He received the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for "Jessie's Girl", which proved to be a career breakout moment. He followed with four more top 10 U.S. rock hits: "I've Done Everything for You", "Don't Talk to Strangers", "Affair of the Heart", and "Love Somebody". His two U.S. top 10 albums are 1981's 'Working Class Dog' and 1982's 'Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet', releases featuring an energetic sound earning both commercial and critical successes. As an actor, he portrayed the popular Dr. Noah Drake on the daytime drama 'General Hospital' from 1981 to 1983, and he sprang back into the role during 2005 to 2008 and 2012, returning again in 2013 for the show's 50th anniversary with his son (and fellow actor) Liam Springthorpe.
Though having gigantic success in the early to mid-80s, Springfield felt totally exhausted with the pressures of stardom. He would end up devoting more time to his personal and family life, though still releasing albums through the late 80s and onward. In 2010, Springfield published his well-received autobiography, titled 'Late, Late at Night: A Memoir', which detailed these struggles.
Born Richard Lewis Springthorpe, later adopting "Rick Springfield" in his performing days, in South Wentworthville on 23 August 1949, he spent the early part of his life around the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The son of Eileen and Norman Springthorpe, the latter a Australian Army career officer, he also has an older brother, Mike Springthorpe. Due to his father's Army career, the Springthorpe family moved to London, England, where they lived between 1960 to 1962. The family moved back to Australia in June 1962, where they settled in the Melbourne suburb of Ormond.
Inspired by the 60s pop rock boom around him, the young Rick Springfield took naturally to singing and songwriting. However, commercial success would come in sudden bursts for him, with the performer facing bouts of 'teen idol' worship (even spending a time doing music for kids as a sort of cartoon Mister Rogers from 1973 to 1975, with those songs put into his 'Mission Magic!' album) that concealed his desire to be taken seriously as a musician. Fully embracing a power pop and new wave sound, as played by contemporaries such as Cheap Trick, The Cars, and others, finally helped him hit the big time in a dramatic way. As well, in October 1984, Springfield married his longtime girlfriend, Barbara Porter, in his family's church in Australia.
When being interviewed about his autobiography, Springfield admitted that he dated while married, and that it was a problem that he has overcome. He mentioned in particular dating Linda Blair, Demi Moore, Connie Hamzy, Morgana Welch, and Geraldine Edwards (the inspiration for Penny Lane in 'Almost Famous'). Though on top of the world for a time, things proved unstable and uncertain. In 1985, when his first son was born and after the release of his 'Tao' album, Springfield took a break from his musical career to spend more time with his family, as stated before. He also resolved to deal with the off-and-on depression that had affected him since his adolescence. Springfield had suffered much in the 70s due to both the serious illness of his father, who died on 24 April 1981, and difficulties dealing with people in the music industry.
Recently, a new feature documentary, titled 'An Affair of the Heart: The Journey of Rick Springfield and his Devoted Fans, was filmed in 2010. The movie started on the film festival circuit in the spring of 2012. The performer's latest work is 2015's 'Stripped Down', a combination of covers, new material, and re-recorded tracks from his past that has attracted some critical praise.
Spanish Eyes
Rick Springfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's been workin' on me out of sight
She's got me whispering in the night
Spanish eyes
But you can call me superstitious I don't mind
Strange feeling when her eyes meet mine
She's got me thinking about her all the time
Hmmm, she loves to do it
Oh mama don't you say that
Not unless you mean it darlin'
I'm falling, I'm falling
(for you darlin') let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized with your
Spanish eyes
I've got a feelin' that I let you in
I don't care what kind of trap she's trying to spin
Dressed like a demon and she's out to sin
Spanish eyes
Now when I look in your eyes it's the sweetest thing
But something tells me if I let you in
I'll get hurt and its gonna sting
Spanish eyes
Ooh we love to do it
Oh mama don't you say these things
Not unless you mean it darlin'
(i'm falling) I'm falling (for you darlin')
Let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized
Sparks flying wheels turning
Devil's scratching at the door
Heart pounding head burning
Little sister *mi amor (*my love)
Oh *mi amor (*my love)
Ooooooh
Oh *mi amor (*my love)
(i'm falling) I'm falling (for you darlin')
Let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized with your
Spanish eyes
I'm falling, I'm falling
For you darlin' let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized with your
Spanish eyes
(i'm falling) I'm falling (for you darlin')
Let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized...
Rick Springfield's song Spanish Eyes is about a woman who has captivated him with her alluring gaze. He is debating whether to give in to her and let her into his heart, knowing that she may hurt him in the end. He thinks that she's been working on him secretly, whispering in his ear in the middle of the night, making him think about her all the time. Springfield admits that he may be superstitious, but he can't deny the strange feeling he gets when her eyes meet his.
The song has a seductive, almost hypnotic quality, with verses that build in intensity and a chorus that emphasizes the power of the woman's gaze. Throughout the song, Springfield is torn between his desire for this woman and his fear of getting hurt. He describes her as dressed like a demon, tempting him to sin, but he can't resist falling for her.
In the end, Springfield succumbs to her charm and confesses that she has him hypnotized with her Spanish eyes. The music swells to a dramatic climax, with wild electric guitar riffs and pounding drums, as Springfield declares that he is falling for her and begs to lie in her fields of ambrosia.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I thought it out and if I'm thinkin' right
She's been workin' on me out of sight
She's got me whispering in the night
Spanish eyes
He thinks that she has been trying to seduce him secretly and now she has succeeded in getting him to whisper sweet nothings to her in the night.
But you can call me superstitious I don't mind
Strange feeling when her eyes meet mine
She's got me thinking about her all the time
Spanish eyes
He knows that it's silly to be superstitious but he can't help the strange feeling he gets when he looks into her eyes. It's got to be her gorgeous looks that have captured his attention and that's all he can think about all the time.
Hmmm, she loves to do it
Oh mama don't you say that
Not unless you mean it darlin'
I'm falling, I'm falling
(for you darlin') let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized with your
Spanish eyes
He's caught up in the fantasy of being with her, falling deeply in love with her, and lying together in fields of ambrosia. He's convinced that it isn't just a fantasy, that she really is doing something to him and that he's hypnotized by her gorgeous Spanish eyes.
I've got a feelin' that I let you in
I don't care what kind of trap she's trying to spin
Dressed like a demon and she's out to sin
Spanish eyes
He's convinced that he's been lured into her trap and he doesn't care what kind of trap it is. She's like a demon, dressed to thrill and out to capture him with her sinful ways, and all he can see are her piercing Spanish eyes.
Now when I look in your eyes it's the sweetest thing
But something tells me if I let you in
I'll get hurt and its gonna sting
Spanish eyes
Although he's in love with her eyes and the way they look at him, he knows deep down inside that he'll only get hurt if he lets her in too close. There's something about her that seems dangerous and he's convinced that it's going to sting him emotionally.
Sparks flying wheels turning
Devil's scratching at the door
Heart pounding head burning
Little sister *mi amor (*my love)
Oh *mi amor (*my love)
Ooooooh
Oh *mi amor (*my love)
(i'm falling) I'm falling (for you darlin')
Let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized with your
Spanish eyes
He's describing the intense passion and lust that he feels for her, with sparks flying and wheels turning in his brain. He knows that it's dangerous, like the devil is scratching at his door. He's head over heels in love with her and calls her 'my love' in Spanish. He wants to fall into a field of ambrosia with her and he's convinced that she's hypnotized him with her Spanish eyes.
I'm falling, I'm falling
For you darlin' let me lie in your fields of ambrosia
(it's something) she's doing (for real)
And I know darlin' you've got me hypnotized with your
Spanish eyes
He repeats his deep love for her and his desire to be with her in a field of ambrosia. He's convinced that she really is doing something to him with her hypnotizing Spanish eyes.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Eddie Snyder, Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind