Psychobabble

When you encounter Psychobabble, you realize it's not just another song on the album Eye in the Sky. It was the first to be recorded for that record, and its creation process began almost a year before the rest of the material. What's interesting is that, for the song's central section, Alan Parsons sought inspiration from cinema, specifically from the famous shower scene in the film Psycho. They even added air-raid siren sound effects, something that, according to him, seemed like a good idea at the time and fit with the musical clichés associated with horror films. Additionally, to give the bass more presence, Parsons added a layer of reverb, considering it a fundamental part of the piece.

The lead vocals on Psychobabble are by Elmer Gantry, who had already collaborated with The Alan Parsons Project on the previous album, The Turn of a Friendly Card. The lyrics, on the other hand, have a curious story: Eric Woolfson wrote them thinking about his wife, Hazel, and how she constantly talked about her psychology career. He felt the subject matter was turning into what he called "psychobabble." This song was released as the second single from the album in some places, such as the United States, where it reached number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. On album-oriented rock radio in the US, it was well-received, reaching number 54 on the Billboard Top Tracks. It was sent to contemporary hit radio in November 1982 and remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks.