For those not in the know, Kim Carnes could easily be relegated to being a one-hit wonder for her supremely popular, chart-topping 1981 cover of “Bette Davis Eyes.” That dreamy, synthy single not only struck a chord with the mainstream, but it led to the singer befriending the iconic actress. The truth is Carnes had one more Top-10 hit (“More Love”), a Top-20 hit (“Crazy in the Night”), and four more Top-40 hits. Plus, she had a duet with Kenny Rogers that peaked at No. 4, a Top-20 duet with Rogers and James Ingram, and has also duetted with Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond. Oh, and she won two Grammy Awards, one for her famed hit and the other for “I’ll Be Where The Heart Is” from the Flashdance soundtrack. Quite a career she’s had.
An intriguing point in Carnes’ career came with the Mistaken Identity album, her breakthrough and lone Platinum release in America from 1981. It would sow the seeds for some darker, moodier twists on Voyeur, her follow-up record in 1982. One could call it her quasi-Goth phase. While her first five solo albums offered a more organic mix of pop, rock, folk, and country influences, Mistaken Identity and definitely Voyeur, the first two of four albums produced by Val Garay, prominently incorporated modern synthesizer sounds into a rock blend informed by synth-pop sensibilities. Voyeur sold a third of the units Mistaken Identity did, but it’s a stronger release.
Throughout her career, Carnes has not been so easy to pigeonhole as an artist. The distinct raspiness in some of her singing is not always dominant or noticeable, even though it easily identified her vocals for ‘80s listeners. The following eight tracks reflect a different sensibility from much of Carnes’ other work, and they are among her best songs.
“Mistaken Identity” from Mistaken Identity (1981)
Another artist would have taken this forlorn ballad about letting go of a lover in a different direction. Lush keyboards, gentle percussion, and Carnes’ melancholy vocals are up front and center in the mix, while the subdued guitar playing and delicate sax lines are swirled in for color. One can hear the transition from her ‘70s work into a then-modern milieu.
“Draw of the Cards” from Mistaken Identity (1981)
Like this album’s title track, “Draw of the Cards” focuses on a bed of keyboard and percussive sounds, and some surreptitious drum kit with bass utilized for low end. There’s some controlled guitar wailing and little bursts of sax that fit the overall atmosphere. Perhaps there’s a little Roxy Music influence in there. Russell Mulcahy directed the surreal video with a nighttime procession of odd characters. It feels like a Fellini film with a touch of Hieronymus Bosch imagery. The single hit the Top 30. There was a lot of horror imagery on MTV back in the early days, including Carnes’ later video for “Invisible Hands.”
“Voyeur” from Voyeur (1982)
I’ll say it – this is Carnes’ best song. This Top-30 single is a dark, ominous, catchy synth-rock single that feels perfect for use in a psychological thriller film about someone whose professional and private lives are radically different. Mulcahy’s video echoes that feeling as Carnes finds herself witnessing a possible murder in a seedy district and then is pursued by the alleged killer. An alternate performance video was shot after MTV reportedly refused to show the original during daytime because it portrayed domestic violence, but it didn’t have the same visual staying power. The chorus is edgier than other songs she had done, and it felt natural for her voice too.
“Looker” from Voyeur (1982)
The original version of this song by Sue Saad and the Next—the theme to the 1981 Michael Crichton sci-fi thriller of the same name—is a classic slice of moody pop-rock. Carnes brings her personality and different synth sounds to her cover. It’s nearly twice the running time, and where it veers from the original is adding an extra verse and chorus, plus extending the coda that originally sounded like an excerpt from a thriller or horror soundtrack. Carnes’ band emphasizes that in a more restrained fashion with eerie guitar and menacing chants.
“Undertow” from Voyeur (1982)
If you’re a fan of synth-driven anthems with fat keyboard sounds, check out this deep cut. It’s pretty far removed from the type of music Carnes began playing, but it also showcases her artistic adaptability. The lyrics tie in with the themes on the album of personal identity and romantic friction and dissatisfaction.
Has anybody seen her?
We’ve searched the city high and low
We’ve even heard her calling
From a place that no one knows
Oh, listen, you can hear her calling
I will never let you go
You’re caught in the undertow
“Hurricane” from Café Racers (1983)
A dramatic synth-pop number from Carnes’ eighth album, “Hurricane” manages to sound moody even with brighter-sounding keyboards. An emotional storm is brewing with the person she loves, and they need to find refuge from impending tumult. She perfectly exemplifies that moment when things with someone don’t feel right, and one does not know what to do but still wants to hold on.
“Oliver (Voice on the Radio)” from Barking at Airplanes (1985)
This haunting, keyboard-driven ballad feels like an evolution from “Mistaken Identity,” although it’s got a more dramatic emotional climax. The music swells as Carnes laments a dissolving relationship. The reference of her asking Do you hear me on the radio? makes one think of how someone can literally take their personal message of love or loss to the masses—remember Steve Perry’s ultimately futile “Oh Sherrie”?—some things just aren’t meant to be.
“I Am a Camera” from Barking at Airplanes (1985)
Carnes has said this cover of the Yes song “Into the Lens” (turned Buggles tune “I Am a Camera”) was meant to be an outtake and not supposed to be released. Her label thought otherwise and included it on this synth-pop album—reportedly the first to be entirely produced by a woman—and it later got an expanded edition. The verses explore ideas of romantic openness against the cold vocoded chorus of I am a camera, which contradicts those notions with dispassionate emotional distance. Even though Carnes was dissatisfied with her rendition of the song, it’s still interesting and one of the most unusual tracks in her repertoire.
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