The Shelter of Your Eyes

"The Shelter Of Your Eyes"
Single by Don Williams
from the album Don Williams Volume One
B-side	"Playin' Around"
Released	December 16, 1972
Recorded	1972
Studio	Jack Clement's Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Country
Length	2:55
Label	JMI
Songwriter(s)	Don Williams
Producer(s)	Allen Reynolds
Don Williams singles chronology
"The Shelter Of Your Eyes" (1972) "Come Early Morning" (1973)

"The Shelter of Your Eyes" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Don Williams. It was released in December 1972 as his debut single and the first from his album Don Williams Volume One.^[1] The single release would be the first commercial single released by 1970s country star^[2] Don Williams, and it would be a number fourteen country chart hit.^[3]

Williams was signed to Jack Clements' J-M-I Records and Jack Music, Inc in 1972 by Allen Reynolds, and Reynolds would go on to produce Williams' entire debut album.^[4]

Many of Williams' best known songs would be written by other composers (including Bob McDill, Allen Reynolds and Al Turney) and this single release was notable in that it was one of the few of Williams' self-penned tunes to be a charting single.^[1]

The song was also recorded by the singer Lobo for his 1975 album "Just A Singer" on Big Tree Records, which was distributed by Atlantic Records.^[5]

The B-Side "Playin' Around" was re-released on several Don Williams compilation albums throughout the 2000s.

Cover versions

The song was covered by Charley Pride on his 1973 album Sweet Country.

Chart performance

Chart (1972-1973)	Peak Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[6]	14

References

1. Erlewine, Michael (1997). All Music Guide To Country: The Experts' Guide to the Best Recordings in Country Music. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 509. ISBN 9780879304751.
2. Betts, Stephen L. (September 8, 2017). "Don Williams, Country's 'Gentle Giant,' Dead at 78". Rolling Stone.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 463–464. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
4. Carlin, Richard (2014). Country Music: A Biographical Dictionary. Routledge. pp. see URL. ISBN 9781135361044.
5. "Lobo Discography". AllMusic. November 24, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
6. "Don Williams Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.