Top Ten Non-Hit Eye Songs: Shining Eyes (#5)

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We all know it's not nice to tease animals, but the other day I gave a tease to @TheHorse when I told him someone he's mentioned liking would show up in my countdown of favorite "eye" songs. This is the obscure part of the countdown, so while most of you have never heard of this guy, The Horse has. Here's your carrot. #5: Shining Eyes - James McMurtry However, most of you have probably heard of a couple of people associated with this album. John Mellencamp produced it (and is generally credited with "discovering" McMurtry). And you've most likely heard of James' father, Lonesome Dove and Terms of Endearment author Larry McMurtry. But there's one thing about it: James, on this 1989 debut album, stood on his own two feet. He didn't need stickers on the album proclaiming either factoid (his famous dad and Mellencamp's production). This is a great debut album, showing that the writing skills run deep in that family ("night clerk at the hotel won't give me the time of day"). One of my favorite songs on the album is this one. This is a dysfunctional relationship in a number of ways, with a man who admittedly takes his love for granted ("the pockets of my suitcase full of cards I never sent"). Still, he apologizes, in a round-about way ("you might not want to hear my name, I miss your company just the same"). I saw James McMurtry open for the BoDeans twice right after this album came out. I came home immediately and bought the album. That's the kind of impact he made. Shining Eyes Written by James McMurtry Recorded by James McMurtry From Too Long in the Wasteland, 1989 If a telephone rings in an empty room does it make a sound: