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Eyes That See in the Dark (1983)

Where the lyrics of Eyes That See in the Dark take you, and where it was really made.

Its biggest hit was not the title track: 'Islands in the Stream' was not a duet at first, and it only took off after Dolly Parton sang it with Rogers.

Key places

Recorded at Lion Share Studios (1983)

Recording site Lion Share — Discogs credits list Lion Share Recording Studios as a place where this album was recorded. Wikipedia's credits also name Lion Share Studios. The pin uses the studio's building coordinate. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Ocean Way Recording (1983)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — Discogs credits list Ocean Way Recording as a studio where this album was recorded. The pin is set at the Hollywood district centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Eyes That See in the Dark: 15th studio album by American country singer Kenny Rogers
• Released by RCA Records in August 1983
• Rogers's first album for RCA Nashville
• Ten tracks, five per side
• Barry Gibb's third 1980s production project outside the Bee Gees
• Gibb wrote most of the songs, which recall Rogers's First Edition days

Background

• The title track came up when Rogers met Gibb later in the year, after Gibb had helped produce Dionne Warwick's Heartbreaker
• The other songs were written in late 1982 and recorded in early 1983
• Gibb recorded demos for Rogers while working with the Bee Gees on the film Staying Alive, until April 1983
• Rogers started recording the album in May 1983
• The album came out while his previous Liberty Records album We've Got Tonight was still in the charts

Recording

• Finished instrumental tracks were dubbed onto the demos, and some demo guitar, bass and synthesizer remain in the final mix
• Ron Ziegler dubbed drums exactly in time with the drum machine used on the demos
• Tim Renwick, George Terry and Ron Ziegler had also played on all of Andy Gibb's albums
• Barry and Maurice Gibb, with Albhy Galuten, appear on both the demos and the new recordings
• Producers at the vocal dub sessions were surprised by Rogers's laid-back approach
• The Gatlin Brothers sang background vocals on Buried Treasure and Evening Star
• Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees sang background vocals on Living with You

Cover

• Front cover photography by Greg Gorman; back cover photography by Steve Schapiro (per credits)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ko.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Kenneth Donald Ray Rogers was born on August 21, 1938, in Houston, Texas, and began his recording career in the late 1950s with the Houston group the Scholars.
• He was an American country singer-songwriter who moved from teenage rock and roll through psychedelic rock to become a country-pop crossover artist of the 1970s and 1980s.
• In 1967 he co-founded the First Edition with former New Christy Minstrels members, later renamed Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.

Members

• The First Edition's members included Mike Settle, Terry Williams, Thelma Camacho, and Kin Vassy.
• Rogers's backing band Bloodline has toured with him since 1976.

Career

• The First Edition scored hits including "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" before the group disbanded in 1976.
• As a solo artist he charted more than 60 top-40 singles, including the number-one hits "Lady" and "Islands in the Stream".
• He recorded duets with Dottie West, Dolly Parton, and Sheena Easton, and partnered with Lionel Richie as songwriter.
• His signature song "The Gambler" won a Grammy in 1980 and was selected for the National Recording Registry in 2018.
• He sold more than 100 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.
• He retired from touring in 2017 and died on March 20, 2020, at age 81.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released in August 1983 by RCA Records
• Came out while Rogers's previous album We've Got Tonight was still on the charts
• Had to compete with singles from that album, still being issued by his previous label, Liberty Records
• Islands in the Stream became a major hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard pop, country and adult contemporary charts
• Islands in the Stream was the most successful single from this album
• Rogers was unhappy with the original recording; the song took off only after Dolly Parton was brought in to sing it as a duet
• Buried Treasure was issued as a single and became a top 3 country hit
• This Woman reached the top 20 on both the Billboard pop and country charts
• The title track charted on the UK Singles Chart and spent six weeks in the top 100

Records

• Islands in the Stream reached #1 on the Billboard pop, country and adult contemporary charts
• It turned out to be the #1 country chart song of 1983
• Buried Treasure: top 3 country hit
• This Woman: top 20 on Billboard pop and country
• Title track: six weeks in the UK top 100

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Islands in the Stream was not a duet at first, and Rogers was unhappy with the recording
• Barry and Maurice Gibb wrote the I Will Always Love You on this album, a different song from the Dolly Parton original
• Rogers later recorded the Dolly Parton song for his 1996 covers album Vote for Love
• Buried Treasure is not the same as Rogers's 1978 song Buried Treasures, which was never released as a single
• The Barry Gibb demos of these songs were officially released on iTunes in October 2006
• The Capitol Records Nashville digital release omits Islands in the Stream because Sony Music owns its copyright

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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