🎵 BILLY IDOL - EYES WITHOUT A FACE REACTION

[@F13thvoorhees]

I was today years old when I realized the ladies were singing "Eyes Without A Face" in French 👍

[@trudydavidson528]

Ditto!!! Lol...

[@jffullum4325]

Lol me too and I’m French Canadian. What the hell!

[@carojayess1723]

Me too!!

[@mbignell1]

snap!

[@kimbrash2025]

All these years, never figured it out 😂

[@dmgallibond469]

I have heard this song for decades and never really bothered to look up the lyrics of it until I saw people reacting to it last year. The line sung by Penny Lister in the chorus, "Les yeux sans visage" is French for "eyes without a face" and it's also the title of a 1960 French horror film that gives a new spin on these lyrics. In that film there's a teenage girl that is horribly disfigured in an accident. Her entire face is mutilated leaving only her eyes undamaged. So her father, a brilliant but psychotic surgeon, is determined to "fix" her face. First he makes a mask for her to wear that is like a hockey mask so it only allows someone looking at her to see her eyes through the eyeholes. Then the surgeon and a nurse assistant hunt down and murder young women and harvest the skin of their faces to try to reconstruct a face for the daughter. The daughter, whose injuries have left her unable to speak, has an intense look of horror and revulsion at the actions of her father and his nurse, and critics have often commented that the surgeon and assistant are always depicted with cold, pitiless, and emotionless eyes as they go about their grim and grisly work of finding girls whose faces can help to rebuild the face of the surgeon's daughter. I haven't seen this film, but it sounds creepy as hell.

[@sandragray4598]

Initeresting...thanks for the info.

[@barryevans791]

Makes sense that eyes without a face would be someone wearing a mask

[@crose7412]

@DM Gallibond The film is superb.

[@LuckyBastardProd]

The film is haunting with an amazing score by Maurice Jarre which you can find out takes from on KZbin.

[@sandsphillip526]

That is really cool to know, I was listening to the song not too long ago and was wondering if Billy idol was writing from the perspective of a serial killer

[@glenminnick3724]

I'm 67, these years and songs never get old! Music from several decades are available for all of us.... I love all of it! Keep reacting and enjoy!

[@raymo6795]

...keep rockin Glen!

[@susanbezio1529]

I'm 65 and spend alot of time listening and watching young people react to the music we grew up with. Music today is soulless.

[@juliemartin4267]

To quote Billy Idol himself “I began to write words that, in some disguised form, spoke about my life in New York and a relationship gone wrong, on the edge of disintegrating into madness. Perhaps I was reflecting on my own touring infidelities. In a way, those can leave you feeling soulless, especially if you're already in a relationship that you value but are degrading by looking elsewhere for additional sexual kicks.”

[@moonlily1]

The title of the song, if anyone is interested, comes from a 1960 French horror movie, Les Yeux Sans Visage (Eyes Without A Face), which is what the female backup singer is singing in the chorus. The movie is about a doctor whose daughter's face is terribly disfigured in an accident and has no recognizable features left but her eyes, and the doctor starts abducting women and removing their faces to get a face transplant for his daughter, but she keeps rejecting the tissue and he keeps trying with different women, until eventually the daughter finds out where he's getting the faces from. In the lyrics of the song, he takes the story of the daughter's realization of the truth about her father and turns it into a story about a failing romance. Billy Idol isn't known for being very deep or arty, but I think that it's a very interesting and evocative title and a clever and unique way to convey the feeling of romantic disenchantment. As a side note, it was also Richard Ramirez's favorite song, who saw it as a story about a killer reflecting on his alienation from society, especially the line "I'm looking at you and you're out there, so say your prayers".

[@QAjimine1]

@@moonlily1 Apparently, the woman singing “les yeux sans visage,” was his girlfriend at the time.

[@moonlily1]

@@QAjimine1 Well, she did a good job. Of singing, that is. I don't know if she did a good job of being his girlfriend....probably did the best she could with what she had to work with.

[@DUNGSTA]

Wasn't he touring with his gf tho?

[@kaikito2348]

So that's why he never became a monk!!!

[@loristone9242]

Such a great song from Billy Idol. Unfortunately, this version is cut up. The full version of the song is so much better. The video is definitely quintessential Billy Idol.

[@Johnny_Socko]

Yeah, I've never heard this version. Even the radio version was complete. It sucks that they missed out on more Steve Stevens!

[@natishagough]

I agree

[@neilny7797]

That was one freaky video lol. Right up there with Tom Petty’s Don’t come around here no more.

[@HeavyTopspin]

@@Johnny_Socko Depends what stations you listened to. The rock stations played the longer version, top 40 stations played this one. At least where I was in the 80s. The missing lyrics from the middle of the bridge: *Hangin' out by the state line Turning holy water into wine Drinking it down, ohhhh*

[@charlesberton2581]

Is the video the long version?

[@stormchaser419]

Driving home from my part time job at 18 in the dark with this playing on the high powered cassette deck.

[@_Tim115]

The song takes its name from a 1960 French movie Les Yeux Sans Visage (Eyes Without a Face). Apparently Billy Idol was always fascinated with the titles of horror films. The film was about a plastic surgeon who vowed to restore the face of his daughter who had been disfigured in a car accident, the move is available from Amazon as is the song.

[@tlucas9798]

Steve Stevens has such a unique guitar sound. So underrated. I loved Steve’s guitar on MJs “Dirty Diana”

[@megatellica9177]

Steve can sherd on guitar he would be great in a metal band

[@varnuk99]

Indeed. Check out Bozzio Levin Stevens to see him in a different mode, perhaps specifically Tziganne or The Sun Road.

[@rickyallen7176]

Steve Stephens also did the theme for the movie Top Gun.

[@sharp1667]

Wow I never knew he played on that track.

[@rickyallen7176]

@@sharp1667 here's the video kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHS3e6COp8ymfMk

[@VZ935]

My cousin was in Billy's band for a long time. Anytime they played in Vegas or Norcal I would go to the shows. Always a great show.

[@sharp1667]

That’s awesome! What was Billy like as a person??

[@kjgrace]

Brad sees songs as lyrical puzzles to be solved. Be comfortable with subjectivity and enjoy songs that make you feel good.

[@lindakessler8768]

He's soooo analytical he has to know the meaning!! Frustrating but, oh well...

[@arnoesco4889]

Yup just try to hear all the instruments

[@rrussi6118]

Love how Steven's opens up in the solo n shreds, it adds more to what is an otherwise mellow tune.

[@carybrauer9669]

Love Billy. Saw him this last summer. He's still awesome in his 60s. Steve Stevens is the lead guitarist and put on a MONSTER show. He did about a 20 minute solo. Truly awesome! Billy is bad azz. And Billy Squire is another you gotta check out

[@jimmyboudreau4207]

Lex your vibe brings sunshine on a cloudy day always positive.

[@GrimrDirge]

This song is so unlike Billy's other hits, but it reveals his musical range. Edit: also note that when observing other people the right hemisphere of the brain pays attention to eyes, while the left hemisphere pays attention to the mouth. Someone with right hemisphere lesions (damage) may lose the ability to read facial cues from eyes, because the left hemisphere doesn't see globally, but someone with left hemisphere damage would be less affected because the right hemisphere sees globally.

[@corvuslight]

My favorite song of his is 'Love Calling' from his first album. Totally unlike any other song of his...check it out 👍

[@bugvswindshield]

this really added another dimension to billy idols music. Its hard to understate how big he was for a few, wonderful years of my youth.

[@keithschofield1158]

I’m on a bus on a psychedelic trip reading murder books and trying to stay hip love that line

[@jenniferfoster1692]

Yes, my favorite Billy lyric.

[@mitchellnelms7572]

I'm hooked to your channel. I typically don't subscribe to music channels, but yours is special. Billy Idol was one of the earliest punk rockers. He had a band called Generation X back in the 70's. Which, I believe, is what they named my Generation after.

[@SG-js2qn]

Stages of anger and depression and acceptance resulting from a break up. Eyes are the windows of the soul, and he's looking into the eyes and seeing the truth.

[@Hobodeluxe960]

also it's like at that moment he sees that he doesn't actually know her like he thought he did so "without a face" could be that. he doesn't recognize who he's seeing.

[@richard_n]

Billy Idol is easily one of my top 5 favorite solo artists of all time. His first two solo albums are insanely good. Every song on both albums is good or great, especially the first album.

[@laurette5493]

Cyberpunk!

[@Stupha_Kinpendous]

Christ. I grew up back in that day, loved that song, listened to it a guhbillion times. And I've got an MA in French. But this is the first time I realized that there was any French in that song.

[@jesselenix]

The last 5 lines “now all I can do is love what was once so alive in you but it’s gone from eyes I better realize” make me cry so much every time. My ex of 5 years cheated on me after spending all that time with her planning my life with her, marrying her and having kids just gone like that. I did forgive her and take her back the same day I confronted her about it, but it just wasn’t the same anymore. She ended up breaking up with me because she said I changed and wasn’t the same anymore and that being in a relationship is being tied down. I miss her and I love her, but the last 5 lines make me realize the girl I was with before all that isn’t there anymore. I started to not recognize her slowly, she just changed so much and I’ll always love that version of her, that was once in her.

[@antonytheolddog8626]

Got tickets for Billy in June, here in Manchester England. I am generation X. So I'm looking for to seeing the rebel. Lex is absolutely spot on the money. Its a great driving song this one. Never thought of it like that. But that's a empty motorway 1am , just crusing towards home.. Brilliant reaction this one guys..😎🤘

[@yeahboiii6640]

Great tune. Have always loved some Billy! Such a full rounded voice.

[@jessediaz1293]

I love that transition from the flowy smooth two verses into the rock guitar section of the song than back to the smooth third verse. I’m with Lex this is a really dope song you put on and go on a drive with the top down and smoke a bowl on a Saturday night and just chill. Brad I hope you doing good bro keep your head up man.

[@timjenkins4065]

This is a fuckin masterpiece…will be forever

[@shack8110]

the most badass guitar riff in rock/pop

[@shack8110]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYXMXouGZtiqf5I

[@michaelbrown3128]

Very cute you two! You guys both rock back and forth together and don't realize it. Watching you 2 both groove to a song fits you well! It's like your dancing without knowing it!

[@thoru4367]

Pure 80's masterpiece

[@a.joegevara3519]

It's about the turmoil one goes through when they have to move someone into the "book of the dead"...

[@Stacy55ish]

When you love someone so much, you look into their eyes and see nothing else.

[@Alix777.]

It's true :(

[@fahqfassebookman5157]

until they lie to your face. then they are a beast, eyes glowing in the night. brad is kinda keen sometimes.

[@jkd9637]

My favorite line from the song was cut... Hanging out by the state line. Turning holy water into wine. Drinking it down... oooooooooh Riding on a bus on a psychedelic trip.

[@happymethehappyone8300]

'Til Tuesday "Voices Carry"

[@devondanklin1808]

Had the pleasure and honor of seeing Billy Idol live (2023) and he sounded better than ever!

[@lancebenoit7742]

Can remember being at the skating rink in the 80s with this playing. The 80s were awesome.

[@robc.8269]

"Blue Highway" is a great song off the same album as this song, Rebel Yell. It's about riding his Harley, takes you on a ride for sure.

[@gingerjackson7811]

I was in my twenties in the eighties this song was huge !! I love this songI cant get enough of it.

[@gratefulpitnicker]

Was hoping you'd get to this song soon. I knew Lex would get into it, and, FAST 🎸 favorite Idol song and A GREAT solo

[@Zavonofcats]

This song is living proof you don't need to know what the lyrics are about to enjoy a song 😆

[@willie417]

Haha!

[@Lexy-O]

True

[@mochs3869]

Yep - grew up with this song in the 80s and only just now seeing the lyric video did I realize the female part was singing "eyes without a face" in French, lol

[@mkmstillstackin]

Indeed, very true!

[@ralphfiligenzi6180]

I like watching Lex smile while she wiggles.

[@gb5089]

Timeless Classic - along with Rock the Cradle of Love.

[@davesimone1419]

Funny story related to this song. If you watch the video for Def Leppard's song "foolin'" there is a woman playing the harp at the beginning of the song. She was Billy Idols girlfriend at the time. If you look close, she has no eyes. Eyes without a face, a face without eyes. True story. Check it out

[@fredericokeyser5628]

Billy is the master of Melody ✨

[@erlstone]

a brit singer who was called "Black" (A wonderful Life) and many others like OMD, Pet Shop Boys, Bryan Ferry really influenced the sounds around then... this feels like it's part of that era.. Billy is great

[@matthewblue7839]

Brad you have an unbelievable ability to stop songs at the worst time!:)

[@GasMaskParade]

When the transition roars in with the electric solo, into Billy rapping is pure, ethereal,gothic art.

[@thanksamill]

Sweet Sixteen is another great Billy Idol song

[@johncrab67]

By chance many years ago, I saw an interview with Billy Idol where he talked about the idea for this song and he said, it was in part based on a book by a french author he read where a father who was a doctor tried to restore his daughter's sight using questionable/unethical means.

[@billofalltrades2633]

Love Billy Idol! Great song

[@evilfantasy69]

He wrote this after watching a French film with the same name. "Eyes Without a Face" = "Les Yeux Sans Visage" It revolves around a plastic surgeon who is determined to perform a face transplant on his daughter, who was disfigured in a car accident. Wikipedia. - In 2001, on VH1 Storytellers, singer Billy Idol cited the film as giving him the idea for his song "Eyes Without a Face." The song, which has the film's original French title ("Les Yeux Sans Visage") as the recurring background chorus, takes the father-daughter relationship from the film and recasts it as the deteriorated relationship between the narrator and his lover. The song became Idol's first top-10 hit in the U.S.

[@jasonjackson1688]

FIrst top ten hit? Before White Wedding? I don't remember it that way.

[@evilfantasy69]

@@jasonjackson1688 Might be the UK charts. It didn't hit the top 10 there until 1985 after it was re-released (per Wikipedia...). I don't know though. It's Wikipedia so can't be trusted for accuracy and I'm not going to dig into his chart history by song and date.

[@rebusdan]

I always thought more or less that this song was about having an addiction and that you come to that moment when realizing that you have a real problem instead of being in denial..... Nice to know the real deal now.

[@toddstevens13]

Short form, she lied right to his face about her infidelity(ies), and when he realized it her face became a blank to him because he no longer believed the BS coming out of her mouth, and realized what a horrible person she was underneath the disguise of her lies. So she had become a fait accompli(irreversible act)

[@gwwayner]

Such a beautiful song, my favourite by Billy Idol.

[@timothydeweese6931]

Yes! Perfect driving song

[@BlackHatCinephile]

Named after a classic French horror movie with creepy effects.

[@hipsville]

Came here to say that! Thanks!

[@NTSAGOL21]

Such great music in the 80's

[@gj8683]

My sister used to think he was singing, "How's about a date?" Funny especially when you know what the song is really about.

[@matimus100]

🤡

[@bigmeaney555]

Love it!!! One of the best 80's summer songs.

[@jasonnorris7234]

In my opinion the best Billy Idol song!

[@GIGI_NYC]

💯

[@TheJudeniro]

Les Yeux Sans Visage (Eyes Without a Face) is the title to a chillingly horrific yet classically poetic 1960 film from acclaimed French director Georges Franju. In it, a gifted plastic surgeon is involved in a near fatal auto accident which horribly disfigures the once beautiful face of his beloved daughter The song "Eyes Without a Face" uses similar imagery for effect. However, he tackles the concept of the modern romance and uses the same metaphors the movie used to show the absence of humanity and how cold and callous the modern world has grown to be.

[@fahqfassebookman5157]

I can't stop watching, keep it up. I think the hook is how Brad tries to take every single word literally and no one writes songs like that. It's frustrating but awesome because at least he's listening. Brad- don't think so hard. Imagine a person, a flawed human, sitting and writing about a very emotional moment or a past love, putting it to a melody, then having the balls to get in a band, in a studio, on a mic, dealing with all the bs behind the scenes, and they still deliver something so classic that years later here we are catching their vibe. The lyric is not a news report or a wikipedia entry. It is art, not fact. Lex thinks alot more like me re: music - how does it feel, how does the lyric 'taste' or smell, almost every song has something worthwhile in it. Try to understand and catch the emotions they are sharing and sending to you. After the last few years of trauma these old songs sound even older - like from a magical time where people had more emotions -- yet more important than ever because of that. Tears come easier than before. Keep it up you two, it's been fun watching you explore the music I grew up with. I drop the following requests to aid you on your journey: Funkadelic ... Fishbone ... & Betty Davis (RIP).

[@robbob5302]

Yes. Brad can be a little uptight sometimes. And I confess I am guilty of ragging on him. But it wouldn't be the same show, without him. If you really want to see a husband/wife team rave at the end on every song they react to, there are a hundred on such duos on KZbin to pick from.

[@patrickflanagan3762]

The title is from a great French horror movie from 1960, about a doctor who is kidnapping and mutilating women's faces to try and restore his own daughter's beauty, lost in a car crash which destroyed her looks. The title got stuck in Idol's head and eventually he came up with lyrics which indirectly described a bad relationship he'd gone through, with infidelities on both sides having what he described as a dehumanizing effect, so that when he looked at the woman he had once loved he couldn't recognize anything about any more. The love was gone so, metaphorically, it was like the woman herself was gone, replace by a stranger. All that was left was a look in her eyes.

[@douglasmijangos3327]

That’s bass at the beginning is crazy epic ..I think that’s what hit your soul hard 😬

[@tk72231968]

Good song, listened to a lot of Billy Idol in my high school days....good stuff.

[@seandobson6221]

My absolute favorite Billy song!!!!!!! It shows he’s got some range other than to do the screamer songs.

[@alukuhito]

After rocking to this song for the past 40 years, and despite being Canadian, I just realized there's French in it! Mind blown!

[@calymlibelle5010]

Classic 80's guilty pleasures....😊

[@matimus100]

🤡

[@j43k]

Definitely need the full version, but thanks for doing this one!

[@moonlily1]

I think it's generally just a song about becoming disillusioned with a relationship, feeling like you don't really even know the person after all and what you believed about your life together has been false. In a way it is a little like the Beatles song "I'm Looking Through You", but darker, sadder, and not as literal. 'I'm Looking Through You' deals with a similar situation but it comes off not so much angry or bitter but just surprised by the sudden realization that the person seems completely different to him now that he's not in love anymore.

[@parappasan]

The background singer's accent; I didn't realise she was singing "les yeux sans visage"!

[@geoffos42]

Me neither. All these years ...

[@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome]

@@geoffos42 Same here, I never bothered to look up what she said even though I didn't know what she said and always wondered what it was lol

[@orion3267]

Nor I. I thought it was about him not being himself when he was on drugs and being a shell of a man or eyes without a face. I thought it said " pleasures on his arm." lol

[@parappasan]

Yeah I can't remember what I thought she sang but it was definitely way off. And in English.

[@chasechevy8933]

Yeah, buddy! What an awesome classic! I LOVE THIS ONE! Well done again 👌

[@sca88]

You need to hear the real original version. This is shortened. 'Eyes Without a Face' was a French horror film from the early 60's.

[@sandragray4598]

God knows what lyrics, in English, I've made up over the years to the line "Les Yeuxs Sans Visage:" My French teacher would be ashamed of me. Thanks Brad & Lex. I learned something new today.

[@matimus100]

Is Zeus you're personal God belief

[@scatton61]

Love this.... and also The Dead Next Door, I don't need a gun and Rebel Yell

[@sca88]

Saw Billy Idol live in 1984. The guitarist Steve Stevens went off.

[@bminturn]

The bass in this song is actually pretty funky. I remember this song from MTV mostly. Others have touched on it, but it's about being betrayed in a relationship. I always thought that the "say your prayers" line was "save your prayers" growing up though. And I like it better that way. It adds to this sense of righteous indignation. But oh well. I don't think that it is literally about him wanting to remove her eyes though lol. William Burroughs is likely who he is referencing when he's talking about murder books. All the hip cats were into Burroughs right around the time that this song came out. Maybe they still are?

[@r.plante2916]

Yep, great bass line.

[@stevovimy]

Sometimes I'll only focus on the bass line when listening to this song.

[@jonh.7661]

Speaking of driving songs... One of my favorites from back in the day was "Dizz Knee Land " by Dada. I think it was the first single from their album Puzzle. That whole album is brilliant. Excellent guitars and vocal harmonies. Check it out.

[@blameit6]

He has such a unique voice.

[@markcrane532]

Cradle of Love should be the next Billy Idol song you check out.

[@pyro380]

"Eyes without a face" is a great horror movie from 1960. Creepy as fuck.

[@antoniocarlin5026]

BEST GOTHIC HORROR FRENCH MOVIE EVER!

[@MC-je7qm]

I see you are a man culture...I salute you.

[@PARTYWOLFCREW]

Yes

[@GinaGeeILuvu]

I love this song! To me the song is about a lover who is deceptive and the Eyes Without A Face refers to the emptiness that’s left when love is gone! I was never confused about the song’s meaning! I love music that’s full of symbolism!!❤️❤️

[@bongobongo985]

Billy Idol one night stand he never got over. He's reaching out to her.

[@TheStefan6969]

Yeah this song is such a vibe!!!! So glad ya'll did it!!! I sincerely hope you two are feeling alright!!! 😉❤✌

[@jeffreypowell1656]

Great music. Excellent guitarist and production.

[@charlesberton2581]

"Got no human grace, you're eyes without a face." It means she has no empathy. She's a narcissist or a sociopath. I know what that's like, unfortunately. It's "human waste".

[@john3125]

Best explanation of this song. Many of us know what that's like...unfortunately.

[@charlesberton2581]

@@john3125, thanks. I didn't get it until looking at the lyrics while watching this reaction.

[@sharp1667]

I thankfully haven’t bumped into someone like that. But there are plenty of people in society who are just nasty individuals.

[@charlesberton2581]

@@sharp1667, you are so fortunate! Unfortunately, I am married to a narcissist, or some might call the illness "dark empath".

[@sharp1667]

@@charlesberton2581 I pity you my friend. I could never be married to somebody like that.

[@mikey1606]

I think Billy Idol was having a premonition about the times we’re in today. Everyone walking around with masks on and specifically wearing masks in cars when they’re by themselves. His precognitive abilities were amazing. 😂

[@johnstjohn6658]

Lex is a Rocker at heart. I was waiting for Lex's reaction @ 3:30. If they were watching the video it would have really hit her.

[@swacfan100]

To me this is Billy Idol's BEST song. Talk about a Rock n Roll star, in the 80s he was definitely that. This song still hits hard to me, still a banger imo. 👍🏽🙏🏾

[@matimus100]

Ok brown brother

[@gillesteixeira3452]

billy idol has always such a great music... love it! :)

[@happymethehappyone8300]

Elvis Costello "Pump It Up"

[@happymethehappyone8300]

Rhythm Corps "Common Ground"

[@Teeb2023]

2:21 _"What were they talking about?"_ _"I have no idea"_ Ha! Lex is my spirit partner. I do this all the time... sing along to songs with all the verve and confidence of the original singer, without a single clue of what I'm singing about.

[@crazeyjoe]

Les yeux sans visage is a French horror movie, which inspired Billy Idol to write the song (English titled) "Eyes Without a Face."

[@justitia257]

Beautiful 80's Song

[@douglasmijangos3327]

My favorite Billie Idol song .. I remember when I heard it on the radio I was like “ 😳 oohhh my God 😮 what is this ? 🤯 “

[@Boatzilla2]

The guys in Vietnam called that look "The thousand yard stare" according to Micheal Herr, who was there and wrote a book on his experiences called "Dispatches." It's the lifeless eyes of someone who has seen way too much. Maybe that's a little of what he's talking about based on what someone wrote below.

[@alanball2837]

Great reaction like always another good Billy idol song is cradle of love it has a little bit more energy and also mony money is a must

[@Bekka_Noyb]

my fave Idol song! ♥

[@danielbalderas3548]

I really wish I could go back in time! The 80’s were a great time. The World was so much better off

[@christophersmith2241]

Eyes with out a face means he can see her, but her eyes don’t show him emotions or love for him anymore. And the murder mystery book was something he was reading to sorta stay hip

[@slimsantilli4476]

I saw Billy a few years ago. I thought he introduced the song as "Eisenhower phase"

[@metalmark1214]

Also check out Flesh for Fantasy and Cradle of Love