Today’s song is “For Your Eyes Only” by Sheena Easton. “For Your Eyes Only” is the theme to the 12th James Bond movie of the same name, written by Bill Conti and Mick Leeson. It reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. It was also nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards in 1982.

“9 to 5” was Easton’s first single release in the United States, which was renamed “Morning Train (Nine To Five)” for its release in the US and Canada to avoid confusion with Dolly Parton’s hit movie title song “9 to 5“. “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” became Easton’s first and only number 1 hit in the US and topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts in Billboard magazine. “Modern Girl” was released as the follow-up and peaked at number 18.

Bill Conti – who was also responsible for the Bond film’s score – had originally written “For Your Eyes Only” thinking about Donna Summer or Dusty Springfield, singers he thought “fit the Bond style”. Film studio United Artists suggested Sheena Easton, an up-and-coming singer who had just recently had a couple of hits.

Easton is the only artist (to date) to be seen singing the theme song to a Bond movie during its opening titles. The song was released as a single in June 1981, at the same time as the film’s launch. It became a worldwide hit, reaching the top ten in the UK, number 1 in the Netherlands and top five in the US (peaking at #4). It remains one of Easton’s biggest hits.