I Only Have Eyes For You by the Flamingos

For a few minutes, listening to this wistful ballad by the Flamingos, you can suspend your cynicism and indulge in that most romantic of all fantasies — a whirlwind romance that leaves you breathless and enthralled. That’s the power of doo-wop music, as exemplified by a song that has been covered and reworked by numerous artists, including Frank Sinatra in 1962, The Lettermen in 1966, Art Garfunkel of Simon & Garfunkel in 1975 (his version hit No. 1 in the UK), and even Michael Bublé in 2018.

Written in 1934 by Harry Warren and Al Dubin for the Busby Berkeley musical Dames, it was first introduced by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. It would later become a chart-topper for Ben Selvin in 1950 and also recorded by Peggy Lee. But it was the 1959 Flamingos version, with its ominous countermelody and shoo-bop punctuation, that established it as a true pop standard.

The Flamingos were signed to George Goldner’s End Records label and began recording their debut album, aptly titled Flamingo Serenade. Although they’d already had a minor hit with a cover of Buddy Holly’s ‘Rave On,’ it was their version of ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ that brought them to mainstream success. It was an instant classic and one of the most sublime vocal-group recordings ever made.

The group’s vocal harmonies are impeccable and the arrangement is simply genius. Producer Terry Johnson, whose work on The Chantels and Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers had helped bring them to the attention of record execs, told the singers exactly what he wanted from them. He wanted the rhythm to change from a pulsating 6/8 time signature to an elongated bass line in 4/4 with an ominous counter-melody. He also had them sing the verses a bit louder so that they’d be heard over the lead vocal.

In addition, he had the Flamingos arrange the song so that they sang all of their parts live, with no overdubbing. That is something that was not common at the time and it helped to give the song its unique sound.

The Flamingos’ version of ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’ is featured in the classic American Graffiti film and is still a favorite on oldies radio stations around the country. It has been ranked #158 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and continues to be revered as an important piece of popular music. It has also been the subject of a legal battle between The Flamingos and Pepsi, which used it in a TV commercial without their permission. The Flamingos won the case and Pepsi was forced to pay $250,000 in damages.