Eyes Open is the fourth album by alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released May 1, 2006 internationally, and May 92006 in the United States. The first European single, "You're All I Have", was released on April 242006; the first U.S. single was "Hands Open" and the first Australian single was "Chasing Cars." The "Special Edition" of the album features a bonus DVD featuring the video for "You're All I Have," the making of the video, and behind-the-scenes footage of the band.

Composition and history

The title suggests an amalgamation of several lines, and a theme across the album, including lines in the songs "Hands Open", "Chasing Cars", "Shut Your Eyes" and "Open Your Eyes".

The album's third track, "Chasing Cars", was featured on the second season finale of the ABC prime time hit drama Grey's Anatomy on May 15, 2006. A Grey's Anatomy-themed video of the song can be seen at the ABC website. The seventh track, "Make This Go On Forever", was used in the third season of Grey's Anatomy, at the end of the episode entitled Walk on Water. The album sold 36,191 units in its debut week throughout the U.S., substantially improving from their first week sales of Final Straw. U.S. sales have totaled over a million as of February 2007.

The album hit #1 in its 11th week on the New Zealand chart and reached 2x Platinum therefore shipping over 30,000 units. In the UK the album sold over 1,500,000 copies being certified 5x Platinum by the BPI. It has also reached #1 in the ARIA Albums Chart, and was certified 3x Platinum on January 8, 2007 (210,000+ units shipped). On November 26, 2006, it became the UK's best-selling album of 2006, selling over 1.5 million copies at the end of the year, with a cumulative total of 1.8 million. It also reached #1 in the Irish albums chart where it went 7x platinum . In total, the album has sold 4.7 million copies worldwide.

Track listing

1. "You're All I Have" – 4:33
2. "Hands Open" – 3:17
3. "Chasing Cars" – 4:27
4. "Shut Your Eyes" – 3:17
5. "It's Beginning to Get to Me" – 4:35
6. "You Could Be Happy" – 3:02
7. "Make This Go on Forever" – 5:47
8. "Set the Fire to the Third Bar" (featuring Martha Wainwright) – 3:23
9. "Headlights on Dark Roads" – 3:30
10. "Open Your Eyes" – 5:41
11. "The Finish Line" – 3:28
12. Bonus Tracks
13. "-" - 3:55
14. "In My Arms" - 4:36
15. "Warmer Climate" - 4:08

The untitled twelfth track is a recording of background noise and one of Jacknife Lee's young children talking.

• Lyrics by Gary Lightbody, music by Lightbody/Connolly/Simpson/Quinn/Wilson, published by Big Life Music Ltd.
• Produced by Jacknife Lee for Big Life Management.

Peak positions and certifications

Chart	Provider(s)	Peak position	Sales	Certification
Australian Albums Chart	ARIA	1	280,000	4x Platinum
Austria Albums Chart	IFPI Austria	3	15,000	Gold
Belgium Albums Chart	IFPI	9
Canada Albums Chart	CRIA	?	100,000	Platinum
Dutch Albums Chart	MegaCharts BV/NVPI	6
Europe	IFPI	2	2,000,000	2x Platinum
France Albums Chart	IFPI	67
Germany Albums Chart	Media Control	1	100,000	Gold
Ireland Albums Chart	IRMA	1	105,000	7x Platinum
New Zealand Albums Chart	RIANZ	1	45,000	3x Platinum
Spanish Albums Chart	Promusicae	27
Swedish Albums Chart	GLF	16
Swiss Albums Chart	Media Control Europe	15	15,000	Gold
UK Albums Chart	BPI/The Official UK Charts	1	2,051,000	6x Platinum
U.S. Billboard 200	Billboard	27	1,027,000	Platinum
U.S. Billboard Comprehensive Albums		27
United World Chart	Media Traffic	6	4,047,000	2x Platinum
United World Chart	+7.5% Media Traffic doesn't cover	6	4,750,000	2x Platinum

References