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Bette Davis Eyes

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"Bette Davis Eyes"
Single by Kim Carnes
from the album Mistaken Identity
B-side"Miss You Tonite"
ReleasedMarch 10, 1981
Genre
Length3:48
LabelEMI America
Songwriter(s)Donna Weiss · Jackie DeShannon
Producer(s)Val Garay
Kim Carnes singles chronology
"Cry Like a Baby"
(1980) 		"Bette Davis Eyes"
(1981) 		"Draw of the Cards"
(1981)
Music video
"Bette Davis Eyes" on YouTube
Audio sample

"Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written and composed by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon in 1974. It was recorded by DeShannon that year but made popular by Kim Carnes in 1981 when it spent nine non-consecutive weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It won the 1982 Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.[6] The music video was directed by Australian film director Russell Mulcahy.[7]

On the Billboard Hot 100, the song was No. 1 for five weeks, interrupted for just one week by "Stars on 45" before it returned to the top spot for another four weeks, becoming Billboard's biggest hit of the year.[8] The single also reached No. 5 on Billboard's Top Tracks charts and No. 26 on the Dance charts.[9] It reached No. 2 in Canada for twelve consecutive weeks, and was 1981's No. 2 hit in that country, after "Stars on 45".[10][11] It peaked at No. 10 in the United Kingdom,[12] to date Carnes's only Top 40 hit in that country. Additionally, it ranked No. 12 on Billboard's list of the top 100 songs in the first 50 years of the magazine's Hot 100.[6] "Bette Davis Eyes" was a No. 1 hit in 21 countries.[13]

Background

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Bette Davis in 1935

"Bette Davis Eyes" was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, the latter of whom recorded the song that same year for her album New Arrangement.[14] Weiss had traveled to Deshannon's house with a set of lyrics, including several additional verses that were ultimately scrapped. Deshannon refined some of the lyrics and also developed the song's music.[13] In this original incarnation, the track is performed in an "R&B lite" arrangement,[1] featuring a prominent uptempo piano part, as well as flourishes of pedal steel guitar and horns.[15] However, it was not until March 1981,[16] when Carnes recorded her version of the song in a radically different synthesizer-based arrangement, that it became a commercial success.

According to producer Val Garay, the original demo of the tune that was brought to him sounded like "a Leon Russell track, with this beer-barrel polka piano part."[a] Keyboardist Bill Cuomo, using the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 synthesizer, came up with the signature riff which defines Carnes's version.[18] In an interview with Dick Clark on the National Music Survey, Carnes credited Cuomo with the song's new arrangement, saying that "the minute he came up with that, then it fell into place. Everybody went, 'That's it!'"[13]

Only three takes were recorded, the first of which was used with no overdubbing. Craig Krampf insisted on incorporating a Synare electronic drum into the song, although Garay objected to the instrument's inclusion on the grounds that it was "the most annoying thing I'd ever heard in my life." However, Garay changed his mind once Krampf hit the instrument on the chorus, which Garay believed was a great fit. The drums were miked at close proximity with a Sennheiser MD 421 on the bass drum, a Shure 56 and Sennheiser MD 441 on the snare drum, Telefunken 251s on the toms, and an AKG 452 on the hi-hat. Carnes sang her vocals through a Neumann U67 microphone situated next to the mixing console.[18]

Actress Bette Davis was 73 when Carnes's version became a hit. She wrote letters to Carnes, Weiss, and DeShannon to thank them for making her "a part of modern times" and said that her grandson now looked up to her. After their Grammy wins, Davis sent them roses and happily accepted the gift of gold and platinum records from Carnes, hanging them on her wall.[13][19]

Critical reception

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Record World called it a "haunting pop-rocker" and said that Carnes's "earthy vocal rasp and guitar chimes are unforgettable."[20] Joe Viglione of AllMusic believed that "Bette Davis Eyes" was superior to all other tracks on Mistaken Identity.[21]

Critics' rankings of "Bette Davis Eyes"
Publication List Rank Ref.
Billboard The 500 Best Pop Songs
425
 [22]
Rolling Stone The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s
137
 [23]

Track listing and formats

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[62] Gold 100,000[62]
Canada (Music Canada)[63] Platinum 100,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[64] Gold 45,000‡
France (SNEP)[65] Platinum 1,000,000*
Germany (BVMI)[66] Gold 300,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[67]
sales since 2009 		Platinum 100,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[68] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[69]
2004 release 		Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[70] Gold 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

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Gwyneth Paltrow version

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American actress Gwyneth Paltrow covered "Bette Davis Eyes" for the soundtrack for the 2000 road trip film Duets.[71] This version was released as a single in Australia on March 26, 2001,[72] debuting and peaking at No. 3 on the ARIA Singles Chart on April 8, 2001.[73] It spent nine weeks in the top 10,[73] and came in at No. 35 on Australia's year-end chart for 2001. It earned a platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipping more than 70,000 units.[74]

Taylor Swift live performance

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American singer Taylor Swift included a live performance cover of "Bette Davis Eyes" on her 2011 Speak Now World Tour – Live album.[75]

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Kim Carnes' version of the song has appeared in various films and TV series[76] including 200 Cigarettes (1999), Cold Case S1E6 (2003), That's My Boy (2012) The Final Girls (2015), American Horror Story S5E5 (2015), Riverdale S2E18 (2018), The After Party (2018), Anaïs in Love (2021), The Tourist S1E1 (2022), Angelyne S1E3 (2022) and MaXXXine (2024)

The song was parodied in the October 10, 1981 episode of Saturday Night Live in the sketch "Buh-Weet Sings", when Buckwheat (Eddie Murphy) sings the song so incomprehensibly that the subtitles read "?????".[77]

See also

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Note

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  1. ^ The demo can be heard in a TAXI TV interview with Garay, at 21:50.[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Greenwald, Matthew. "Bette Davis Eyes – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  2. ^ Useted, Tom (February 18, 2010). "Jackie DeShannon: Jackie DeShannon, Me About You / To Be Free, New Arrangement". PopMatters. Retrieved May 3, 2014. It's hard to approach this album without focusing on the presence of "Bette Davis Eyes", which, issued forth from the tortured larynx of Kim Carnes, became one of the defining new-wave records.
  3. ^ "80s classics that should be remade". Virgin Media. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015.
  4. ^ Doyle, Tom (March 2005). "Mylo". Sound on Sound. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  5. ^ Breihan, Tom (May 6, 2020). "The Number Ones: Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes". Stereogum. Retrieved July 19, 2023. The new version of 'Bette Davis Eyes' is state-of-the-art '80s synth-rock.
  6. ^ a b "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (20-11)". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008.
  7. ^ "80sonVEVO GAMV Takeover Week 9 w/ FEATURED VIDEO Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes"". March 20, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Top 100 Hits for 1981". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Kim Carnes – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0337." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Top 100 Singles of 1981". RPM. Vol. 35, no. 22. December 26, 1981. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  13. ^ a b c d Bronson, Fred (1992). Billboard Book of Number One Hits (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Billboard Publications, Inc. p. 543. ISBN 0-8230-8298-9.
  14. ^ Cad, Saint (October 14, 2012). "10 More Famous Songs with Unknown Originals". Listverse. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  15. ^ Deming, Mark. "Jackie DeShannon – New Arrangement". AllMusic. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  16. ^ a b "Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  17. ^ "Legendary Producer Val Garay". Ustream. November 27, 2012. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  18. ^ a b Jackson, Blair. "Classic Tracks: Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes"". Mix. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014.
  19. ^ Bubbeo, Daniel (October 29, 2001). The Women of Warner Brothers: The Lives and Careers of 15 Leading Ladies, with Filmographies for Each. McFarland. ISBN 9780786411375.
  20. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 28, 1981. p. 1. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  21. ^ Viglione, Joe. "Mistaken Identity - Kim Carnes". AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  22. ^ "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. October 13, 2023. Archived from the original on November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  23. ^ Sheffield, Rob (November 23, 2023). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  24. ^ Bette Davis Eyes (US 7-inch Single liner notes). Kim Carnes. EMI. 1981. 006-86 359.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ Bette Davis Eyes (US 12-inch Maxi Single liner notes). Kim Carnes. EMI. 1986. 052-86 359.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  27. ^ "Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  28. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 0354." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  29. ^ "Danish Chart Archive". UkMix. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  30. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Kim Carnes". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 43. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  31. ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80's". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  32. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Bette Davis Eyes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  33. ^ "I singoli più venduti del 1981". Hit Parade Italia (in Italian). Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  34. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 24, 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
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  36. ^ "Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
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  38. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (C)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  39. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
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  41. ^ "Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  42. ^ "Kim Carnes Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  43. ^ "Kim Carnes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  44. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 30, 1981". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012.
  45. ^ "Kim Carnes Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  46. ^ "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. June 6, 1981. p. 29. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  47. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  48. ^ "Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes 2002" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  49. ^ "Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Tracklisten. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  50. ^ "Tedenska lestvica" (in Slovenian). SloTop50. Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  51. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. January 4, 1982. p. 7. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.
  52. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  53. ^ "Jahreshitparade 1981" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  54. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1981" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  55. ^ "TOP – 1981". Top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  56. ^ "End of Year Charts 1981". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  57. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981". Rock.co.za. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  58. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1981" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  59. ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1981". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012.
  60. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1981" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  61. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  62. ^ a b "A forca de Kim Carnes". Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 16, 1981. p. 6. Retrieved January 7, 2022 – via National Library of Brazil.
  63. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Music Canada.
  64. ^ "Danish single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  65. ^ "French single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved November 9, 2021. Select KIM CARNES and click OK. 
  66. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Kim Carnes; 'Bette Davis Eyes')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  67. ^ "Italian single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.
  68. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  69. ^ "British single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  70. ^ "American single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Recording Industry Association of America.
  71. ^ Phares, Heather. "Original Soundtrack – Duets [Original Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  72. ^ "New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 26th March 2001" (PDF). ARIA. March 26, 2001. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2002. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  73. ^ a b "Australian-charts.com – Gwyneth Paltrow – Bette Davis Eyes". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  74. ^ "2001 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  75. ^ Keefe, Jonathan (November 28, 2011). "Review: Taylor Swift, Speak Now World Tour Live". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  76. ^ Kim Carnes' credits on IMDb. Accessed 2024-06-30.
  77. ^ Lifton, Dave LiftonDave (October 12, 2019). "When Eddie Murphy Premiered Buckwheat on 'Saturday Night Live'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
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