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Billy Idol — Eyes Without A Face
Album: Rebel Yell
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1446









Released: 1983
Length: 4:51
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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I'm all out of hope
One more bad break
Could bring a fall
When I'm far from home
Don't call me on the phone
To tell me you're alone
It's easy to deceive
It's easy to tease
But hard to get release

''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
Got no human grace
Your eyes without a face

I spend so much time
Believing all the lies
To keep the dream alive
Now it makes me sad
It makes me mad at truth
For loving what was you

''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
Got no human grace
Your eyes without a face

When you hear the music, you make a dip
Into someone else's pocket, then make a slip
Steal a car and go to Las Vegas, oh, the gigolo cool
Hanging out by the state line
Turning holy water into wine
Drinking it down, oh

I'm on a bus on a psychedelic trip
Reading murder books, tryin' to stay hip
I'm thinkin' of you, you're out there, so
Say your prayers
Say your prayers
Say your prayers

Now I close my eyes
And I wonder why
I don't despise
Now all I can do
Is love what was once
So alive and new
But it's gone from your eyes
I'd better realize

''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
''(Les yeux sans visage)'' Eyes without a face
Got no human grace
Your eyes without a face
Such a human waste
Your eyes without a face

And now it's getting worse
Comments (98)add comment

Posted 7 months ago by Sofa_King    [ Reply ]
 bluematrix wrote:

was just cranking this and after so many plays, i never noticed how good the bass is before. and yea, that guitar bridge is tasty too.




Well he states it, "I supplied the bass" ;)
Posted 1 year ago by X-act    [ Reply ]
 grandemarch wrote:

Incredible bass playing by Sal Cuevas.


I had this on vinyl in my younger days, never knew that! Fantastic bass line. And we all know Bill loves a great bass line. 
Posted 1 year ago by jkamm14    [ Reply ]
"Mellow" Mix, huh? Okay, then. /M.
Posted 1 year ago by michaelgmitchell    [ Reply ]
Eyes without a Face is how bad guys get thorough retina scan security.  

True!  I've seen it in movies!
Posted 1 year ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Eyes without a face (les yeux sans visage in French)
https://www.cinematheque.fr/fi...
Posted 2 years ago by French_Ferdinand    [ Reply ]
Big thumbs up for Billy and Bill for playing this great retro tune
Posted 2 years ago by Malachy    [ Reply ]
 coloradojohn wrote:

Impossible to escape on Rock Radio back then, but damn, this was one hell of a well-produced song! That bass and guitar!


This is one of those songs where it's understandable that it's impossible to escape. Because it's awesome and classic .
Posted 2 years ago by acolt    [ Reply ]
Impossible to escape on Rock Radio back then, but damn, this was one hell of a well-produced song! That bass and guitar!
Posted 2 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
This could have stayed in the 80s. 
Posted 2 years ago by jjbchansen159    [ Reply ]
 The middle of June 1984 was right when this song was at its peak on the radio.  Brings back a lot of memories of that summer.
 
Then in July all the hype shifted to "Sunglasses At Night".  I'm sure we're not going to be hearing that one on RP.
Posted 2 years ago by timmus    [ Reply ]
When he started his comeback I saw him and Stevie Stevens at Z-7 in Basel. They blew me and everybody else right across the German border!
Posted 2 years ago by johnfiva    [ Reply ]
Posted 2 years ago by snowcone    [ Reply ]
"Les yeux sans visage" 
Posted 2 years ago by guilhem34    [ Reply ]
I was a huge idol fan back in the 80s. now I think about the concept of  'eyes without a face" and it's so f-ing silly, but this song rocks despite that.. great jam still love the song
Posted 2 years ago by lynn01    [ Reply ]
 drfeeleygood wrote:

My buddy had a glass eye. Childhood beebee gun accident. He told me this song always reminded him of his eye Dr who had a jar of glass eyes on his desk! 


He must love "A Christmas Story".  Or maybe not.
Posted 2 years ago by dwhayslett    [ Reply ]
 pomalley wrote:

This song just feels like generic background music to me.  Probably because it was overplayed so much at one time.  For some reason, just can't get into it. 



It's worth recognizing that there are plenty of listeners who did not listen to radio stations when this was released (at least those that played this), so for me, at least, this is new. My impression is not yet formed, but not everyone was tuned into stations that over played this, as well as any number of other tunes.
Posted 3 years ago by bam23    [ Reply ]
This song just feels like generic background music to me.  Probably because it was overplayed so much at one time.  For some reason, just can't get into it. 
Posted 3 years ago by pomalley    [ Reply ]
Never realised the background vocals were going "Yeux sans visage"....

I was having another "Jeux sans frontières" moment!....
Posted 3 years ago by alain.brault    [ Reply ]
One of my go-to karaoke songs (pre-pandemic, hopefully post-pandemic too), usually as a duet with a friend who also thinks this is an awesome song.
Posted 3 years ago by studioDEC    [ Reply ]
Thank you. I needed that.
Posted 3 years ago by dunvegan    [ Reply ]
Pass another song that got overplayed to death
Posted 3 years ago by jp33442    [ Reply ]
I'd rate this his best track 
Posted 3 years ago by 1wolfy    [ Reply ]
Incredible bass playing by Sal Cuevas.
Posted 3 years ago by grandemarch    [ Reply ]
Ah yes, there's that ubiquitous eighties whip-crack FX.
And Steve Stevens' searing solo sizzles and pops.
Posted 3 years ago by easmann    [ Reply ]
 Cynaera wrote:
For the longest time, I thought he was singing, "You rise without a face," and the song gave me nightmares. Now, it just makes me smile and look forward to a Zombie Apocalypse. {#Bounce}
 

I don't know, just eyes without a face is pretty scary as is
Posted 4 years ago by ExploitingChaos    [ Reply ]
 poetdancer wrote:
He's still doing this in concert. Just saw him earlier this year in San Francisco with Steve Stevens and they were fantastic. Lots of good stories. 
 

I was there too! Man, that was really good.
Posted 4 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
 NeilBlanchard wrote:
Did this gentleman sober up, at some point?
 

Yes! Saw him last year in SF, an intimate show with just him and Steve. A great performance, in fine voice. Better than when I caught him in the 80s, really.
Posted 4 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
My buddy had a glass eye. Childhood beebee gun accident. He told me this song always reminded him of his eye Dr who had a jar of glass eyes on his desk! 
Posted 4 years ago by drfeeleygood    [ Reply ]
Did this gentleman sober up, at some point?
Posted 4 years ago by NeilBlanchard    [ Reply ]
I can always listen to this song, or watch the video, back-to-back, five times in a row.

So don't call me on the phone, to tell me you're alone.
Posted 4 years ago by tomcool    [ Reply ]
I never liked Billy Idol. He should have never left  Gen-x. He only produced junk like this afterwards. 
Posted 4 years ago by impediguy    [ Reply ]
Not awesome.
Terrible!
Posted 4 years ago by ace-marc    [ Reply ]
cheezy? yes
gimmicky? yes
formulaic?  sure!
awesome? FUCK YEAH BUDDY!!!!!


Billy gets extra points having FOUR birth names!!!
William Michael Albert Broad = Billy Idol
Posted 4 years ago by Ihatethissong    [ Reply ]
Great song played twice within 6 songs do I get a prize or something?
Posted 5 years ago by nickt1    [ Reply ]
was just cranking this and after so many plays, i never noticed how good the bass is before. and yea, that guitar bridge is tasty too.
Posted 5 years ago by bluematrix    [ Reply ]
Another billy idol song that played to death so I am going to skip
Posted 5 years ago by jp33442    [ Reply ]
He's still doing this in concert. Just saw him earlier this year in San Francisco with Steve Stevens and they were fantastic. Lots of good stories. 
Posted 5 years ago by poetdancer    [ Reply ]
Man, Stevie Stevens just kills it here.  He writes so well with Billy, then puts in a thrashing bridge that far beyond your typical 80s thrashing like the usual Motley Crue junk. 
Posted 5 years ago by Relayer    [ Reply ]
Long time no hear. 
Great song.
Posted 5 years ago by brane    [ Reply ]
So great to remember the 80s !!!

                         
Posted 5 years ago by Michael_in_Paradise    [ Reply ]
This song really belongs to my youth, great selection!
Posted 5 years ago by FernandoJCano    [ Reply ]

Alt lyrics: Eyeballs out in space.

Posted 5 years ago by dc_zee    [ Reply ]
Superb, his best imho.
Posted 5 years ago by Sam_Chucklestone    [ Reply ]
Billy Idol was the idea, but the muscle was Steve Stevens. This song is great, but it just percolates along until Stevens comes screaming in. Interesting Stevens side project: Black Light Syndrome, with Terry Bozzio/Tony Levin/Steve Stevens. Kinda like King Crimson's Red album. Seriously.
Posted 6 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
Outstanding  : )   ( Cynaera liked it, can't be all bad)
Posted 6 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
I seriously have heard this song countless times and for some reason, never realized until now it was Billy Idol. How did I not know this?
Posted 6 years ago by wilcogirl11    [ Reply ]
For the longest time, I thought he was singing, "You rise without a face," and the song gave me nightmares. Now, it just makes me smile and look forward to a Zombie Apocalypse. {#Bounce}
Posted 13 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
a total classic.
Posted 19 years ago by jameyp    [ Reply ]
Never liked this song back in the day. Still don't like it now. BI has a number of better crafted and recorded songs.
Posted 19 years ago by samrex    [ Reply ]
Whatever else, he sure filled in that time and place nicely with this tune. Surprisingly melodic, with that kickin' section halfway through. Yeah. A 10.
Posted 19 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
Love it! Thank you again, RP!
Posted 19 years ago by Beastie    [ Reply ]
The only Billy Idol song I ever liked. Boy, do I feel dirty.
Posted 19 years ago by namesbenny    [ Reply ]
Posted 20 years ago by TomJB    [ Reply ]
Posted 20 years ago by Danny_G    [ Reply ]
i hate this song but bass line is so great that i can't stop listening until the end... :)
Posted 20 years ago by snurfer    [ Reply ]
OH YEAH.......Summer of '83 memories here.......Good Jam......
Posted 20 years ago by crowhog2000    [ Reply ]
xkolibuul wrote:
Okay, I loathed every Billy Idol song on my radio in the 80s, and I still can't say I like his stuff, but somehow I can't generate the same level of venom after watching his turn in 'The Wedding Singer'. Great moment. Great movie.
Hell yeah, I'm with you !
Posted 20 years ago by JamieR    [ Reply ]
:sunny.gif:
Posted 20 years ago by blades    [ Reply ]
Synth-pop at its best. And I don't mean that as a compliment.
Posted 20 years ago by 54-40    [ Reply ]
I agree with apd, Platypus, Kimmer, and especially OldSlabSides. Idol may be a charming actor, but repetitive tuneless meaningless lyric and droning voice (especially in an overplayed song) are enervating to listen to. :( <-X
Posted 20 years ago by rKokon    [ Reply ]
Right face, wrong voice. :) (Old Saturday Night Live skit)
Posted 20 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]
I love just about every Billy Idol song ever made. I don't care if he's a poseur, he's still awfully sexy.
Posted 20 years ago by istanbulbaby    [ Reply ]
Okay, I loathed every Billy Idol song on my radio in the 80s, and I still can't say I like his stuff, but somehow I can't generate the same level of venom after watching his turn in 'The Wedding Singer'. Great moment. Great movie.
Posted 20 years ago by xkolibuul    [ Reply ]
Tarquin wrote:
I hated Billy Idol when this song came out. Here I am, nearly 20 years later, and every time I hear his music and other artists' songs I "hated" at the time, I get all nostalgic and long for simpler times when my biggest problems only included things like being able to switch to a different radio station very quickly. But damn, if I don't know all the words to this and his other songs that got airplay at the time. Guess I never switched the station fast enough. Or airwave saturation really does work.
Not to belittle your otherwise cogent comment, but people also remember all the words to insipid theme songs from televison shows they watched while growing up.
Posted 20 years ago by steeler    [ Reply ]
I hated Billy Idol when this song came out. Here I am, nearly 20 years later, and every time I hear his music and other artists' songs I "hated" at the time, I get all nostalgic and long for simpler times when my biggest problems only included things like being able to switch to a different radio station very quickly. But damn, if I don't know all the words to this and his other songs that got airplay at the time. Guess I never switched the station fast enough. Or airwave saturation really does work.
Posted 20 years ago by Tarquin    [ Reply ]
OK, this is just the sort of trite pop drivel that I listen to RP NOT to hear - blech
Posted 20 years ago by Red_Dragon    [ Reply ]
Shimmer wrote:
You must be kidding me. This guy is a complete poseur. About as scary as my grandmother. There's some truly great punk music from this era -- I'd love to hear that instead of this drivel.
If the genes breed true, your grandmother must be pretty damn scary!
Posted 20 years ago by Pipes    [ Reply ]
AlanCE wrote:
or as my sister thought the lyrics went... "hows about a daaayate?"
ROTFLMAO!!!!
Posted 20 years ago by Mark1970    [ Reply ]
Billy is much maligned for his public persona - but the fact is he does have a great voice and ditto what others said previously....Steve Stevens was the music. I was in charge of backstage security for a show he did in a 2000 seat venue and got to see them "up close and personal" and it was a great show........ lots of energy and Stevens CAN PLAY !!
Posted 20 years ago by ZM_Herb    [ Reply ]
Chunk wrote:
Ahhhh... childhood flashbacks. Between Rebel Yell and Purple Rain, I wore out my first tape deck. :)
yuk! no more! ever again!
Posted 20 years ago by kimmer    [ Reply ]
Idol's voice is pretty weak, which is especailly apparent when he does a cover. On the other hand, Billy is cool and this is one my favorite songs by anyone, ever.
Posted 20 years ago by rulebritannia    [ Reply ]
why? for the love... WHY? it was awful pop sludge in the 80s and even worse now.
Posted 20 years ago by Platypus    [ Reply ]
PeterGriffin wrote:
I'll admit it, I still think Billy kicks ass!
I confess, too, Peter: still a guilty pleasure. Actually broke down and bought Rebel Yell on disc b/c I needed Daytime Drama, Flesh, Eyes, Blue Highway--hell, I needed a fix of the whole damned record!
Posted 20 years ago by Rockabobbie    [ Reply ]
toppermustard wrote:
idol owes an enormous amount to his guitarist at the time, steve stevens...
Yep. Which reminds me, Steve Stevens came out with a flamenco guitar cd that blew me away. Dude is amazing.
Posted 20 years ago by Kreskin    [ Reply ]
Billy was a prat even when he was a pseudo-punk in the late 70's, before he went to LA, did this nonsense and found his true level. Billy Bragg had a theory that there must be a roadie off-stage at the end of a string, operating the sneer.
Posted 20 years ago by apd    [ Reply ]
Ahhhh... childhood flashbacks. Between Rebel Yell and Purple Rain, I wore out my first tape deck. :)
Posted 20 years ago by Chunk    [ Reply ]
drH wrote:
A truly great voice, and the songs hold up extremely well!
Yes, I've always felt Billy's sneering, pants-dropping persona left his wonderful voice underappreciated. This has always been one of my favorite songs of his (it was my favorite song ever for a time in grade school...), although I feel "Whiplash Smile" is his best record.
Posted 20 years ago by satocks    [ Reply ]
kelty wrote:
Not one of my favorite Billy Idol songs....but I saw him at the Bridge School Benefit in CA a year or two ago with REM, Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Neil Young....and he absolutely blew the rest of them away.
No shock there. Billy always DID have more b@lls than Dave Matthews, REM or Pearl Jam...
Posted 20 years ago by Illustr8r    [ Reply ]
FLESH! Flesh for fan-ta-sy!
Posted 20 years ago by Illustr8r    [ Reply ]
idol owes an enormous amount to his guitarist at the time, steve stevens...
Posted 20 years ago by toppermustard    [ Reply ]
Pop shlock.
Posted 20 years ago by MsJudi    [ Reply ]
I'll admit it, I still think Billy kicks ass!
Posted 20 years ago by PeterGriffin    [ Reply ]
A truly great voice, and the songs hold up extremely well! :crown.gif:
Posted 20 years ago by drH    [ Reply ]
Not one of my favorite Billy Idol songs....but I saw him at the Bridge School Benefit in CA a year or two ago with REM, Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Neil Young....and he absolutely blew the rest of them away. Rok on Billy.
Posted 21 years ago by kelty    [ Reply ]
"reading murder books and trying to stay hip..." Sing it Billy, then go away - a guilty listen from my childhood if there ever was one. :)
Posted 21 years ago by gilmorecairns    [ Reply ]
...
Posted 21 years ago by Platypus    [ Reply ]
Shimmer wrote:
You must be kidding me. This guy is a complete poseur. About as scary as my grandmother.
With or without her teeth?
Posted 21 years ago by Brewski    [ Reply ]
They should invent a new emoticon with a Billy Idol sneer. \:D/
Posted 21 years ago by Pusherman    [ Reply ]
or as my sister thought the lyrics went... "hows about a daaayate?"
Posted 21 years ago by AlanCE    [ Reply ]
Mot wrote:
At the time, Billy seemed a bit over the top to me. Probably that snarling look of his. But truth is, there's not a song he did that I didn't like. Rock on, Billy!
You must be kidding me. This guy is a complete poseur. About as scary as my grandmother. There's some truly great punk music from this era -- I'd love to hear that instead of this drivel.
Posted 21 years ago by Shimmer    [ Reply ]
BLADERUNNER wrote:
Billy Idol.......punk bad boy who went good. actually, this is still a fave of mine from the old days.
Hate to admit it, but I always kinda liked this one too. A bit of a guilty pleasure hearing it every now and then.
Posted 21 years ago by eddief    [ Reply ]
Could not figure out what the hell he was saying when this came out. Took until I saw the name on the video. Made for some dumb kid jokes between my brother and me. "Rise-uh-bou-da-face!!", followed by giggles.
Posted 21 years ago by mrselfdestruct    [ Reply ]
At the time, Billy seemed a bit over the top to me. Probably that snarling look of his. But truth is, there's not a song he did that I didn't like. Rock on, Billy!
Posted 21 years ago by Mot    [ Reply ]
Nice to hear again! One of my fav's from this era. pbm 8^)
Posted 21 years ago by Patti    [ Reply ]
Billy Idol.......punk bad boy who went good. actually, this is still a fave of mine from the old days.
Posted 21 years ago by BLADERUNNER    [ Reply ]