Tag: Blondie

Movie Music Monday – For Your Eyes Only

On this day in 1981, the 12th James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only, had its premier in London. It once again starred Roger Moore as Agent 007.

The theme song for the film was written by Bill Conti, who will be forever remembered for writing the theme to the Rocky Movies. When he wrote it he had originally thought about Dusty Springfield of Donna Summer to sing it. He felt that they fit into the “style” of the Bond films. The studio suggested Sheena Easton, who had just had a huge hit with “Morning Train.” Bill listened to her album and was not impressed, so he met with her. After that meeting, he decided to work with her on the song.

Believe it or not, the band Blondie was originally approached to write a title song for the film. The producers of the film rejected their song in favor of Conti’s song. (Blondie’s recording of a completely different song, also called “For Your Eyes Only”, appeared on their 1982 album The Hunter). Conti’s lyricist, Mick Leeson, had originally used the line “for your eyes only” as the final line of the song. That didn’t match up with the film’s title reveal in the opening credits, so the two rewrote the song with the phrase as the first line of the song.

Sheena Easton is the only artist (to date) to be seen singing the theme song to a Bond movie during its opening title. Her seductive appearance in these clips was, according to the star, Roger Moore, “sexier than any of the Bond girls.” Sheena, however, says that the filming process was very unglamorous. Anyone who has seen the credits, would argue that she looks amazing in the film.

The song was released as a single in June 1981, just a couple weeks prior to the movie’s release and it became a world wide hit for Easton. She was only 22 years old when she released “For Your Eyes Only,” making her the youngest person ever to perform a Bond song. She held that record until 2020 when 18-year-old Billie Eilish recorded the theme tune for No Time to Die.

Here are those opening credits …

For Your Eyes Only

For your eyes only, can see me through the night
For your eyes only, I never need to hide
You can see so much in me
So much in me that’s new
I never felt, until I looked at you

[Chorus]
For your eyes only, only for you
You see what no one else can see
Now I’m breaking free
For your eyes only, only for you
The love I know you need in me
The fantasy you freed in me
Only for you, only for you

For your eyes only, the nights are never cold
You really know me, that’s all I need to know
Maybe I’m an open book
Because I know you’re mine
But you won’t need to read between the lines

[Chorus]
For your eyes only, only for you
You see what no one else can see
Now I’m breaking free
For your eyes only, only for you
The passions that collide in me
The wild abandoned side of me
Only for you, for your eyes only

Tune Tuesday – Music Box Dancer

I have blogged in the past about our summer trips to Caseville, MI.  Those trips remain some of my fondest memories.  I heard a song on 70’s on 7 on Sirius XM last week that will forever have a Caseville connection for me – Music Box Dancer.

casevillewatertower2

There was a brief period of time when my grandparents didn’t have a TV at the trailer.  During this time we had an AM/FM radio with a cassette deck in it.  When we were not listening to Johnny Paycheck’s “Greatest Hits Volume II”, Willie Nelson’s “Stardust”, or some other mix cassette that my dad recorded, we were listening to the radio.  As I recall, there were not too many stations that we could actually get on our little radio.  One of them was a pop station and it always seemed to be playing this piano instrumental.

Frank Mills was a Canadian musician who wrote and recorded Music Box Dancer in 1974.  It was not a hit until it was re-released in 1978.  The story is interesting.  Mills was resigned to Polydor Records in 1978, and a new song was released with Music Box Dancer as the B-side.  The song was sent to easy listening stations in Canada, but by mistake one copy made it to a Canadian pop station (CFRA-AM).  The program director played the A-side and couldn’t figure out why it was sent to his station.  He listened to the B-Side (Music Box Dancer) and liked it and added it to the play list. By June, it was the station’s #1 song on the play list. After several months, Polydor Records decided to release the album and single in the US.  It went to #3 in the US and it was Frank Mills’ only Top 40 US hit.

We would turn on the radio while we sat in the kitchen or living room at the trailer.  We’d hear Reunited by Peaches and Herb, Heart of Glass by Blondie, Hot Stuff by Donna Summer and Frank Mills Music Box Dancer.  It was such a simple song with a repetitive melody and we loved it.  My brother and I would listen to it with our Aunt Jodi and when it was done, we’d start surfing the radio in hopes of hearing it again.  We eventually got smart and I think we recorded it off the radio so we could play it whenever we wanted.

Music Box Dancer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwa0c8VO71s