Hungry Eyes

In 1976, Eric Carmen rose all the way to number 2 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart with his song “All By Myself,” which would spend three weeks at the position.  It was the singer’s first charting single as a solo performer, and it would be his biggest hit.  Over the next nearly 12 years, Carmen would hit the Top 40 five more times, though none of these singles would hit the top 10.  Carmen would, though, break back into the top 10 in early 1988 thanks to the appearance of one of his songs in the film Dirty Dancing.  “Hungry Eyes” would become the second top 5 hit from the film, following the November 1987 chart-topping success of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.

Exactly 25 years ago, “Hungry Eyes” reached its peak position of number 4, where it would spend one week.  Interestingly enough, the very same week, a third top 5 hit from Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayze’s “She’s Like The Wind” (also featuring Wendy Fraser) would also enter the top 10 on its way to an eventual peak position of number 3.  For three weeks, both songs from the film resided in the Top 10 together, and during the week ending February 27, 1988, both stood in the top 5.

Carmen would build on the success of “Hungry Eyes” by hitting number 3 in August 1988 with “Make Me Los Control,” though that would be his final top 40 hit.