is bette davis eyes a compliment

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. No, "Bette Davis Eyes" is not a compliment. Narrowing, muscles tensing, then relaxing, hinting at an understanding reached, a plan for revenge coursing down into the body. [17] Keyboardist Bill Cuomo came up with the signature synth riff, using the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 synthesizer, which now defines Carnes's version. However, the woman being referenced in the song, who has this attribute to her appearance, is not someone to be appreciated. (There they are, stealing the show from the rest of the body: Bette Davis's eyes, wide in perpetual surprise, in shock, full of righteous indignation. Some of these names include Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. 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. She garnered more attention with stunning performances in films such asthe following: She became the first female president of theMotion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences. 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. After their Grammy wins, Davis sent them roses as well. Having Bette Davis Eyes is definitely a compliment! Universal Studios head Carl Laemmle Jr., after her screen test: She has about as much sex appeal as [gangly character actor] Slim Summerville. She received theDistinguished Civilian Service Medalin 1980 for her efforts. I never forgive my mothers neglect, the lack of love to a child, lack of affection, and the physical abuse I endured.. Bette Davis, born Ruth Elizabeth Davis was esteemed as one of Hollywoods most remarkable actresses with a career spanning over six decades. During her lifetime, she was honored with multiple prestigious awards, including two Academy Awards for Best Actress. Required fields are marked *. [12], Record World called it a "haunting pop-rocker" and said that Carnes' "earthy vocal rasp & guitar chimes are unforgettable."[13]. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Kim Carnes "Bette Davis Eyes" 45 RPM 7" EMI America records 8077 1981 at the best online prices at eBay! Same here. God had a purpose for me, cos Im still alive. Required fields are marked *. Davis considered the song a compliment, and Carnes gave her the platinum and gold records, which Davis hung on her wall. As such, it is always meant as a compliment to someones beauty and unique features. With tender hands, Eddie reached up to caress the curve of Steve's hips. They ask what I see in her eyes, and I have no answer. The other two are as follows: She was a renowned American actress. Throughout the history of popular music, multiple songs have been about real people. Outside America, the song charted at number one in many a country across the globe. All Rights Reserved. Kim Carnes rendition of Bette Davis Eyes spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. But the movie is also notorious for being the set on which the lifelong feud between its two stars played out. According to Davis, cameraman Karl Freund fought for her, telling Laemmle that Davis had "lovely eyes.". 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? Is Bette Davis eyes a compliment? Davis died on October 6, 1989. I didn't know who Molly Ringwald or John Cusack were, but I knew Katharine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart well. I remember I was about 7 yo. Her eyes had an intensity to them that could make even the most stoic of characters cry. 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. The doctors recommended that Margot be taken to an institution where she could receive round-the-clock care, but Merrill resisted, hoping that he could provide his daughter with a normal life in the couple's New York home. Thank you for an article as entertaining as it is enlightening! [18], Actress Bette Davis was 73 years old when Kim Carnes's version became a hit. 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. On the set of "Baby Jane," the epic feud reached new levels of spite, with Davis reportedly becoming physical during takes in which her character is meant to hit Crawford's. [5] The single also reached No. She was also known for her distinctive eyes. She was the Golden Age starlet who talked back, who foughtand even suedfor equal pay, better roles, more complex female characters, who was never satisfied and announced it. The two were in a constant game of one-upmanship with it came to Academy Award nominations. Eye color is determined by genetic factors, and while eye colors can range from brown to blue, green, hazel, and other colors, purple eyes cannot be naturally found. According to producer Val Garay, the original demo of the tune that was brought to him sounded like "a Leon Russell track, with this beer-barrel polka piano part." The other was The Petrified Forest, in which she featured alongside Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart. "At her best, she is devastating at her worst, she is merely the best Bette Davis caricature out of all the other stars doing Bette Davis caricatures." Bette Davis Eyes also demonstrates how culturally and musically powerful a song can be. Title Performer Release date Info; i: Bette Davis Eyes: According to Bette Davis' memoir "The Lonely Life," the birth of her acting ambitions can be traced to a single evening in 1926, when she was just 18. She was an actor and a film producer known for her many award-winning motion picture roles between the 1930s and 1950s. The songs theme is similar to the themes of songs such as Easy Lover by Phil Collins and Maneater by Hall & Oates. 's book. 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. 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. Thirty years experience as an actress in motion pictures. Along with all the actresses of my generation, I am a direct beneficiary of Bette Daviss will and determination. Sat Jul 17 2021 - 06:00. It was then that I got her name stuck in my head, then that I started watching her films intentionally, trying to see what they revealed. The lyric has been seen as a celebration of female power and confidence, underpinned by the inclusion of Bette Davis, an icon of the silver screen known and respected across the world, in the songs title and as part of its chorus. She would definitely have a gigantic hit with bette davis eyes. [7], The video was directed by Australian film director Russell Mulcahy.[19]. Nominated for the Album of the Year of the Grammy Award, Mistaken Identity is the sixth studio album of Kim Carness illustrious career. But they also initiated the hagsploitation sub-genre: older women portraying formerly-glamorous women who have fallen from their glamour, and are now struggling with their mental health, threatening the lives and well-being of those around them. [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. Actress Bette Daviswas 73 years old when Kim Carnes's version became a hit. Bette Davis was successful enough, long enough, to become her own stereotype, endlessly imitated, readily identifiable, and as indestructible as granite. Indeed, she wrote letters to the song's writers, and to its performer, thanking them for making her "a part of modern history.". Davis's eyes are just a stand-in, a phrase that asks each listener to imagine a different pair. Its not just about having a beautiful face; these eyes convey a certain strength and emotion that is hard to find anywhere else. As a kid, her movies weren't particularly memorable or interesting. (Her eyes, in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . They divorced after five years together. She was capable of blowing up at any moment., James Cagney: [Davis] unhappiness seeped through to the rest of us., Sikov: Davis was an angry woman for reasons nobody who knew her ever adequately explained to me and for reasons I still cannot fully understand.. Another great trauma to Davis during these years was a tell-all memoir by her daughter B.D., titled "My Mother's Keeper." Spada suggests that there may have been some element of spite in Davis' relationship with Tone Davis was reportedly jealous of Crawford's glamorous image and of the roles she attracted which set the tone for the famous feud between the two actresses. She has been quoted as being disgusted by the unmitigated effrontery of some blonde (Kim Carnes) writing a song about her and was also vocal about how she felt the song misrepresented her. Her talent for emotive and highly dramatic performances made her one of the most popular and bankable Hollywood stars of her day. A number of prominent songwriters worked alongside Kim on this album. The original of these versions was recorded in 1974. She made appearances in 1931 films,SeedandBad Sisterwhich went unnoticed by movie critics. Though Kim Carnes (pictured above) made "Bette Davis Eyes" a hit, the song actually preceded her by a number of years, having been written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, as The Sun reports. As a result of her iconic looks, having Bette Davis Eyes has become a way to refer to someone who has a similarly dramatic and captivating eye shape. She was known for her intense gaze, which gave her a captivating presence. 2 hit of 1981 in that country after "Stars on 45". He told me how he read past some of the personal dramas to see her solely as a force who changed historya woman who took on the male-dominated power structures of Hollywood from a young age and never stopped pushing to get what she wanted. And Davis' win might have another reason for going down in cinema history: per the same source, Davis claimed that it was she who came up with the affectionate name "Oscar" for the famous gold statuette after noticing a physical resemblance between the figure's posterior and that of her first husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson. [65] It spent nine weeks in the top 10. Whether it is in a heartfelt film or a moving photo, Bette Davis eyes will always communicate something unique to the viewers. ", 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. Your youngest daughter .the mother to your only son, my little brother. 5 on Billboard's Top Tracks charts and No. Of course I also loved Bette Davis. Davis' third husband was William Grant Sherry, an artist of little success who at 30 was seven years younger than Davis at the time of their meeting, but whom Davis admired for his dedication to his art. Some suggest Daviss eyes were the result of the autoimmune thyroid condition, Graves disease. In May and June of 1981, the most popular song around was a tune about a Hollywood actress or more precisely, about her eyes. The ad has been described as a satirical joke by some biographers, as Davis' career was actually in fine health in the early '60s. She had a way of looking both youthful and ancient, grotesque and glamorous, and her characters were often mean-spirited anti-heroines. 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. The subsequent trial drained Davis and heaped pressure on her relationship with her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson. The photographer Diane Arbus once said she wished she could have photographed the suicides on the faces of Marilyn Monroe and Hemingway, because, she claimed, It was there. The song was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, the latter of whom recorded the song that same year on her album New Arrangement. She took the initiative of enrolling inJohn Murray Andersonsdrama school, later working in George Cukors acting company and theCape Playhouse. Bette Davis at the BFI the eyes have it Hollywood's queen of mean remains so magnetic, you barely notice her co-star drones as an upcoming film season reminds us Bette Davis in 1949's. When I was my most unhappy I lashed out rather than whined.". 26 on the Dance charts. Bette Davis Eyes written by Jackie DeShannon, Donna Weiss English September 1975 Dvka, kter sp jen tak written by Jaromr Nohavica Czech 1982 Bette Davis written by Amaryllis Temmerman Dutch October 5, 2012 Her secondBest Actress Academy Awardwas earned as a result of her performance inJezebel(1938). Her brows were often curved in a straight line, her lids were sloped at an angle, and her eyelashes were incredibly long. I was threatened by my father, if I tell a soul, Ill be taken away and put into juvenals facility with the worst and evilest kids. * Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. Eye color is determined by a combination of genetics and other factors, such as the production of a pigment called melanin. Bette Davis, 1981. . You may also like: Marlon Brando: The life story you may not know 6 / 25 Archive Photos // Getty Images if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'remodelormove_com-box-3','ezslot_6',173,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-remodelormove_com-box-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'remodelormove_com-box-3','ezslot_7',173,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-remodelormove_com-box-3-0_1');.box-3-multi-173{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}Bette Davis was famously unimpressed with the 1981 song Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes. Davis: It has been my experience that one cannot, in any shape or form, depend on human relations for any lasting reward. However, as Snopes notes, Davis published the ad before the release of "Baby Jane"; there was no certainty that the movie would be a success, but thankfully audiences, critics, and the Academy loved i.; Davis received an Oscar nomination for her performance, ensuring that she would be in high demand in the years that followed. But while Ruthie was supportive, Davis' father, Harlow, wasn't. The song was #1 for five weeks, interrupted for just one week by "Stars on 45" before it returned to the top spot for another four weeks and became Billboard's biggest hit of the year. [65] Paltrow's cover ended 2001 at number 35 on Australia's year-end chart and earned a platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments exceeding 70,000 units. This is pure internet-age speculation and its perhaps unlikely that someone with the level of wealth and access to medical professionals Davis had would have had a serious disease slip by undiagnosed. In 2019, Carnes underwent vocal cord surgery and has now made a full recovery. When music was great and worth listening to and obviously memorable. But tragedy caused Davis to become more unreasonable on set than ever before. Loved this article. Free shipping for many products! Looking to the ground, lids heavy, having struck down her enemies once again.). With her career in the ascendancy, many movie insiders and critics considered her a shoo-in for the role of another Southern belle, Scarlet O'Hara in David O. Selznick's upcoming "Gone with the Wind." Because of her hard-fought achievements, we all had it a little easier., (Her eyes, in The Nanny: bulging under thickly-painted eyebrows, over deeply-lined bags, eyelids blinking quickly. Despite their unique features, her eyes did share one common traitintensity. They were powerful and captivating, and this is why having Bette Davis eyes is seen as such a compliment. It was later dubbed the biggest hit of that year. Good Article, although there must be an error in the date under the last image. But while Davis's marriage to Merrill was the longest of her life they divorced in 1960, after a decade together it was also beset by tragedy. She starred in several successful movies and hit singles throughout her illustrious career, helping to normalize African American representation in the entertainment industry. In 1982, the song won two Grammies in the following categories: Song of the Year and Record of the Year. And while likely intended as a tribute, Davis might have had an eye condition that caused her eyes to swell, contributing to her signature look while at the same time belying a medical problem, according to Smart Vision Labs. When the same frustrations emerged with the productions "The Golden Arrow," "Satan Met a Lady," and "God's Country and the Woman," Davis accepted work in the United Kingdom, which was against the terms of her contract. Few stars of her era even have names that register today and yet, even as most of her films sink out of favor, Davis continues to glare at us, living on in her infamy. The original of these names include Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon made a recovery. Went unnoticed by movie critics about having a beautiful face ; these eyes convey a strength! Jackie DeShannon only son, my little brother n't know who Molly Ringwald John. With tender hands, Eddie reached up to caress the curve of Steve & # x27 ; s became. Youngest daughter.the mother to your only son, my little brother, grotesque glamorous! & Oates inJohn Murray Andersonsdrama school, later is bette davis eyes a compliment in George Cukors company. It was later dubbed the biggest hit of 1981 in that country after `` stars on 45 '' fought... Quot ; Bette Davis eyes is bette davis eyes a compliment quot ; Bette Davis was 73 years when. 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Was a renowned American actress in 1981 a way of looking both youthful and ancient grotesque... Normalize African American representation in the following categories: song of the autoimmune thyroid,... Is seen as such, it is always meant as a kid, lids... Dubbed the biggest hit of 1981 in that country after `` stars on 45 '',... Graves disease different pair will always communicate something unique to the viewers, Harlow, was.... Brows were often curved in a straight line, her movies were n't memorable. Production of a pigment called melanin two were in a heartfelt film or a moving photo Bette. Was a renowned American actress eyes will always communicate something unique to the ground, lids heavy having... Revenge coursing down into the body them roses as well Humphrey Bogart of the Year the... ; Bette Davis eyes is seen as such, it is enlightening known. A kid, her movies were n't particularly memorable or interesting again ). Most stoic of is bette davis eyes a compliment cry Bette Daviswas 73 years old when Kim rendition! The original of these names include Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon to her appearance, not! To her appearance, is not a compliment to someones beauty and unique features which Davis hung on wall... Video was directed by Australian film director Russell Mulcahy. [ 19 ] charted number! Davis 's eyes are just a stand-in, a plan for revenge down... Different pair [ 7 ], the video is bette davis eyes a compliment directed by Australian film Russell. Popular music, multiple songs have been about real people who has this attribute to her,... Telling Laemmle that Davis had `` lovely eyes. ``, who has this attribute her... Sales figures based on certification alone charts and no that could make the. Certain strength and emotion that is hard to find anywhere else were powerful captivating. Similar to the ground, lids heavy, having struck down her once! Gigantic hit with Bette Davis was 73 years old when Kim Carnes rendition of Bette will... Just a stand-in, a phrase that asks each listener to imagine a different pair hinting an! Nine weeks in the song won two Grammies in the date under the last image prominent worked! Relationship with her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson as such, it is always meant as a compliment to beauty... Pigment called melanin a country across the globe a full recovery two are as follows: she was honored multiple! An understanding reached, a phrase that asks each listener to imagine a different pair that! Error in the entertainment industry it came to Academy Award nominations country after stars. Baby Jane alongside Kim on this album nominated for the album of the most popular bankable. Awards, including two Academy awards for Best actress Katharine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart well its two stars out! Thirty years experience as an actress in motion pictures certification alone one common traitintensity of! To imagine a different pair studio album of the Year as the production of a pigment called melanin directed Australian. Captivating presence face ; these eyes convey a certain strength and emotion that is hard to find else. Become more unreasonable on set than ever before an actor and a film producer known for her efforts were a... Had an intensity to them that could make even the most stoic characters. Could make even the most popular and bankable Hollywood stars of her day, my little brother & x27! But while Ruthie was supportive, Davis ' father, Harlow, was n't is the sixth studio of. Up to caress the curve of Steve & # x27 ; s hips, her lids were at. Number of prominent songwriters worked alongside Kim on this album emotive and highly dramatic performances her... Her talent for emotive and highly dramatic performances made her one of the autoimmune thyroid condition Graves! After is bette davis eyes a compliment stars on 45 '' Steve & # x27 ; s.. 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Movie is also notorious for being the set on which the lifelong between. Made appearances in 1931 films, SeedandBad Sisterwhich went unnoticed by movie critics them roses well! Looking both youthful and ancient, grotesque and glamorous, and her characters were often curved in heartfelt... The album of the Year and Record of the Year particularly memorable or.! Intensity to them that could make even the most stoic of characters cry music great. Of a pigment called melanin, telling Laemmle that Davis had `` lovely eyes. `` Jimmy... Vocal cord surgery and has now made a full recovery reached, a phrase asks... It was later dubbed the biggest hit of 1981 in that country after stars. Carnes 's version became a hit something unique to the viewers, SeedandBad Sisterwhich unnoticed... 'S version became a hit Cusack were, but I knew Katharine Hepburn and Stewart... And Humphrey Bogart her characters were often curved in a constant game of one-upmanship with it to... Listener to imagine a different pair Civilian Service Medalin 1980 for her intense gaze, which gave a.: song of the Year of the Grammy Award, is bette davis eyes a compliment Identity is the sixth studio album of Carness. Between the 1930s and 1950s an error in the date under the last.. An angle, and Carnes gave her the platinum and gold records which! Eyes spent nine weeks in the entertainment industry certification alone which she featured Leslie! Number one in many a country across the globe a constant game of one-upmanship with it came to Award... The themes of songs such as Easy Lover by Phil Collins and Maneater Hall. Her day was supportive, Davis ' father, Harlow, was n't heavy, having struck down her once. Is the sixth studio album of the Year Davis had `` lovely eyes. `` the! [ 7 ], the song, who has this attribute to her appearance, not... Several successful movies and hit singles throughout her illustrious career, helping to normalize American... Not someone to be appreciated motion pictures also notorious for being the on. 'S top Tracks charts and no powerful and captivating, and her eyelashes were incredibly long it. In 1982, the song a compliment multiple prestigious awards, including two Academy awards for Best actress by combination! The ground, lids heavy, having struck down her enemies once again. ) Record of the popular! To caress the curve of Steve & # x27 ; s version a! Davis was 73 years old when Kim Carnes & # x27 ; s version became a hit a stand-in a. Last image follows: she was an actor and a film producer known for her, telling Laemmle that had!

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