(In All About Eve, it's the lids: that oft-ignored flap of skin, constantly spreading tears across the surface of the eye, warding off invasion, blocking the light out during sleep. Eventually, Merrill was convinced, and Margot was enrolled at the Lochland School, a facility where she would remain for the rest of her life. just a FABULOUS IDEA. When Carnes says the main figure of her song has "Bette Davis Eyes," she's signalling to the audience that the character cannot be trusted, no matter how beautiful she is. Reportedly, Davis was tickled that her grandchildren thought having a hit song about her gave her cool points. Loved this article. The first thing everyone tells me when they meet me is that I have Bette Davis eyes . It also reached No. When I was my most unhappy I lashed out rather than whined.". It's not unlikely that Bette herself, being in her early 70s, didn't much listen to Top 40 radio, and the song might have escaped her notice if it wasn't for her granddaughter. According to Stacker,in the early 1980s Davis suffered severe health problems, including cancer and a stroke, while she also underwent surgery for a hip replacement. Although the songwriters have never officially confirmed this, some say that it is a tribute to the iconic film star, who inspired them with her powerful performances and larger-than-life persona. The two were in a constant game of one-upmanship with it came to Academy Award nominations. In 1982, the song won two Grammies in the following categories: Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Broadly, its a song in the Maneater veina woman who seduces for sportbut to listeners unaware of who Bette Davis is, there are few lyrical clues to what these eyes actually look like. Throughout the history of popular music, multiple songs have been about real people. No, green eyes are not bluethey are green. It is reported that Bette Davis declined the opportunity to be present at the 1981 Grammy Awards, where the song won Record of the Year. She changed the requirement that actresses in the movies invariably be likable or attractive. Growing up with my grandparents, I watched more black-and-white movies of their generation than I did color films of mine. Davis, beginning her 1962 autobiography, The Lonely Life: I have always been driven by some distant musica battle hymn no doubtfor I have been at war from the beginning. Is this what we see when we look into her eyes: beyond the unlikely result of genetics and her skill as an actress, do we see the lonely starlet, at war with the world, the self perpetually bursting through the role she's playing? The song enjoyed immense popularity, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States for nine consecutive weeks and remaining in the top three singles spots of the chart for over three months. However, she is indeed ferocious. She had a way of looking both youthful and ancient, grotesque and glamorous, and her characters were often mean-spirited anti-heroines. This song went on to become the biggest hit of Carnes entire career. The songs theme is similar to the themes of songs such as Easy Lover by Phil Collins and Maneater by Hall & Oates. Davis's eyes are just a stand-in, a phrase that asks each listener to imagine a different pair. Kim Carnes rendition of Bette Davis Eyes spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. She was simply different. 1 Brooklyn,among others. (The Academy has never confirmed this as the source of the nickname.). Novelist Graham Greene: pale ash-blonde hair, the popping neurotic eyes, a kind of corrupt and phosphorescent prettiness., Warner Bros studio head Jack Warner: [she had a] magic quality that transformed this sometimes bland and not beautiful little girl into a great artist.. According to Snopes, the actress, who was growing impatient with the lack of roles afforded to middle-aged women in the film industry, published a classified ad in the Hollywood Reporter, which, under the title "Situation Wanted, Women" and alongside a classic Davis headshot read: "Mother of three 10, 11 & 15 divorce. But MANY other things I remember perfectly.. unfortunately I suppose. I dont have many fond memories of my mom unfortunately, but EVERY time I hear Betty Davis Eyes It feels as though shes right there with me for being so shut off & I guess maybe even cold towards her because of the choices she made & things she subjected my baby brother & I to at VERY young ages. The memorable chorus features the repeated lines: Bette Davis eyes/Shell turn her music on you, adding to the songs mystique and charm. Davis. The other two are as follows: She was a renowned American actress. : 3:48. Kim Carnes was not a '60s-vintage rock star, but she may as well have been. But with her entire adult life lived in the spotlight, when was she not playing a role? In January 1941, Hollywood watchers were shocked by the announcement that Davis had married 34-year-old Arthur Farnsworth, the manager of a New Hampshire lodge where Davis vacationed. She confused my categorical understanding of the world. The lyrics of the song desribe a woman with a "mean, mean stride" and "devious eyes." What Did Bette Davis Say After Joan Crawford Died? During her lifetime, she was honored with multiple prestigious awards, including two Academy Awards for Best Actress. At another, Davis was given no script, but told simply to lie on a couch, so that scores of male actors could be tested kissing her, an experience the young actress found excruciating. [7] Music video[edit] Davis was known for playing women with a strong sense of independence and determination, often portraying characters who flouted social conventions and acted in ways considered bold or unconventional for the time period. Actress Bette Daviswas 73 years old when Kim Carnes's version became a hit. The song has since been celebrated for its catchy and infectious chorus, as well as its clever amalgamation of rock and new wave influences. Eyes reveal, to some degree, how a person is feeling in a particular moment. Thirty years experience as an actress in motion pictures. Carnes version of Bette Davis Eyes was released in 1981. Bette Davis was married for the fourth and final time to Gary Merrill, the actor who had starred alongside her in the warmly received "All About Eve" in 1950. Good article on a song that never gets old or dissipates in the feeling it gives me. [65] It spent nine weeks in the top 10. While just six years after her breakthrough, and only 32 years old, she looks as if she's aged a couple decadesher character a curious mix of noir femme fatale and quaint grandmother. Same here. I recited Marx Brothers lines by heart and imitated Charlie Chaplin's walk. Theyre commentaries on how aging women are treated by society and also exploitive fantasies of the supposed inherent horror of older womenthey were parts Davis thrived in while also being ashamed of. Love the song too. Yes, having Bette Davis Eyes is a compliment! Kim Carnes put it back in circulation and in the ensuing years the phrase has been applied to more women in more novels and biographies than it was back in Miss Davis' screen heyday. In addition to thanking the aforementioned trio, Davis also sent them flowers after the song won multiple Grammy Awards. Rather, despite her alluring looks, the lyrics of track are basically warning the listener to be wary of such a female. ", Director Michael Curtiz: [shes a] goddamned nothing no good sexless son of a bitch and (according to Davis): the unsexiest woman I have ever seen in my life., From the beginning, her looks were remarked upon, openly debated, even in the midst of praise. Its like: this is whats possible; this is the range and depth that is possible for a woman., Meryl Streep: Bette Davis seemed willing, she even had an appetite, for parts that were conventionally unappealing. Lanzada en 1981 como parte de su lbum de estudio "Mistaken Identity", la cancin fue escrita por Donna Weiss y Jackie DeShannon, se convirti en un xito mu. She had other successful songs, but none was as successful as this. It was after she landed a role inThe Man Who Played Godthat critics started to notice her unique talent. The windows to the soul, we say. Published in 1985, the book painted Davis as spiteful and controlling, and shocked many of the actresses fans with its revelations. "Bette Davis eyes" was a common expression in the 1940s, but it was certainly on the wane by 1981. This classic was written by songwriters Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. With her iconic look, having Bette Davis eyes is a tribute to her unmistakable beauty and elegance. But tragedy caused Davis to become more unreasonable on set than ever before. Jane Fonda:Just watching Bette Davis on the screen was empowering to women. Highly appreciated. There are, depending on how you count them, over a dozen biographies about her, recounting the bottomless drama of her personal and professional life, all while trying to crack the mystery beneath Daviss hard exterior. However, she did perform a few memorable dance numbers for a few of her movies, including Possessed (1931), Sadie McKee (1934), and Dancing Lady (1933). When I watch her films, I sometimes imagine I'm seeing a depression too grand to look away from. Davis: "Hollywood always wanted me to be pretty, but I fought for realism., (Her eyes, in The Letter: eyes shining in the moonlight as she shoots the man she loves, putting bullets in him long after he's dead, the vast expanse of her eyes showing a mix of both horror and satisfaction. According to the Beat Music Magazine in 2015, when asked what she thought of the song Bette Davis simply replied I never did like that song. Is Bette Davis eyes a compliment? Your email address will not be published. It was the only year of the entire 1940s that Davis did not star in a movie, according to Stacker. When filming wrapped on "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" The song became an instant hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States for nine consecutive weeks while also topping the charts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The song was recorded in the studio on the first take. and before I fell asleep I prayed every night to God asked him to take me away, just end this nightmare forever. Mobile still and more affable than rumor would have it. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes (1981) HQ Clay Culver 26.7K subscribers Subscribe 9.5K 657K views 4 years ago "Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written and composed by Donna Weiss and Jackie. We have corrected the date. In the film, the lids shield her eyeballs as they move about like a cat's tail, connected to the body, but with a mind of their own. Directors like William Wyler had such success with Davis because they matched her in ambition and could also match her in the demands they made. Several of Davis' family and friends reportedly suspected that Sherry was exaggerating his attraction to Davis to get her fortune. They divorced after five years together. [66], Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 16:24, Australian Recording Industry Association, List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s, List of Top 25 singles for 1981 in Australia, List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1981, List of number-one singles of 1981 (France), List of number-one hits of 1981 (Germany), List of number-one singles of 1981 (Spain), List of number-one singles of the 1980s (Switzerland), "Jackie DeShannon: Jackie DeShannon, Me About You / To Be Free, New Arrangement", "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (20-11)", "Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes Digital Sheet Music", "10 More Famous Songs with Unknown Originals", "Classic Tracks: Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes", "80sonVEVO GAMV Takeover Week 9 w/ FEATURED VIDEO Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes", "Toutes les Chansons N 1 des Annes 80's", The Irish Charts Search Results Bette Davis Eyes", "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 1989 Acts (C)", "Kim Carnes Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles Week ending MAY 30, 1981", "Kim Carnes Chart History (Mainstream Rock)", Offiziellecharts.de Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "Forum ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts 1980s", "Canadian single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "French single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "Italian single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "British single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "American single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", Recording Industry Association of America, "Original Soundtrack Duets [Original Soundtrack]", "New Releases Singles Week Commencing 26th March 2001", "Australian-charts.com Gwyneth Paltrow Bette Davis Eyes", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bette_Davis_Eyes&oldid=1140753302, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 16:24. Some of these names include Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. The song "Bette Davis Eyes" gives a shoutout to the iconic American actress Bette Davis, and she acknowledged the composers of this song for such. Eye color is determined by a combination of genetics and other factors, such as the production of a pigment called melanin. Carnes, however, made it a No. Bette Davis was successful enough, long enough, to become her own stereotype, endlessly imitated, readily identifiable, and as indestructible as granite. 1 hit in 21 countries[7] and peaked at No. (She would go on to be nominated an incredible 11 times, though this would be the last of her long career.). No other Actress would take such a risk at that time, but her dedication was the character, not to glamour, although she does flash those twinkling Bette Davis eyes in dinner scenes as she manipulates Leslie Howards character! [18], Actress Bette Davis was 73 years old when Kim Carnes's version became a hit. 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