Bette Davis Eyes

Infobox Single
Name = Bette Davis Eyes


Caption =
Artist = Kim Carnes
from Album = Mistaken Identity
B-side = Miss You Tonight
Released = April 9,1981
Format = 7" single
Recorded =
Genre = Pop
Length = 3:49
Label = EMI America
Writer = 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."

The song ranks at #12 on "Billboard's All Time Top 100." [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-titles-20.shtml]

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 [20Canadian singer Melanie Dekker has covered the song at various live performances.
* Actress Leighton Meester has recorded a cover of the song which was leaked via Perez Hilton
* Australian Idol contestant Brooke Addamo performed the song on the Top 11, 80's themed night on the 2008 season of the show. Addamo was shockingly eliminated the following night after receiving positive comments from the judges, including guest judge and mentor Cyndi Lauper.

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

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".

References

* [http://hometown.aol.com/david1atl/bdeyes.html The Kim Carnes Website - Bette Davis Eyes]
*Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
* [http://www.nr1finder.de Official German Charts "Number 1 Finder"]