Eye in the Sky (song)

"Eye in the Sky" is a song by British rock band the Alan Parsons Project, released as a single from their sixth studio album, Eye in the Sky (1982), in May 1982. It entered the US Billboard charts on 3 July and hit No. 3 in October 1982,^[5] No. 1 in both Canada and Spain, and No. 6 in New Zealand, becoming their most successful release. The instrumental piece entitled "Sirius" segues into "Eye in the Sky" on the original recording.

"Eye in the Sky"
Single by the Alan Parsons Project
from the album Eye in the Sky
B-side	"Mammagamma" "Gemini"
Released	May 1982[1]
Recorded	Late 1981
Studio	Abbey Road, London
Genre	Pop rock[2] art pop[3] yacht rock[4] progressive rock
Length	4:36 (album version) 3:55 (7-inch version)
Label	Arista
Songwriter(s)	Alan Parsons Eric Woolfson
Producer(s)	Alan Parsons Eric Woolfson
The Alan Parsons Project singles chronology
"Snake Eyes" (1981) "Sirius" / "Eye in the Sky" / "Mammagamma" (1982) "Psychobabble" (1982)

In 2019, Alan Parsons recorded a version in Catalan, under the title "Seré els teus ulls al camí" ("I'll be your eyes on the road"), for the CD edited by La Marató de TV3, a telethon devoted to raising funds for the research of incurable diseases.^[6][7]

Overview

On the original recording, the 1:54 minute instrumental piece entitled "Sirius" immediately precedes, and segues into, "Eye in the Sky". On the single release, "Eye in the Sky" appears on its own, with "Sirius" edited out; that was the version usually played on pop radio at the time. However, album-oriented rock and classic rock stations now almost always include the "Sirius" intro.^{[citation needed]}

Personnel

• Alan Parsons – Fairlight CMI, production, engineering, composer
• Eric Woolfson – Wurlitzer electric piano, vocals, composer, lyrics
• Ian Bairnson – acoustic and electric guitars
• David Paton – bass
• Stuart Elliott – drums
• Chris Rainbow – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Eye in the Sky" Charts (1982) Peak position Australian Kent Music Report[8] 22 Canadian RPM Top Singles[9] 1 Canadian RPM Top Adult Contemporary[10] 7 French Singles Chart[11] 16 Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 38 Italy (Musica e Dischi)[13] 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 6 Spain (AFYVE)[15] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[16] 3 US Cashbox Top 100[17] 3 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[18] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[19] 11

Year-end charts 1982 year-end chart performance for "Eye in the Sky" Chart (1982) Rank Canadian RPM Top Singles[20] 31 Spanish Singles Chart 1 US Billboard Hot 100[21] 32 US Cashbox Top 100[22] 28

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Eye in the Sky"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[23]	Gold	50,000^
Italy (FIMI)[24]	Gold	25,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[25]	Gold	25,000^
United States (RIAA)[26]	Gold	500,000‡
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

• Israeli artist Noa covered this song on her 2002 album, Now.
• Folk rock artist Jonatha Brooke covered this song on her 2004 album, Back in the Circus.^[27]
• The Portland, Oregon band Viva Voce recorded the song in 2007 as part of a compilation album called Bridging the Distance, released to benefit a local program designed to assist homeless and transitional youth.^{[citation needed]}
• Australian electronic music group The Avalanches sampled "Eye in the Sky" in their 2020 single "Interstellar Love" featuring American soul singer Leon Bridges.^[28]
• Australian synthpop group Parralox recorded a cover version in 2014 on the eponymous EP.^[29]

Critics in Europe and North America have pointed to similarities between the melody of the choruses of Lady A's 2010 single "Need You Now" and "Eye in the Sky".^[30][31]

References

1. "Eye in the Sky".
2. People. Vol. 61. Time. 2004. p. 51.
3. Reed, Ryan (4 March 2019). "Justin Hayward Captains Inaugural On the Blue Cruise: Review". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
4. Mitchell, Matt (29 September 2024). "The 25 Greatest Yacht Rock Songs of all Time". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
5. Trust, Gary (27 October 2009). "Backwards Bullets: This Week In Charts 1982". Billboard.com. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
6. "Noa, Alan Parsons i Víctor Manuel, al disc de La Marató". El Punt Avui. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
7. "TV-3 celebra el 15º aniversario del 'Disc de la Marató' a lo grande". El Periodico. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "RPM Top 100 Singles - October 2, 1982" (PDF).
10. "RPM Top AC Singles - November 6, 1982" (PDF).
11. "Artists". InfoDisc.fr. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
12. "The Alan Parsons Project: Eye in the Sky (song)". Retrieved 8 July 2015.
13. "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 28 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Alan Parson Project".
14. "The Alan Parsons Project – Eye in the Sky". Top 40 Singles.
15. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
16. "The Alan Parsons Project Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
17. "Cashbox Top 100: October 16, 1982". cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
18. "The Alan Parsons Project Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
19. "The Alan Parsons Project Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
20. "Top 100 Singles". RPM. 37 (19). republished online at CollectionsCanada.gc.ca. 25 December 1982. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
21. "Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
22. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1982 Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1982". Cashbox. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
23. "Canadian single certifications – Alan Parsons – Eye in the Sky". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
24. "Italian single certifications – Alan Parsons – Eye in the Sky" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 9 December 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Eye in the Sky" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
25. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
26. "American single certifications – Alan Parsons – Eye in the Sky". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
27. Hermann, Andy (23 February 2004). "Jonatha Brooke: Back in the Circus". PopMatters. Retrieved 11 October 2015. Even better is her completely unexpected take on that old Alan Parsons Project chestnut, "Eye in the Sky", which she reclaims as a heart-wrenching folk ballad.
28. Kreps, Daniel (29 October 2020). "The Avalanches Recruit Leon Bridges for New Song 'Interstellar Love'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
29. ""Parralox - Eye In The Sky"".
30. Rodgers, D. Patrick, "Alan Parsons' Camp Alleges Lady Antebellum Rip-Off," Archived 7 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine Nashville Scene (11 November 2010).
31. "Is this an Awards Show or What?". NOW Toronto. 14 February 2011.

External links

• Lyrics of this song
• Songfacts - Eye in the Sky by The Alan Parsons Project
• The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky on YouTube