How “Bette Davis Eyes” Made the Hollywood Icon Cool Again – The Story Behind the 1981 Hit

Today’s song Bette Davis Eyes was recorded several times and didn’t go anywhere… in 1974 it was released and was a total flop. It was written about an old-time movie star that the newer generation didn’t really know. 5 years later it was re-recorded with a completely different arrangement… adding an undeniable 80s synth line with a voice so raspy everyone mistook the singer for Rod Stewart… only it was a woman: Kim Carnes. With her distinct voice, the song spread like wildfire. It hit the #1 spot for 9 weeks and became the biggest song of the year and one of the biggest of the decade. It was so big. Its success was impossible to duplicate. A true bottled lightning classic. When it was on top of the world, the legendary actress Bette Davis had no idea about it, since she didn’t listen to the radio. The only way she found out was when her grandchildren told her. Even though she’d been in over 100 films it was this song that made her grandkids think she was cool! A great story is next on Professor of Rock.

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