According to Song Meanings and Facts , According to Gabriel himself, the lyrics of In Your Eyes, which are inspired by the African tradition, can either refer to a romantic relationship between a man and a woman or a divine relationship between someone and his God.

Gabriel composed lyrics about a man whose unemployment causes stress in his domestic relationship. He had seen a TV program about the consequences of unemployment on family life, and said that it "played into my own problems at that time.

The inventive music video definitely helped, but the song itself was the perfect blend of pop, soul, funk, and Gabriel's experimental studio techniques that defined his career. Undoubtedly the peak of his mainstream fame, the video for 'Sledgehammer' is consistently voted as one of the best of all time.