Kim Carnes -- Bette Davis Eyes

 

On this week's Reminiscings of Youth, I return to the first blossoming of my interest in music on both sides of the Pacific Ocean...in the year of 1981. And once again, I have to begin this article in the same way that I began the article for Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun": ahhh, the more you learn.

Last night, I was reading up and listening to what has remained one of the iconic New Wave hits and a personal aural touchstone for me, Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" when, just as was the case with "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", I found out that Carnes' biggest hit was actually a cover tune of a song that had first been recorded by singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon with Donna Weiss for release all the way back in September 1975 on DeShannon's album "New Arrangement".

This original "Bette Davis Eyes" walloped me even harder than listening to Robert Hazard's 1979 original "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". For one thing, DeShannon's song isn't even in the same genre; this is more of a happy-go-lucky country swing number that I would often hear on the radio back in elementary school. Just wow!

Perhaps the singer's "New Arrangement" title was rather prophetic. As one commenter put it under one of the many videos of Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes", whoever did the arrangement for this March 1981 megahit was an absolute genius. I mentioned before that the song was an aural touchstone...well, that was because that Prophet 5 synthesizer riff has remained in my head for years and whenever I hear it there, I automatically envisage skinny ties, shiny gray suits and New Romantic fashion. That friendly country-swing tune down at the local saloon was transformed into a sexy and mysterious New Wave anthem in some downtown angular dance club, thanks to Carnes' raspy vocals.

"Bette Davis Eyes" hit No. 1 in several countries including Canada and the United States, with its stay at the top in the latter nation lasting a few months. By the end of 1981, the song became the No. 2 single of the year on Canada's RPM chart and the year's No. 1 single on America's Billboard Hot 100. It didn't hurt either that "Bette Davis Eyes" won Grammys for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

However, the biggest pleasant surprise for everyone involved, including myself was Hollywood star Bette Davis' reaction. I first got to know Davis when she was already quite elderly and from what I had seen of her on talk shows and other interviews, she gave the impression of being a snappy and suffer-no-fools-period person. So, all these years, I had assumed that at best, Davis gave a very sniffy backhanded compliment that could have been included in the script of one of her most famous movies "All About Eve". Instead, via the Wikipedia article for the song, Fred Bronson through his 1992 "Billboard Book of Number One Hits" gave the following revelation: 

Actress Bette Davis was 73 years old when Kim Carnes's version became a hit. She wrote letters to Carnes, Weiss, and DeShannon to thank all three of them for making her "a part of modern times" and stated that her grandson now looked up to her. After their Grammy wins, Davis sent them roses as well.

So, what were Nos. 7, 8 and 9 on the Oricon chart for March 1981 in Japan?

7. Hiroaki Igarashi -- Pegasus no Asa (ペガサスの朝）

8. Yoshitaka Minami -- Slow na Boogie ni Shite Kure （スローなブギにしてくれ）

9. Masahiko Kondo -- Yokohama Cheek （ヨコハマ・チーク）