Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known as Chaka Khan, and… Read Full Bio ↴Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known as Chaka Khan, and frequently referred to as the "Queen of Funk", is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus.

In 1964, at the age of 11, Khan formed her first musical group, the Crystalettes. While still in high school, she joined the Afro-Arts Theater, a group which toured with Motown great Mary Wells; a few years later, she adopted the African name Chaka Khan while working on the Black Panthers' breakfast program. After quitting high school in 1969, Khan joined the group Lyfe, soon exiting to join another dance band, the Babysitters — neither was on the fast track to success, but her fortunes changed when she teamed with ex-American Breed member Kevin Murphy and Andre Fisher to form Rufus.

Debuting in 1973 with a self-titled effort on the ABC label, Rufus was among the preeminent funk groups of the decade. Distinguished by Khan's dynamic vocals, the group earned half a dozen gold or platinum albums.

While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career. Her signature hits, both with Rufus and solo, include "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Ain't Nobody", "I'm Every Woman", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire".

Eye to Eye
Chaka Khan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So there's is magic in his mind
Reflecting in his eyes
It's that mystery draws that me to you
This kind of voodoo's hard to find

I detect a little gypsy in his smile
I think I'll stay for awhile
I need some loving it's my turn and

I got a little fire left to burn

Oh, if he would just remain, I'd show him
How I could love him
Or I get the feeling that he knows me
From some other time before
Wonder how he could forget me
Can't explain why I'm coming back for more

Yeah
haa-haa, ha, haa

So there's is magic in his mind
Reflecting in his eyes
It's that mystery draws that me to you
This kind of voodoo's hard to find

Oh, if he would just remain, I'd show him
How I could love him
Or I get the feeling that he knows me
From some other time before
Wonder how he could forget me
Can't explain why I'm coming back for more, yeah

Hoo-hoo, hoo-ooh, oh-hoo-ooh, ohh
Ohh, ohh
Hoo-hoo, hoo-ooh, oh-hoo-ooh
Ohh, ohh, ohh-ohh

Nana, nana, na-na
Na-,nana, na, na-na
Nana, nana, na-na
Nana, nana-na, ooh
Woo
ooh, yeah, yeah
Nana, na, na, na, na-na

Nana, nana, na-na, na
Hee

Overall Meaning

In Chaka Khan's song Eye to Eye, the singer is reflecting on the end of a relationship. The lyrics show a sense of hopelessness and longing for what was lost. The singer feels as though they and their partner are no longer on the same page, no longer "seeing eye to eye." The line "That distant look is all you've got to say" shows the lack of communication between the two and the powerlessness of the singer. Despite their efforts to connect, as expressed in lines like "Everytime I try to talk to you, every word is lost in space," the relationship has reached "the part of no return."

The repetition of the phrase "eye to eye" emphasizes the disconnect between the two lovers. When they were in love, their glances spoke volumes and they were able to connect deeply through nonverbal communication. However, now that the love has faded, they remain close in proximity but worlds apart. The lyrics suggest that the singer is ready to move on, as they believe it is "too late to try and change your mind." The song captures the regret and frustration of a relationship's end, especially when the spark that once existed seems to be gone.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm in the mood to end these empty days
I feel a strong desire to put an end to these dull and uneventful days.

Ever when I, you stare down, romancin'
Whenever I try to look at you romantically, you just stare blankly at me.

Everytime I see your face, hopeless - colder than ice
Every time I look at your face, I see hopelessness and a coldness that is comparable to ice.

With no more flame
Our love has lost its spark and passion.

I think our love has reached the part of no return
I believe that our love has come to an irreversible end.

It?s so sad when lovers don't see
It is lamentable when partners in love cannot understand each other.

Eye to eye, a look says everything
Our gazes hold more meaning and understanding than words ever could convey.

That distant look is all you've got to say
The distant and empty expression on your face speaks volumes about how you truly feel.

Everytime I try to talk to you
Every time I attempt to have a conversation with you.

Every word is lost in space
Despite my efforts to communicate, my words seem to fall on deaf ears and vanish into thin air.

Drifting further apart in every way
Our relationship is slowly and steadily deteriorating and moving farther away from what it used to be.

We've come to be the ones that love is out of sight
We have become two individuals who are no longer in love with one another.

It's so clear that we just don't see
It's abundantly clear that we are unable to see things from each other's perspective.

There's no reason for this heartache
There is no compelling explanation for the pain that we are both feeling.

To go on and on, when the feeling?s gone
It is pointless to continue holding onto our relationship when the emotions and feelings between us have faded.

I can say now, that it's to late
I am admitting that it is too late now to try to salvage what we have lost.

To try and change your mind
It would be futile for me to even attempt to change your perspective and decisions.

Eye to eye, a look says everything
Although we are physically close to each other, we are emotionally and mentally miles apart.

Eye to eye, so close, so far away
We might be able to see each other physically, but our emotional distance makes it feel like we are worlds apart.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Chaka Khan, Tony Maiden

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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