Eyesight to the Blind

Sonny Boy Williamson II

About Eyesight to the Blind

"Eyesight to the Blind" is a 12-bar blues song written and recorded in 1951 by Sonny Boy Williamson II (Aleck "Rice" Miller). He also recorded the related songs "Born Blind", "Unseeing Eye", "Don't Lose Your Eye", and "Unseen Eye" during his career. The Larks, an American rhythm and blues group, recorded the song, which reached number five on the R&B charts in 1951. Several musicians subsequently recorded it in a variety of styles. The Who used Williamson's lyrics for their adaptation for the rock opera Tommy.  


Year:
2014
3:03
123 
#2

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You've talking about your woman, I wish to God, man, that you could see
Mine
You're talking about your woman, I wish to God that you could see mine
Every time the little girl start to loving, she bring eyesight to the blind
Lord, her daddy must been a millionaire, 'cause I can tell by the way she
Walk
Her daddy must been a millionaire, because I can tell by the way she walk
Every time she start to loving, the deaf and dumb begin to talk
I remember one Friday morning, we was lying down across the bed
Man in the next room a-dying, stopped dying and lift up his head, and said, 

"Lord, ain't she pretty, and the whole state know she fine!"
Every time she start to loving, she bring eyesight to the blind
(Spoken: All right and all right, now. Lay it on me, lay it on me, lay it
On me
Oh lordy, what a woman, what a woman! )
Yes, I declare she's pretty and the whole state knows she's fine
Man, I declare she's pretty, God knows I declare she's fine
Every time she starts to loving, whoo, she brings eyesight to the blind
(I've got to get out of here, now, let's go, let's go, let's go now)

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Sonny Boy Williamson II

Aleck "Sonny Boy Williamson" Miller (possibly December 5, 1912 – May 25, 1965) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills. He recorded successfully in the 1950s and 1960s, and had a direct influence on later blues and rock performers. He should not be confused with another leading blues performer, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, who died in 1948. more »

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Written by: WILLIE SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Eyesight to the Blind" was originally written and recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson II in 1951. This makes it quite distinctive in the blues genre because it was not common for blues musicians to write their own compositions during this era.
Cover Version
The British band "The Who" covered the song in their rock opera "Tommy" in 1969. They were arguably the most famous band to cover the song, taking the tune to a larger audience.
Lyrics Analysis
The song is a classic blues story about a man who is so taken with a woman that even a blind man could see her appeal. The lyrics are metaphorical and indicate deep emotional connection.
Unique Scenario
The inclusion of "Eyesight to the Blind" in the rock opera "Tommy" made it the only song that wasn't written by any member of The Who to be included in the opera.
Tommy's Reference
In the context of "Tommy", the song describes Tommy’s mother’s affair with a lover, who Tommy later sees her murder. Tommy is shocked into a state of catatonic silence and later becomes a pinball wizard.
Different Musical Style
While the Williamson's original version was a classic example of Chicago blues style, The Who's version was a rock rendition that incorporated elements of heavy psych rock, which was just emerging at that time.
Critical Acclaim
The song is universally hailed as a classic blues song and "The Who's" rendition derived critical acclaim, contributing significantly to the success and popularity of the "Tommy" opera.
Additional Covers
"Eyesight to the Blind" was also covered by other blues artists such as Mose Allison, and Aerosmith also performed the song alongside The Who in The Who's presentation of 'Tommy' during the 1998 season finale of VH1's "Storytellers" series.
Aerosmith's Contribution
"Eyesight to the Blind" was performed as a duet with lead vocalist Steven Tyler and blues harmonica player John Popper, with Tyler singing in the falsetto range to emulate Roger Daltrey's original vocal style.
Induction into Grammy Hall of Fame
Notably, Williamson's original version of "Eyesight to the Blind" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018, a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and exhibit qualitative or historical significance.

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