Uploaded July 2013 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
"Bette Davis Eyes" is a classic hit song written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, and made popular by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes. It spent nine weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Billboard's biggest hit of the entire year for 1981. The recording won the 1982 Grammy Awards for both Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
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 Kim Carnes recorded her version of the song, that it became a commercial success.
The Carnes version 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 was Billboard's biggest hit of the year for 1981. The single also reached #5 on Billboard's Album Rock charts and #26 on the Dance charts. The song won the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The song was also a number one hit in 31 countries, including Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Japan and Brazil, but it achieved more moderate success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at No. 10.
"Bette Davis Eyes" is a classic hit song written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, and made popular by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes. It spent nine weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Billboard's biggest hit of the entire year for 1981. The recording won the 1982 Grammy Awards for both Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
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 Kim Carnes recorded her version of the song, that it became a commercial success.
The Carnes version 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 was Billboard's biggest hit of the year for 1981. The single also reached #5 on Billboard's Album Rock charts and #26 on the Dance charts. The song won the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The song was also a number one hit in 31 countries, including Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Japan and Brazil, but it achieved more moderate success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at No. 10.
