Released 1979 Genre Soft rock Writer(s) Mike Batt | Format Gramophone record Label Columbia | |
B-side "When Someone Doesn't Want You" | ||
"Bright Eyes" is a song written by Mike Batt and performed by Art Garfunkel. It was used in the soundtrack of the 1978 British animated adventure drama film Watership Down and as such is considered the theme song of the film and the later television series also titled Watership Down. The track appears on UK and European versions of Garfunkel's 1979 Fate for Breakfast and on the US versions of his 1981 album Scissors Cut. It was the biggest selling single of 1979 in the UK.
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Background
Written by Mike Batt for Watership Down at the request of director Martin Rosen, the song relates to the transition from life to death. This is highlighted by Hazel, a rabbit character in the film, initially when wounded by a farmer's gun. Finally, at the end of the short animal life-span, Hazel (then Hazel-rah) departs his body and enters a spirit world.
The song was very successful in the United Kingdom, staying at number one in the UK Singles Chart for six weeks in 1979, selling over one million copies, becoming the biggest selling single of that year in the UK. It has sold 1.2 million copies. In the United States, it failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #27 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
Personnel
Other versions
The Shadows recorded an instrumental version in 1979 on the album String of Hits.
In 1979, Swedish singer Siv-Inger recorded the song with lyrics in Swedish by Margot Borgström, as Varför (Why), on the album Liv och kärlek (Life and Love). and charted at Svensktoppen with the song for 10 weeks between 30 March-1 June 1980, peaking at fourth position.
Welsh band Manic Street Preachers released a live version as a b-side on the cassette version of their A Design for Life single in 1996.
In 1980, five-year-old child performer Matthew Butler performed a version of the song on the ITV children's series Tiswas dressed in a grey furry rabbit costume. Butler, his costume and his rendition of the song (which was released as a single by CBS Records) became a staple part of the programme for the rest of its duration.
In 1998, Swedish singer Pandora released a version as a single, taken from her album This Could Be Heaven.
The song was later covered by Stephen Gately in 2000 and used as the theme song of the Watership Down animated television series. It was released as a double A-side with his single "New Beginning". While Mike Batt, who wrote the original song, composed an entire new score. This new cover went on to earn the TV show a nomination for a Gemini Award, for best original score.
Hayley Westenra recorded a version for her 2001 self-titled studio album.
Singer and actor Joseph McManners recorded a version for his 2005 album In Dreams, with music provided by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
The song appeared on Season 4, Episode 5 of The Basil Brush Show where Basil Brush sings the chorus to a metal background in the band "the Toxic Beatbox Orchestra".
In 2012, Adam Young of Owl City covered the song and released it to his SoundCloud. Young himself is a big fan of Watership Down.