At the age of 17, she recorded a duet with her father Rufus Thomas, "Because I Love You", which became a Southern hit and gave the Satellite label (later Stax Records) its first real success.
In 1961 she rose to national prominence with "Gee Whiz (Look in His Eyes)", which reached the Top Ten in both the R&B and Pop categories, becoming the first Memphis soul record to have an impact nationwide and ensuring the success of the Stax Records label.
In the next ten years, she had 22 singles on the national charts, including "I'll Bring It on Home to You" (an answer to Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me"), "Let Me Be Good to You", and Isaac Hayes' "B-A-B-Y".
She is well-known for her duets with Otis Redding, from the album King & Queen, including the recordings of the Lowell Fulson composition "Tramp" and the Steve Cropper/Eddie Floyd song "Knock on Wood".
In 1993 Carla Thomas received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
Gee Whiz Look at His Eyes
Carla Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gee whiz, how they hypnotize
He's got everything a girl could want
Man, oh, man, what a prize
Oh, oh
Gee whiz, he's all the joy
Gee whiz, I could find in a boy
I hope I'm not his decoy (decoy)
Heaven up above knows how much
I love that fella's soul
Angels sing of a love like this
I hope our love will grow and grow
'Cause, gee whiz, I love that guy
Gee whiz, my, my, oh my
There are things we could do
I could say I love you
But all I can say is
Gee whiz
Carla Thomas's song "Gee Whiz Look at His Eyes" is a love song that is all about the captivating eyes of the man that she is in love with. The song starts with Carla Thomas declaring how mesmerizing the eyes of her lover are and how they hypnotize her every time she looks at them. The lyrics are an expression of how the male protagonist has everything that a girl could ever want, and Carla is smitten by him.
The chorus of the song "Gee whiz, he's all the joy; Gee whiz, I could find in a boy" depicts the pure joy and happiness that Carla feels when she is with her lover. The verse "Heaven up above knows how much I love that fella's soul" expresses the depth of Carla's love and the connection that she has with her lover. The song also reflects Carla's hopes and dreams that her love will grow stronger with each passing day.
The lyrics of "Gee Whiz Look at His Eyes" are simple and straightforward, but they capture the essence of true love. The song is a tribute to the transformative power of love, and how it can make a person feel complete. It is a beautiful love song that perfectly captures the essence of being in love, and it continues to be a timeless classic to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Gee whiz, look at his eyes
I'm amazed by how his eyes catch my attention
Gee whiz, how they hypnotize
His eyes have a powerful effect on me
He's got everything a girl could want
He possesses all the qualities I desire in a guy
Man, oh, man, what a prize
He's truly remarkable and an excellent catch
Gee whiz, he's all the joy
He brings me immense happiness
Gee whiz, I could find in a boy
He embodies the ideal characteristics I seek in a guy
He's awful nice, it's paradise
Being with him feels like pure bliss
I hope I'm not his decoy (decoy)
I hope he's not just playing with my feelings
Heaven up above knows how much
Even God recognizes how deeply I care for him
I love that fella's soul
I'm not just attracted to his physical appearance, but his inner being
Angels sing of a love like this
Even heavenly beings recognize the greatness of our love
I hope our love will grow and grow
I desire for our love to continuously flourish
Gee whiz, I love that guy
I am head-over-heels in love with him
Gee whiz, my, my, oh my
I'm in awe of how much I love him
There are things we could do
There are many possibilities for us to explore together
I could say I love you
I could express my love for him verbally
But all I can say is, gee whiz
I'm at a loss for words and all I can express is my astonishment and admiration
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carla Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Silver Perry Hobart
Gee whiz, look at his eyes
Gee whiz, how they hypnotize
He's got everything a girl could want
Man, oh, man, what a prize! Oooh ooh
Gee whiz, he's all the joy
Gee whiz, I could find in a boy
He's awful nice, its paradise
I hope I'm not he's decoy
Heaven up above knows how much
I love that gentle soul
Angels sing of a love like this
I hope our love will grow and grow
Oh, gee whiz, I love that guy
Gee whiz, my, my, oh my
There are things we could do
I could say I love you
But all I can say is...gee whiz!
Gregory Coates
Remember when it first was released it gave me chills. 72 years of age and still does.
Josephine Joy Manno
73 and this is the first record I bought. Goosebumps.
Back then most songs we related to things that were going on at that time in our life.
Christine Saunders
I'm 75 and it still give me goosebumps everytime I hear it❗🥰 it is save on the playlist on my phone ❗🎵
Fran Labosco
Mee too
Donald Harrill
Me too .. My band did this song every night from the early 70s to about 1982
Vivian Farmer
Me, too. Still get the chills at 72, too.
Wendell Gunn
Carla and I were classmates 1960 at Tennessee State and sang together in the choir. What memories!❤
Theresa Taylor
This song still sounds so good after more than 50 years ,brings back so many memories.
Still Standing
One of the greatest R&B ballads ever recorded. Amazing interpretation from a youngster.
Jo Ann Kelly
Like all great music and art - it still sounds so fresh. Just like yesterday.
Thank you, Carla Thomas - no one has done it like you and that background. Thank you and God bless,