Kim Carnes teased us and uneased us with this precocious pop temptation. Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon co-wrote 'Bette Davis Eyes' in 1974 and DeShannon recorded a country version on her album 'New Arrangement'. When Carnes decided to record her version for her album 'Mistaken Identity', keyboardist Bill Cuomo came up with the evocative synthesizer riff using a state of the art Sequential Circuits Prophet-5. The song was recorded live in the studio in one take. The original lyrics of the song used the colloquialism "make a crow blush"; but no one was familiar with it and the lyrics were changed to "pro blush" for Carnes' version. It was a number one hit in thirty one countries around the world and spent nine weeks on top of the US chart, making it one of the biggest hits in the history of the pop chart. The music video was directed by Australian film director, Russell Mulcahy.
Her hair is hollow gold
Her lips sweet surprise
Her hands are never cold
She's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll turn the music on you
You won't have to think twice
She's pure as New York snow
She's got Bette Davis eyes
And she'll tease you
She'll unease you
All the better just to please you
She's precocious and she knows just what it takes to make a pro blush
She's got Greta Garbo stand-off sighs
She's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll let you take her home (it whets her appetite)
She'll lay you on the throne
She's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll take a tumble on you
Roll you like you were dice until you come up blue
She's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll expose you when she snows you
Off your feet with the crumbs she throws you
She's ferocious and she knows just what it takes to make a pro blush
All the boys think she's a spy
She's got Bette Davis eyes
And she'll tease you
She'll unease you
All the better just to please you
She's precocious and she knows just what it takes to make a pro blush
All the boys think she's a spy
She's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll tease you
She'll unease you
Just to please you
She's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll expose you
When she snows you
She knows you
She's got Bette Davis eyes
'Mistaken Identity'
full album
"Bette Davis Eyes" (Donna Weiss, Jackie DeShannon) – 3:47
"Hit and Run" (Donna Weiss, Jackie DeShannon) – 3:17
"Mistaken Identity" (Kim Carnes) – 4:49
"When I'm Away from You" (Frankie Miller) – 3:36
"Draw of the Cards" (Kim Carnes, Dave Ellingson, Bill Cuomo, Val Garay) – 4:54
"Break the Rules Tonite (Out of School)" (Kim Carnes, Dave Ellingson, Wendy Waldman) – 3:17
"Still Hold On" (Kim Carnes, Eric Kaz, Dave Ellingson, Wendy Waldman) – 4:39
"Don't Call It Love" (Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford) – 3:09
"Miss You Tonight" (Kim Carnes) – 5:09
"My Old Pals" (Richard Stekol) – 3:19
Kim Carnes need not be remembered simply for her biggest hit, which was written (and apparently ignored) in 1974.
ReplyDeleteShe (at the very least) co-wrote the hit "Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer" which became a huge hit for Kenny Rogers. She also dueted with him on the track which she co-wrote. In fact she co-wrote the concept album from which the track came, "Gideon" with her husband Dave Ellingson.
While "Bette Davis Eyes" won her much deserved recognition, not the least of which came from the subject of her song (though not written by her) itself, her passion for the music she performed came shining through in the lyrics she sung.
But she was more than a one-hit wonder.
Take the song "Looker," from the album "Voyeur", for example. Though it became (or was commissioned to be) a title-track to a movie of the same name aside, it's an exemplary example of her passion for lyrics. The same goes for the title track of the album from whence it came, "Voyeur."
The track "Voyeur" was also an impassioned example of lyrical delivery. The song tells a story, and the story is conveyed in the "delivery" of the story teller, in this case, the singer. Kim Carnes gave a passionate, heartfelt delivery of the track. Sure, all...well most...singers are tasked with conveying the meaning of their lyrics, whether real or imagined, whether they wrote the words themselves or not, but Kim Carnes had an ability of providing an urgency to the words to give them a meaningful credibility to the material.
Whether we could relate to it or not.
Speaking of the "Voyeur" album, and moving on from hits, let's talk about the song "Say You Don't Know Me," which deals with a broken relationship from the point of view of the jilted lover. Sure, in its way the music is evocative of a creepy-stalker type situation, and the lyrics imply the words of a lover scorned who only wants the best for the one who shunned her--is it really saying "I'm coming back because I'm best for you, LIKE IT OR NOT?" Or is it really an impassioned plea to move on from "me?" The song is a dichotomy of conflicting points of view--and incredibly from within a single person. Like I said, creepy.
Then there's another non-hit song that deals with the idea of break-up: "Breakin' Away From Sanity." This time from the reality that the teller of the tale is accepting that they're not enough from the person they love the most. And that they accept that. And that it hurts them greatly. That they're moving on for the betterment of the one they're leaving. The passion from this song bleeds from the performance. Add in the children's chorus at the end and you've got a heart-rending, multi-layered, tale of hurt and self-acceptance. Bar NONE.
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And then, of course, there's the "other hit" from the album, and perhaps not surprisingly, another "break-up" song. This time the undeniable hit "Does It Make You Remember."
ReplyDeleteLyrically, and it was actually written by Kim Carnes and Dave Ellingson, her husband, this song evokes sadness, hope--in a truly heartbreaking way, and a strength not often heard in many other songs. Accusation, questions, and determination lyrically underscore this song in as much as does the music itself. A driving drum back-beat, subtle guitar licks, a synthetic underscore are featured in the opening measures of this anthem, and then become more imperative and ultimately driving as the song moves on. We then find ourselves in the throes of the expected guitar break, then into a bridge that features an underscore of driving drums underneath a litany of power-chords...
And suddenly a piano solo manifests itself that is evocative of the classics. And I'm not talking Tull or Zeppelin or even Queen. I mean Bach. Or Beethoven. Or even Chopin.
It is brief. But eloquent. Imperative. DESCRIPTIVE.
And then we find ourselves, lyrically, back where we started. And somehow, the lyrics make more sense this time. As if the angst of the music, and the underscore it provides, helps us to grasp the desperation, the wonder, and the pain of the situation.
TELL me this artist deserves to be forgotten. I'll tell you you're wrong.
TELL me this artist deserves to be remembered ONLY for what is, effectively, a novelty song--though one of renown?
Again, I'll spit in your face and say "Nay, Nay!"
Like so many others (ever heard of Bob Dylan?), Kim Carnes is another in a long list of artists who made a mark, albeit in her case a small one, that could not get ARRESTED in the modern world of music. And no, I'm not comparing the lyricism of Kim Carnes to that of Dylan--only a fool would open that can of worms. However: you cannot deny that her ability to CONVEY the MEANING of her lyrics is worth of consideration. And that given the gravelly quality of her voice, it is highly unlikely she'd be considered a contender in today's market. Seriously: Neil Young? Songwriter? Fine. Vocalist? Bet me he'd get a deal in 2011. If you're betting on him, you'd lose every time. And more's the pity.
Does it make you remember?
Does it make you wonder what ELSE we're missing these days, in the world of pre-fabbed hits and "eye-candy-artists?"
It sure does for me...
Does It Make You Remember:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljRssrNevws
Breakin' Away From Sanity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPFKfSBnSPQ&feature=related
Just for reference...
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