Week 3A

I Only Have Eyes For You

My love must be a kind of blind love


I can't see anyone but you


Are the stars out tonight


I don't know if it's cloudy or bright


I Only Have Eyes For You, dear



The moon maybe high


But I can't see a thing in the sky


I Only Have Eyes For You



I don't know if we're in a garden


Or on a crowded avenue



You are here (You are here)


So am I (So am I)


Maybe millions of people go by


But they all disappear from view


And I Only Have Eyes For You

              Flamingos

VS

Frank Sinatra

I Only Have Eyes for You was firstly played in 1934 at the movie Dames. Since then, other singers had covered this song for more than 50 times. I picked the version sang by the Flamingos and Frank Sinatra. These two versions were both produced in 1960s ish. Flamingos’ version was produced in 1959 and Sinatra’s Version was produced in 1965, or 1962. However, Sinatra’s version sounds more like a 1930’s music style.

These two songs have the same lyrics and the basic melody. These two elements haven’t been changed, but the musical qualities have changed a lot through many aspects. For the timbre, as we can see in the video, in Sinatra’s versions, there was an orchestra playing the music but only one electronic guitar and drums in Flamingos’ version. I feel like they used shakers but I am not that sure since the sound quality of the video is not that good. But definitely, Sinatra’s version has a more complex timbre. Both of these two versions have quite steady and regular rhythms and very similar intensity, but I think Flamingos’ version could be a little softer since his version more sounds like flirting or telling his love to the listener. Due this reason, Flamingos’ version has a slower tempo than Sinatra’s version.  Also, Flamingos’ version has a higher pitch than the other one. Both of these two versions are very in ordered, although Sinatra’s version has an orchestra accompanying his singing.

I really like both versions, but I will prefer Flamingos’ version. His version sounds more happy and sweet. Sinatra’s version is a great song for some nice and theme restaurants, which can create relax and some kind of sweet emotions for the listeners. With the same lyrics and basic melody, the English Singer Martina Topley-Bird’s version is quite sad. Topley-Bird has a very charming voice. But her version makes me feel she is singing to laugh at herself about the “blind love”. It is no longer a sweet love song in her version. However, Flamingos totally gave me another feelings. The slow tempo and rhythemic melody gave me a sweet feeling. It is like the singer is repeatedly telling his sweet and happy love through the song.

Also, just feel interesting, there are covered songs back in China as well. There is a very classical love song called ”The moon represents my heart” sang by Teresa Teng in the 80s. She was the Queen of pop music at that time, but sadly, she passed away in 90s. 

Teresa Teng

VS

David Tao

Two decades later of that song, a Taiwanese R&B singer, David Tao, covered that song into another version, which became a popular song right after the song was released. Since Tao grew up in US, so many of his songs are very similar to American music but in this song, Tao combined Chinese pop music style and American pop music style. Tao changed the name of the song to “The moon represents whose heart”. It is interesting to see how Tao add some traditional Chinese instruments in his version but also has a little bit of light rock or pop music style in it. Tao only used the classical part of the old song melody and lyrics in his new version. The old version is a sweet positive love song, which basically meant my love is like moon, which will always be there. But Tao turns that statement into a question, whose love will be like moon, which will always be there. It is very interesting to change people’s ideas through Tao’s way. He made it successfully.