Rosanna Arquette when the song was written and recorded.
The second single from the So album — following “Sledgehammer” — “In Your Eyes” peaked at Number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The words to “In Your Eyes” initially were written to be used with another backing track, but Gabriel had a new vision of the song during the recording process, and wrote new music for “In Your Eyes.” The original backing track for “In Your Eyes” was then used for “That Voice Again.”
A longer version of the song with a slower intro was recorded, and was available on the CD single.
Senegalese singer Youssou N'dour, who provides counterpoint vocals in the song, toured as Gabriel's opening act on the So tour.
The So album was a substantial commercial breakthrough for Gabriel, hitting Number Two on the Billboard 200 and Number One in the U.K. It was Gabriel's biggest album of the '80s, and it's sold well over five million copies.
His first road dates after the album's release came on the six-show Conspiracy Of Hope outing for Amnesty International, which also featured U2, Lou Reed, Sting, Bryan Adams, and Lou Reed.
Another song from So, “Don't Give Up,” was named Best Song at the 32nd annual Ivor Novello Awards in the U.K. in 1987.