Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes) (song)

"Green Eyes" is a popular song, originally written in Spanish under the title "Aquellos Ojos Verdes" ("Those Green Eyes") by Adolfo Utrera and Nilo Menéndez, 1929. The English translation was made by Eddie Rivera and Eddie Woods in 1931.

Spanish version
The song, a bolero was written in 1929 and recorded in Cuba the same year. It was the only major hit, both originally in Cuba and then again in the Latin community in New York for Cuban pianist Nilo Menéndez (Matanzas, 26 September 1902 - Los Angeles, 25 September 1987). The lyrics were supplied by Cuban tenor Adolfo Utrera.

English version
The English version of the song was written in 1931 but did not become a major hit till ten years later when recorded by the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra. The recording was made on March 19, 1941 with vocals by Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly and released by Decca Records as catalog number 3698. The flip side was "Maria Elena." The record first reached the Billboard charts on May 9, 1941 and lasted 21 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1. Since "Maria Elena" was also a #1 hit, this was a major double-sided hit recording.

Gloria Jean sang the Spanish lyrics to "Aquellos Ojos Verdes" in the 1943 film, When Johnny Comes Marching Home.

Ben Affleck also sang the Spanish version, in the 2006 film, Hollywoodland, in pivotal scenes just prior to the fatal shooting of his character, George Reeves.

R&B group, the Ravens, had regional success with a 1955 revival.

Allan Sherman recorded a version titled "Green Stamps", a parody of S&H Green Stamps. During the recording session (according to the liner notes on the album), Sherman had a talk with the college types who hadn't heard of "Green Eyes." He said it was, like the Bossa Nova, once a red-hot tune by Helen O'Connell. He asked, "Any of you remember red-hot Helen O'Connell?" (About half did.)

Recorded versions

 * All-Star Orchestra
 * Ray Anthony Orchestra
 * Desi Arnaz
 * Don Barreto
 * Big Band All-Stars
 * Stanley Black
 * Boston Pops Orchestra
 * Les Brown
 * John Bunch
 * Buena Vista Social Club
 * Frank Chacksfield and his orchestra
 * Nat King Cole
 * Ray Conniff
 * Los Cordobeses
 * Xavier Cugat
 * Lou Donaldson
 * Jimmy Dorsey orchestra (1941)
 * The Dorsey Brothers
 * Bob Eberly
 * Roy Eldridge
 * Les & Larry Elgart
 * George Evans
 * Bob Florence Big Band
 * Connie Francis
 * Jane Froman
 * Earl Grant
 * Benny Green
 * Kay Harding
 * Gene Krupa
 * Abbe Lane
 * Steve Lawrence
 * Ben Light
 * Enoch Light
 * Enric Madriguera
 * Barry Manilow with Rosemary Clooney
 * Glenn Miller
 * Helen O'Connell
 * Anita O'Day
 * 101 Strings Orchestra
 * Hernan Pelayo
 * Guadalupe Pineda
 * Pony Poindexter
 * Baden Powell
 * The Ravens
 * Edmundo Ros
 * Harry Roy
 * The Sentimental Strings
 * Charlie Shavers
 * South Shore Concert Band
 * Starsound Orchestra
 * Conway Twitty
 * Lex Vandyke
 * The Ventures
 * West Coast Swing Time Orchestra
 * Ibrahim Ferrer
 * Bebo Valdes And His Orchestra
 * Trio Los Panchos
 * Siggno
 * Lisa Ono
 * Orquesta Aragon
 * La Gusana Ciega

Lyrics

 * Original Spanish Lyrics


 * Fueron tus ojos los que me dieron,
 * el tema dulce de mi cancion,
 * Tus ojos verdes claros serenos,
 * Ojos que han sido mi inspiracion.


 * Aquellos ojos verdes
 * de mirada serena,
 * dejaron en mi alma
 * eterna sed de amar.


 * Anhelos de caricias,
 * de besos y ternuras.
 * De todas las dulzuras
 * que sabían brindar.


 * Aquellos ojos verdes,
 * serenos como un lago,
 * en cuyas quietas aguas
 * un día me miré.
 * No saben las tristezas
 * que en mi alma han dejado


 * Aquellos ojos verdes,
 * que yo nunca besaré.


 * No saben las tristezas
 * que en mi alma han dejado
 * Aquellos ojos verdes,
 * que yo nunca olvidaré.
 * Aquellos ojos verdes,
 * que yo nunca olvidaré.


 * Aquellos ojos verdes
 * serenos como un lago
 * en cuyas quietas aguas
 * un día me miré,
 * no saben las tristezas
 * que a mi alma le dejaron
 * aquellos ojos verdes
 * que yo nunca besaré


 * English Translation


 * Those green eyes
 * with their serene gaze,
 * they left in my soul
 * eternal thirst to love.


 * yearning for caresses,
 * for kisses and tenderness.
 * for all the sweetness
 * that they knew how to offer.


 * Those green eyes,
 * serene like a lake,
 * in whose calm waters
 * one day i saw myself
 * They do not know the sadness
 * that in my soul they have left


 * Those green eyes,
 * that I never will kiss.


 * They do not know the sadness
 * that in my soul they have left
 * Those green eyes,
 * that I never will forget.
 * Those green eyes,
 * that I never will forget.


 * Those green eyes,
 * serene like a lake,
 * in whose calm waters
 * one day i saw myself
 * They do not know the sadness
 * that in my soul they have left
 * those green eyes
 * that I never will kiss

English lyrics
The version written for English audiences varies from the Spanish. The Big Band version typically had a male voice singing these words, followed by a female voice singing the same words, with the exception of the last line. This is one version:


 * Well, Green Eyes with their soft lights
 * Your eyes that promise sweet nights,
 * Bring to my soul a longing, a thirst for love divine
 * In dreams I seem to hold you, to find you and enfold you
 * Our lips meet and our hearts, too, with a thrill so sublime


 * Those cool and limpid Green Eyes
 * A pool wherein my love lies
 * So deep that in my searching for happiness
 * I fear that they will ever haunt me
 * All through my life they'll taunt me
 * But will they ever want me?

(Male voice)
 * Green Eyes, make my dreams come true.

(Female voice)
 * Green Eyes, I love you.