Angel Eyes – Jeff Healey Band | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#5) and Adult Contemporary (#7); 1989
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Who could have imagined that 22 years after Jeff Healey was blinded by cancer as a baby, he’d score a massive hit single titled Angel Eyes taken from a smash album named See The Light? Yet, that’s exactly what happened.
Despite his loss, Jeff began playing guitar at age three and, three years later, he began playing in public. At 14 Healey became the main music specialist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; delving into his thousands-strong collection of vintage jazz 78’s for his weekly radio show.
In 1985, the Toronto teen met bassist Joe Rockman and drummer Tom Stephen. The trio self-released a single – Adrianna b/w See The Light – that led to a record deal. As they worked on their debut album, Jeff, Joe, and Tom were cast in Road House alongside Patrick Swayze.
After FM radio picked up on the album’s title track and Confidence Man, the Jeff Healey Band burst onto the Hot 100 with Angel Eyes and picked up a Best Rock Instrumental Performance Grammy nomination for Hideaway.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Greg Ladanyi
Lyrics Written by:
- John Hiatt
- Fred Koller
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).