Bette Davis Eyes

"Bette Davis Eyes"
Single by Kim Carnes
from the album Mistaken Identity
B-side "Miss You Tonight"
Released March 10, 1981
Format
Recorded January 1981
Genre
Length 3:48
Label EMI America
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Val Garay
Certification
  • Gold (Italy, US)
  • Platinum (Canada, France)
Kim Carnes singles chronology
"Cry Like a Baby"
(1980)		 "Bette Davis Eyes"
(1981)		 "Draw of the Cards"
(1981)
Music sample
"Bette Davis Eyes"

Bette Davis Eyes is a song written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, and made popular by American singer Kim Carnes. DeShannon recorded it in 1974; Carnes' 1981 version spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Billboard's biggest hit of the entire year for 1981. The 1981 recording won the 1982 Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

History

The song was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. DeShannon recorded the song that same year on her album New Arrangement.[5] 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.[6] However, it was not until 1981, when Kim Carnes recorded her version of the song in a radically different synthesizer-based arrangement, that "Bette Davis Eyes" became a commercial success.

The Carnes version spent nine non-consecutive weeks on top of the US Billboard Hot 100 (interrupted for one week by the "Stars on 45 Medley") and was Billboard's biggest hit of the year for 1981.[7] The single also reached No. 5 on Billboard's Top Tracks charts and No. 26 on the Dance charts.[8] The song won the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The song was also a number one hit in 21 countries[9] and peaked at number 10 in the United Kingdom.[10]

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." The demo can be heard in a Val Garay interview on TAXI TV at 21:50.[11] Keyboardist Bill Cuomo came up with the signature synth riff, using the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 synthesizer, which now defines Carnes' version. The song was recorded in the studio on the first take.[12]

Bette Davis wrote letters to Carnes and the songwriters to thank them for making her "a part of modern times", and said her grandson now looked up to her. After their Grammy wins, Davis sent them roses as well.[9]

The song was ranked at number 12 on Billboard's list of the top 100 songs in the first 50 years of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at number one of the biggest hits of the 1980s.[13] Cleopatra Records released a re-recording of the song as a single in 2007.[14]

The song was used frequently as bumper music on Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell. The song was used in the 2015 horror comedy film The Final Girls, starring Taissa Farmiga and Malin Åkerman.[15]

Other versions

Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for their 1982 album Chipmunk Rock. Leighton Meester released a cover in April 2009.[16] Later in the year, Courtney Love also performed the song.[17] The October 10, 1981, episode of Saturday Night Live featured Eddie Murphy's "Buckwheat Sings" sketch. The song Murphy sings in such a way that even the subtitler can not recognize it was "Bette Davis Eyes." In 2010, Brandon Flowers covered it at Highline Ballroom, New York City.[18] In 2011, Taylor Swift covered the song at the Staples Center during her Speak Now World Tour.[19] The rendition appears on the album Speak Now World Tour – Live. Dean Ray performed the song (with acoustic guitar) as his audition for X-Factor Australia 2014. Gwyneth Paltrow performed a cover of the song in the 2000 film Duets. In 2014, Kylie Minogue re-recorded the song especially for the British station program "Sounds of the '80s" BBC Radio 2 and performed the song on her Kylie Summer 2015 Tour. Sexton Blake covered the track for their 2007 album Plays the Hits!.[20]

Music video

The video opens in a dance hall with a black-draped leaning figure. The drape opens to reveal Kim Carnes wearing sunglasses as she sings the first verse. In the first chorus, she performs with a band; halfway dancers enter the hall. In the second verse, the dancers make slapping and floor-pounding dance motions. They disappear and reappear in the second chorus. The song finishes with the dancers making dance motions while approaching Carnes; the band is already gone when the video ends with the black-draped leaning figure. A shadowed silhouette of Bette Davis smoking a cigarette appears throughout the video. The video was directed by Australian film director Russell Mulcahy.[21]

Lyrics

There is much confusion over whether the lyrics are "she knows just what it takes to make a crow blush" or "... pro blush". Jackie DeShannon sings "crow" in her version, and Kim Carnes recorded it as "pro" from a mistranscription of the lyrics. This error has proliferated through numerous cover versions. The phrase "could make a crow blush" is an early 20th-century Midwestern United States colloquialism meaning that one could unease someone with little effort, and the arranger from Carnes' version was unfamiliar with the term. Others have misheard the lyrics as "she knows just what it takes to makes a girl blush", suggesting a lesbian undertone, although this was unintended by the songwriters.[22]

Track listing and formats

  1. "Bette Davis Eyes" – 3:45
  2. "Miss You Tonite" – 5:11
  • US 12" maxi-single[24]
  1. "Bette Davis Eyes" – 3:45
  2. "Miss You Tonite" – 5:11

Charts

Weekly charts

Year Chart Peak
position
1981 Australia (Kent Music Report)[25] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[26] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[27] 5
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[28] 6
Canada (CHUM)[29] 1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[30] 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] 2
France (IFOP)[32] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[33] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[34] 5
Italy (FIMI)[35] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36] 16
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37] 17
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[38] 2
Norway (VG-lista)[39] 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[40] 1
Spain (AFE)[41] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[42] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[43] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[10] 10
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[44] 15
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[8] 26
US Billboard Top Tracks[8] 5
US Cash Box[45] 1
US Record World[46] 1
1997 Ireland (IRMA)[34] 21
2002 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[47] 67
2007 Denmark (Tracklisten)[48] 14

Year-end charts

Chart (1981) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[49] 6
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[50] 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[51] 37
Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)[52] 2
France (IFOP)[53] 4
Italy (FIMI)[54] 5
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[55] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[56] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 1
US Cash Box[57] 2

All-time charts

Chart Position
US Billboard Hot 100[58] 15

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[59] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[60] Platinum 1,190,000[61]
Italy (FIMI)[62] Gold 25,000*
United States (RIAA)[63] Gold 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Order of precedence
Preceded by
"This Ole House" by Shakin' Stevens		 Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
June 15, 1981 – July 13, 1981 (5 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Stars on 45" by Stars on 45
Preceded by
"Angel of the Morning" by Juice Newton		 Canadian CHUM number-one single
May 23, 1981 – May 30, 1981 (2 weeks)
Preceded by
"Morning Train (9 to 5)" by Sheena Easton		 Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary number-one single
June 27, 1981 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Sukiyaki" by A Taste of Honey
Preceded by
"Je veux de la tendresse" by Elton John
"Confidence pour confidence" by Jean Schultheis		 French IFOP number-one single
July 24, 1981 – September 25, 1981 (10 weeks)
October 23, 1981 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Confidence pour confidence" by Jean Schultheis
"La danse des canards" by J.J. Lionel
Preceded by
"Stars on 45" by Stars on 45		 German number-one single
July 13, 1981 – August 24, 1981 (7 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Dance Little Bird" by Electronicas
Swiss number-one single
July 5, 1981 – August 16, 1981 (7 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Stars on 45 Vol. 2" by Stars on 45
Preceded by
"(Out Here) On My Own" by Nikka Costa		 Italian number one single
November 21, 1981 – December 5, 1981 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Cicale" by Heather Parisi
Preceded by
"Hubba Hubba Zoot-Zoot" by Caramba		 Norwegian number-one single
40/1981 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"For Your Eyes Only" by Sheena Easton
Preceded by
"More and More" by Joe Dolan
"Kids in America" by Kim Wilde		 South African number-one single
July 18, 1981 – August 8, 1981 (4 weeks)
August 22, 1981 – August 29, 1981 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Kids in America" by Kim Wilde
"Chequered Love" by Kim Wilde
Preceded by
"Ma quale idea" by Pino D'Angiò		 Spanish number-one single
October 5, 1981 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Ma quale idea" by Pino D'Angiò
Preceded by
"Morning Train (9 to 5)" by Sheena Easton
"Stars on 45" by Stars on 45		 US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
May 16, 1981 – June 13, 1981 (5 weeks)
June 27, 1981 – July 18, 1981 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Stars on 45" by Stars on 45
"The One That You Love" by Air Supply
Preceded by
"Being with You" by Smokey Robinson
"Stars on 45" by Stars on 45		 US Cash Box number-one single
May 30, 1981 – June 13, 1981 (3 weeks)
July 4, 1981 – July 11, 1981 (2 weeks)
Preceded by
"Call Me" by Blondie
1980		 US Billboard Hot 100 best-selling single of the year
1981 		Succeeded by
"Physical" by Olivia Newton-John
1982

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Greenwald, Matthew. "Bette Davis Eyes – Song Review". AllMusic. All Media Network. 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. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ Doyle, Tom (March 2005). "Mylo". Sound on Sound. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  5. ↑ Cad, Saint (October 14, 2012). "10 More Famous Songs With Unknown Originals". Listverse. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  6. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Jackie DeShannon – New Arrangement". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Top 100 Hits for 1981". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Kim Carnes – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  9. 1 2 Bronson, Fred (1992). Billboard Book of Number One Hits (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Billboard Publications, Inc. p. 543. ISBN 0-8230-8298-9.
  10. 1 2 "Archive Chart: 1981-05-23" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Legendary Producer Val Garay". Ustream. November 27, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  12. ↑ Jackson, Blair. Classic Tracks: Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" at the Wayback Machine (archived July 13, 2014). Mix Online. NewBay Media. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  13. ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (20-11) at the Wayback Machine (archived September 13, 2008). Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  14. ↑ Bette Davis Eyes (single) on We7. Retrieved April 10, 2013
  15. ↑ Eggertsen, Chris (October 16, 2015). "The Final Girls director: Angela Trimburs striptease was completely improvised". HitFix. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  16. ↑ Gicas, Peter (April 7, 2009). "Leighton Meester: Music to Your Ears?". E! Online. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  17. ↑ Goodman, William (September 14, 2009). "WATCH: Courtney Love Covers 'Bette Davis Eyes'!". Spin. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  18. ↑ Harvilla, Rob (August 27, 2010). "Brandon Flowers Sang "Bette Davis Eyes" (And, OK, A Lot Of His New Solo Songs) At Highline Ballroom". The Village Voice. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  19. ↑ Lerman, Ali (August 29, 2011). "Taylor Swift at the Staples Center Saturday Night". OC Weekly. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  20. ↑ MacNeil, Jason MacNeil (August 9, 2007). "Sexton Blake: Plays The Hits!". PopMatters. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  21. ↑ "80sonVEVO GAMV Takeover Week 9 w/ FEATURED VIDEO Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes"". March 20, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  22. ↑ Sullivan, Steve (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings 2. Scarecrow Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-8108-8296-6.
  23. ↑ Bette Davis Eyes (US 7-inch Single liner notes). Kim Carnes. EMI. 1981. 006-86 359.
  24. ↑ Bette Davis Eyes (US 12-inch Maxi Single liner notes). Kim Carnes. EMI. 1986. 052-86 359.
  25. ↑ "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Radio 2 Top 30 : 20 juni 1981" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  29. ↑ CHART NUMBER 1271 – Saturday, May 23, 1981 at the Wayback Machine (archived July 29, 2007). CHUM. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 0354." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0337." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  34. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Bette Davis Eyes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  35. ↑ "SINGOLI – I NUMERI UNO (1959-2006) (parte 3: 1980-1990)" (in Italian). It-charts.150m.com. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  37. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". VG-lista. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  40. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (C)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  41. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  42. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Kim Carnes – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Kim Carnes. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  45. ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 30, 1981 at the Wayback Machine (archived September 18, 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  46. ↑ RECORD WORLD 1981 at the Wayback Machine (archived July 15, 2004). Record World. Geocities.com. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  47. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes 2002" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  48. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Tracklisten. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  49. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1981" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  51. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1981" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  52. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 35, No. 22, December 26, 1981". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  53. ↑ "TOP – 1981" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  54. ↑ "I singoli più venduti del 1981" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  55. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981". Rock.co.za. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  56. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1981" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  57. ↑ The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1981 at the Wayback Machine (archived September 18, 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  58. ↑ "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  59. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Music Canada.
  60. ↑ "French single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in French). InfoDisc. Select KIM CARNES and click OK
  61. ↑ "Les Singles de Platine" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  62. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Kim Carnes in the field Filtra. Select 2014 in the field Anno. The certification will load automatically
  63. ↑ "American single certifications – Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links

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