Bette Davis Eyes

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“Bette Davis Eyes”
US 7" single
Single by Kim Carnes from the album Mistaken Identity
B-side	Miss You Tonight
Released	1981
Format	7" single
Genre	Pop
Length	3:49
Label	EMI America
Writer(s)	Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon
Producer	Val Garay

"Bette Davis Eyes" is the name of a popular song, best known for being performed by Kim Carnes.

The song was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. DeShannon recorded the song that same year on her album New Arrangement. But it was not until 1981, when Carnes recorded her version of the song, that it became a success. It spent nine non-consecutive weeks on top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (interrupted for one week by the "Stars on 45 Medley"), and over eight million copies of the album on which the song appeared, Mistaken Identity, were sold. The single went on to become the highest seller of the year and won the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The song was also a number one hit in many countries, including Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Japan and Brazil, but achieved more moderate success in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number ten. The music video was directed by Russell Mulcahy.

Bette Davis admitted to being a fan of the song and approached Carnes and the songwriters to thank them for making her "a part of modern times."

Contents 1 Cover versions 2 Appearances in other media, etc. 3 Parodies 4 References

[edit] Cover versions

• A dance version by European singer Sonia Davis was released in 1992.
• Actress Gwyneth Paltrow performed the song in the movie Duets (2000), and her single release was a hit in some parts of the world.
• Brad Roberts of the Crash Test Dummies sang it on his first solo CD, 2001's Crash Test Dude.
• Handsome Devil covered the song in 2004, featured on their second CD Knock Yourself Out.
• The Denton, TX band Space Cadet remade the song for their 2005 debut album Debutante.
• Sexton Blake covered the song in 2007.

[edit] Appearances in other media, etc.

• The song itself was used in a Pac-Man themed 7 Up ad.
• Mylo sampled this song for his 2005 single "In My Arms".
• Swedish singer September sampled the track for a song called "Midnight Heartache" on her 2005 album In Orbit.
• The song was used in an episode of the TV show Cold Case entitled "Love Conquers All"..
• The song was used in 2008 to advertise the Clairol - Nice 'n Easy hair products

[edit] Parodies

• The song was parodied by Bruce "Babyman" Baum in 1981, as "Marty Feldman's Eyes".
• The title was also parodied by Half Man Half Biscuit in their song "Dickie Davies' Eyes" (where Dickie Davies was the presenter of the UK sports programme World of Sport). Shirley Stockewell recorded a parody called "Lizzy Taylor Thighs."
• Eddie Murphy's character Buckwheat on Saturday Night Live parodied the song in a commercial parody named "Buh-Weet Sings".

[edit] References

• The Kim Carnes Website - Bette Davis Eyes
• Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
• Official German Charts "Number 1 Finder"

Preceded by "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" by Sheena Easton	Billboard Hot 100 number one single May 16, 1981 - June 13, 1981	Succeeded by "Stars on 45 Medley" by Stars on 45
Preceded by "Stars on 45 Medley" by Stars on 45	Billboard Hot 100 number one single June 27, 1981 - July 18, 1981	Succeeded by "The One That You Love" by Air Supply
Preceded by "Call Me" by Blondie	Billboard Hot 100 Number one single of the year 1981	Succeeded by "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John
Preceded by "Just the Two of Us" by Grover Washington, Jr.	ARC Weekly Top 40 number one single (first run) May 16, 1981 - June 13, 1981	Succeeded by "Stars on 45 Medley" by Stars on 45
Preceded by "Stars on 45 Medley" by Stars on 45	ARC Weekly Top 40 number one single (second run) June 27, 1981 - July 18, 1981	Succeeded by "The One That You Love" by Air Supply