A subtle, tender tribute to a woman whose inner depth is beautifully revealed through the windows of her soul.
There are songs that burst onto the radio waves with a brassy fanfare, and then there are songs that feel like an invitation—a quiet pull to sit closer, lean in, and just listen. Jerry Jeff Walker’s “About Her Eyes” is assuredly the latter. It is an unvarnished piece of musical poetry that, much like the man who delivered it, has lived a life of its own, far from the bombast of the mainstream. For those of us who followed Jerry Jeff, the “Gypsy Songman,” from the coffee houses of Greenwich Village to the dusty, rowdy dance halls of Texas, this track remains a deep-cut gem that showcases the pure, reflective heart beneath the outlaw country swagger.
The song first appeared on Walker’s second solo album, 1970’s Five Years Gone, a record that was, perhaps unfairly, living in the shadow of his breakthrough masterpiece, Mr. Bojangles. Due to its deeply personal and acoustic nature, “About Her Eyes” was never intended to be a chart-topper in the way that some of his country-rock anthems were. Indeed, it did not register on the major Billboard Hot 100 or Country Singles charts upon its release. It found its audience the old-fashioned way: passed from one friend to another, played on turntables late at night, and cherished by the devotees who understood Walker’s particular brand of wandering folk philosophy. This lack of chart frenzy only adds to its mystique; it is a song that belongs to those who truly appreciate it.
Interestingly, “About Her Eyes” is not one of Walker’s own compositions, but rather a profoundly beautiful work penned by songwriter Keith Sykes. As Jerry Jeff himself recounted in the liner notes of the original album, Sykes was a young musician who hitchhiked all the way from Memphis to New York City just to tell Walker how much he admired his famous song “Mr. Bojangles.” This chance, almost mythical encounter on the road led to the passing of this exquisite composition from one kindred spirit to another—a perfect piece of musical happenstance that speaks to the intimate, nomadic community of the folk and country world in that era. It’s a quintessential Jerry Jeff Walker story, even if he didn’t write the words himself.
The meaning of the song is one of understated, enduring love and deep appreciation. It’s not about the flash of infatuation, but the quiet miracle of recognition. The lyrics move beyond mere physical description, focusing instead on the subtle signals a loved one gives off: “About her eyes, now they’re misty shinin’ / About her hair, it’s long and clean.” The genius of the lyric is its shift from the physical to the emotional, noting the way she’s “tired of running from my crazy mind.” The eyes, of course, are the windows to the soul, and Sykes’s writing, channeled through Walker’s uniquely gravelly and tender voice, tells the story of a man who sees past the surface to the complexity, the weariness, and the steady affection held in her gaze. It’s a portrait of finding home and stability in a world of constant drift, a theme that resonated deeply with the restless heart of Jerry Jeff. When we listen now, years later, the soft guitar and his weathered voice evoke a powerful sense of nostalgia—a time when music felt honest, personal, and as comforting as a well-worn coat on a cool autumn evening.