I need to apologize to readers of this thread for confusing two folk terms "evil eye" and "cut eye". These two terms are not the same.

I also need to clarify that I think that the line "she give the eye" in the song "Can't Cross Over {River Come Down} refers to cut eye and not to the evil eye.

Here's an excerpt from an online abstract about "cut eye" {cutting one's eyes at someone else}:

"Title: "Cut-Eye" and "Suck-Teeth": African Words and Gestures in New World Guise.
Authors: Rickford, John R.; Rickford, Angela E.
Descriptors: African Culture; Black Culture; Body Language; Communication (Thought Transfer); Cultural Exchange; Cultural Influences; Nonverbal Communication; Paralinguistics
....
Publication Date: 1974-00-00
....

Abstract: An investigation questioned whether the words and gestures "cut-eye" and "suck-teeth," evident in Guyana, represent African survivals, and how widely these are recognized in the Caribbean, the United States and Africa. Caribbean data were drawn from observations, dictionaries and interviews. U.S. data came from questionnaires administered to both blacks and whites. African students were also questioned. In Guyana, "cut-eye" is a visual gesture indicating hostility or disapproval. A glare is delivered followed by a vertical or diagonal sweep of the eye over the other person. "Cut-eye" insults by visually invading another's territory and turning away contemptuously. The gesture was familiar to all West Indians interviewed. In the U.S., nearly all black informants were familiar with the term, but few of the whites. All African informants recognized the gesture. "Suck-teeth" refers to the gesture of drawing in air through the teeth to produce a sucking sound. It expresses anger, exasperation or annoyance, and is stronger and ruder than "cut-eye." It is known throughout the Caribbean, by black Americans, though not by whites, and by Africans. The study provides evidence that Africanisms persist in the New World even in commonplace expressions and gestures. (CHK)
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED119

-snip-

[my addition of italics for emphasis]

In contrast, here's a description of "the evil eye"

"The belief in the evil eye is ancient. Virtually every culture has referred to it. The oldest references to it appears in the cuneiform texts of the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, around 3000 BC.

The ancient Egyptians used eye shadow and lipstick to prevent the evil eye from entering their eyes or mouths. Both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible mention the evil eye.

Superstions surrounding the evil eye still strongly persist in Mediterranean countries such as Italy, and in Mexico and Central America.

The evil eye is either involuntary or deliberate. In the first incidences the persons do not intentionally use the evil eye, and usually are not aware they are doing so. No wrong doing or revenge is sought to another person.

The deliberate or malevolent use of the evil eye is called "overlooking." This is thought to produce such misfortunes as illness, poverty, injury, loss of love, or even death. In the Middle Ages witches were said to give anyone who crossed them the evil eye. Also they were thought to be able to bewitch their convicting judges with it, and this was why they were made to walk backwards toward the judges.

Almost anything could cause the notion that some person possessed an evil eye. If someone looked too long or lingering at one's children, or possessions, or livestock. If a child got sick, or some possession was lost or stolen, or some animals died, then the person was really suspected of having an evil eye.

If the evil eye and its effects could not be driven away then the victim thought he or she really had trouble, then it was time to consult an older and wiser woman -- usually a family member -- hoping she knew a secret cure.

The evil eye can be listed as one of the earliest prejudicial signs. A stranger in a village or town was most susceptible of suspicion. Any person having an unusual characteristic could easily find himself in this category, such as a blue-eyed person among brown-eyed people, or people having body deformities. Some people were said to have been born with a permanent evil eye, corrupting everything they looked at. Also they were often called demonic possessed"...
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/e/evil_eye.html


-snip-

Again, I humbly* apologize for my use of the term evil eye as an explanation of that song line or as a description of cut eye. I believe that the only thing these two things have in common is that they both involve eyes.

*I emphasize "humbly" because I recognize that hubris was the reason for my mistake.