Released in 1984, “Eyes without a face” is a song by English rock musician and singer Billy Idol, the 2nd single from his album Rebel Yell of 1983. It’s a power-ballad that was written upon inspiration of horror movies that Billy Idol had an obsession for, and one in particular “Eyes without a face” (Les yeux sans visage). It was a French movie from the 1960s about a plastic surgeon trying to restore his daughter’s beauty after an accident. He selected his victims and murdered them to take their facial features via surgery and use them for his daughter’s face, except for her eyes, hence, “Eyes without a face“. It reached # 4 song in the US.

The meaning of “Eyes without a face” has a lot to do with Billy Idol‘s experience and time in New York, including a personal relationship gone wrong, with regrets about it which left him feeling “soulless”.

The video is the result of a complex, long video shoot that lasted 3 days, with fog machines, harsh lighting, and strong fire effects, so taxing that Billy Idol‘s contact lenses fused to his eyeballs during or soon after when onboard of a plane flying out to Arizona where the artist was scheduled to perform. It cost him a 3 day hospitalization during which his corneas were scraped and bandaged until they healed.  

Other 1980s Music Videos You May Like:

Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls – 1984 Talk Talk – Such A Shame – 1984 Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is – 1984 Philip Bailey, Phil Collins – Easy Lover – 1984 Limahl – Never Ending Story – 1984 Dead or Alive – You spin me round – 1984