Reissue Theory: Naked Eyes

Eighty-two years ago today, a Kansas City, Miss. couple named Bert and Irma Bacharach welcomed a son, Burt, into the world. In 1957, the young songwriter met a lyricist, Hal David, at a meeting in the Brill Building in New York City. The rest, as they say, was history, with some of the most enduring popular songs of century flowing from their pens.

This is a difficult fact to grasp if you’re a young person. Nowadays, people couldn’t really care less who writes the songs that make the whole world sing (even if one of the more high-profile songs of the current pop era, Kara DioGuardi, is a judge on American Idol). But in those days, songs could just grab a hold of people’s ears and not let go for generations.

There is perhaps no greater example of this than “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me,” a melancholy Bacharach/David composition written in 1963 with Dionne Warwick originally cutting a demo. Warwick wouldn’t release a proper version until three years later, long after the song had ascended to the top of the U.K. charts when it was gaily recorded by Sandie Shaw.

Warwick’s version, along with a version by pop singer R.B. Greaves in 1970, performed well enough, but it was never a capital-h Hit in the States until the summer of 1983, where a U.K. duo called Naked Eyes burst onto the scene with a bombastic, Linn-drum-and-Fairlight-synth version that climbed all the way to No. 8.

This cover of the Bacharach/David tune earned Naked Eyes a place in American pop history, but it oddly stiffed in their homeland. Follow-up single “Promises, Promises” (a remix of which featured backing vocals from an up-and-coming singer named Madonna), a Top 20 U.S. hit, fared even worse in England, and after another LP, Naked Eyes were more or less kaput. Co-founder Rob Fisher died in 1999, and Byrne did session work here and there until returning under the Naked Eyes banner in 2007.

Despite those early U.S. hits, Naked Eyes are nonentities on CD, save for a few compilations here and there. In honor of Bacharach’s birthday – and one of the most enduring covers of one of his most enduring songs – The Second Disc presents you with a Reissue Theory look at these two lost pop LPs. Remind yourself after the jump.

Naked Eyes, Burning Bridges (EMI EMC 3426 (U.K.) – released as Naked Eyes EMI America ST-17089 (U.S.) with different track order, 1983)

Disc 1 – Original U.K. LP, single mixes and B-sides

1. Voices in My Head
2. I Could Show You How
3. A Very Hard Act to Follow
4. Always Something There to Remind Me
5. Fortune and Fame
6. Could Be
7. Burning Bridges
8. Emotion in Motion
9. Low Life
10. The Time is Now
11. When the Lights Go Out
12. Promises, Promises
13. Pitstop (U.K. B-side to “Always Something There to Remind Me” – EMI 5334, 1982)
14. Sweet Poison (U.K. B-side to “Voices in My Head” – EMI 5363, 1983)
15. Promises, Promises (Tony Mansfield U.K. 7″ Version) (7″ A-side – EMI 5421, 1983)
16. In the Name of Love (Demo) (U.K. B-side to “Promises, Promises” – EMI 5421, 1983)
17. Low Life (12″ B-side to “Promises, Promises” – 12 EMI 5421, 1983)
18. Promises, Promises (Tony Mansfield U.S. 7″ Version) (U.S. 7″ A-side – EMI America B-8170, 1983)

Disc 2: Remixes and extras

1. Communication Without Sound – Neon (7″ A-side – Carrere CAR 201, 1981) *
2. Remote Control – Neon (7″ B-side – Carrere 201, 1981) *
3. Victims of Fact – Neon (from Carrere Records promo cassette, 1981) *
4. Always Something There to Remind Me (Tony Mansfield U.K. 12″ Version) (12″ A-side – 12 EMI 5334, 1982)
5. Always Something There to Remind Me (Jellybean Remix) (U.S. promotional 12″ A-side – EMI America SPRO-9924, 1983)
6. Always Something There to Remind Me (Tony Mansfield U.S. 12″ Version) (U.S. 12″ A-side – EMI America 8155, 1983)
7. Home – Planet Ha Ha (7″ A-side – EMI 5334) **
8. Home (Instrumental) – Planet Ha Ha (7″ B-side – EMI 5334) **
9. Promises, Promises (Tony Mansfield 12″ Version) (12″ A-side – 12 EMI 5421, 1983)
10. Promises, Promises (Jellybean Remix) (U.S. promotional 12″ A-side – EMI America SPRO-9962, 1983)
11. Promises, Promises (Instrumental) (U.S. promotional 12″ B-side – EMI America SPRO-9962, 1983)
12. Promises, Promises (Jellybean 7″ Remix) (unused mix, first released on Everything and More compilation – EMI/One Way 72435 39815 2 5, 2002)
13. Promises, Promises (Jellybean Alternate 12″ Remix) (unused mix, first released on Everything and More compilation – EMI/One Way 72435 39815 2 5, 2002)

Naked Eyes, Fuel for the Fire (Parlophone 57176 (U.K.)/EMI America ST-51716 (U.S.), 1984)

1. (What) In the Name of Love
2. New Hearts
3. Sacrifice
4. Eyes of a Child
5. Once is Enough
6. No Flowers Please
7. Answering Service
8. Me I See in You
9. Flying Solo
10. Flag of Convenience
11. (What) In the Name of Love (Arthur Baker 7″ Remix) (7″ A-side – Parlophone R 6078, 1984)
12. Two Heads Together (B-side to “(What) In the Name of Love” – Parlophone R 6078, 1984)
13. (What) In the Name of Love (Arthur Baker 12″ Remix) (12″ A-side – Parlophone 12R 6078, 1984)
14. Sacrifice (Arthur Baker 12″ Mix) (unused mix, first released on Everything and More compilation – EMI/One Way 72435 39815 2 5, 2002)
15. (What) In the Name of Love (Byrne/Fisher Mix) (12″ B-side to “Promises, Promises” – 12 EMI 5421, 1983)
16. Making Waves – Neon (7″ A-side – 3D Music 3D1, 1980) *
17. Me I See in You – Neon (7″ B-side – 3D Music 3D1, 1980) *

* Neon was an amazing obscurity – Naked Eyes members Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher along with Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith – the key members of Tears for Fears – and classic TFF drummer and guitarist Manny Elias and Neil Taylor. All of the tracks except “Victims of Fact” were released on the Naked Eyes comp Everything and More.

** Planet Ha Ha was Rob Fisher and Naked Eyes producer Tony Mansfield, who collaborated at EMI’s behest to make a cash-in single based on the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Neither track has been released on CD.