Elisabeth's Eyes

"Elisabeth's Eyes" is a song by English musician Nik Kershaw, released as the second and final single from his fourth studio album The Works. It was written by Kershaw, and produced by Kershaw and Julian Mendelsohn.

"Elisabeth's Eyes"
Single by Nik Kershaw
from the album The Works
Released1989
Length
  • 4:40 (album version)
  • 4:37 (single version)
  • 6:02 (extended version)
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)Nik Kershaw
Producer(s)Nik Kershaw, Julian Mendelsohn
Nik Kershaw singles chronology
"One Step Ahead"
(1989)		 "Elisabeth's Eyes"
(1989)		 "Wouldn't It Be Good" (re-issue)"
(1991)

Background

Kershaw began writing material for his fourth album in early 1987 and went to Los Angeles later in the year to record with producer Peter Wolf. Ten tracks were completed, but Kershaw was ultimately dissatisfied with the results. When he returned to England, he began remixing and re-recording the material with the help of Julian Mendelsohn. Kershaw also decided to drop two of the intended tracks and replace them with two new ones, "One Step Ahead" and "Elisabeth's Eyes".[1][2]

"Elisabeth's Eyes" was inspired by the pen pal relationship of Elisabeth Allan, a teacher from Essex, and Willie Darden, an African American man who served 14 years on death row and was executed in 1988 in Florida for murder during the course of a robbery. Kershaw told Simon Mayo in 1989: "For reasons she didn't really understand, Elisabeth began to write to him in prison and he wrote back. Towards the end he was writing three or four times a day. The letters were very personal, almost like love letters. They never met, but she was his one link with the outside world. I hope the song might help other people in Willie's position."[3]

Promotion

The song's music video was directed by Mike Ross and produced by Ali Newling.[4] On 22 May 1989, Kershaw performed the song on the British TV show Wogan.[5]

Formats
7" single
  1. "Elisabeth's Eyes" - 4:37
  2. "My Friend John" - 4:08
12" single
  1. "Elisabeth's Eyes" (Extended version) - 6:02
  2. "My Friend John" - 4:08
  3. "Elisabeth's Eyes" - 4:41
CD Single
  1. "Elisabeth's Eyes" (7" version) - 4:39
  2. "My Friend John" - 4:01
  3. "Elisabeth's Eyes" (Extended version) - 6:04

Personnel
  • Nik Kershaw, Julian Mendelsohn - producers, mixing on "Elisabeth's Eyes"
  • Michael H. Brauer - remixer on extended version and club dub of "Elisabeth's Eyes"
  • Julian Mendelsohn - co-production on extended version and club dub of "Elisabeth's Eyes"
  • Nik Kershaw - producer of "My Friend John"

References
  1. Simon Mayo (18 January 1989). "Nik makes a little revival". Reading Evening Post. Retrieved 12 November 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. "Tiny Nik walks tall". Reading Evening Post. 8 February 1989. Retrieved 12 November 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. Simon Mayo (19 April 1989). "Wet, Wet, Wet!". Reading Evening Post. Retrieved 12 November 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Nik Kershaw - Elizabeth's Eyes (1989)". IMVDb. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  5. https://nikmania.me.uk/nikography1/uk-tv-appearances/

[[Category:1989 songs)

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