Born in Pasadena, California, Carnes pursued a songwriting career from an early age. She was a member of the New Christy Minstrels from 1966 to 1970. Kenny Rogers was also a member, and during this time Carnes met and married Dave Ellingson, with whom she would write most of her songs. For a short while in the early 1970s, she and Ellingson formed the folk duo Kim and Dave. Their track "Nobody Knows"" features on the Vanishing Point soundtrack, alongside another Carnes-Ellison track, "Sing Out for Jesus", performed by Big Mama Thornton.
Carnes began releasing solo music in the early 1970s. Her self-titled album in 1975 contained her first hit, You're a Part of Me" – later re-recorded as a duet with Gene Cotton. Carnes recorded her third album, Sailin', with producer Jerry Wexler. One track, "Love Comes From Unexpected Places", won best song at the 1977 American Song Festival and gained some additional notice after it was recorded by Barbra Streisand on her 1977 album, Superman.
In 1980, Carnes and Ellingson were invited to write a concept album for Kenny Rogers. Gideon follows the story of a fictional cowboy, with each track focusing on a moment in his life. Rogers asked Carnes to record "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" as a duet, and it became a major hit on the country and pop charts. Her cover version of the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles song "More Love" became her first solo hit single in 1980 when it reached the U.S. Top 10.
In 1981 she recorded the Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss song "Bette Davis Eyes". As the first single released from the album Mistaken Identity, it spent 9 weeks at number one on the US singles charts and became a worldwide hit. The single went on to become the #1 bestseller for the year and won Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. It is second only to Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" (released later in 1981 and late enough to be the number one single of 1982), which spent 10 weeks at number one, as the biggest hit of the entire decade of the 1980s. In 1986, she recorded "Room Enough For Two," theme to CBS sitcom "My Sister Sam" starring Pam Dawber and the late Rebecca Schaeffer.
It is ironic that Carnes' best known and most popular song "Bette Davis Eyes" written in 1974 was originally rejected by Carnes. It was only after a new instrumental arrangement was done by Bill Cuomo that Carnes agreed to record it and it became a huge hit. Bette Davis admitted to being a fan of the song and approached Carnes and the songwriters to thank them. Davis wrote to Carnes after the song was released and stated that she was very pleased with the song as it made her seem very up to date with her grandson. She had Carnes sing the song live for her at a tribute held just before her death.
Carnes continued to record and released several albums into the 1990s. These releases failed to reach the level of success of "Bette Davis Eyes", but by this time she was a highly respected songwriter, and collaborated with such artists as Barbra Streisand. Carnes has written three number one country songs: “The Heart Won’t Lie”, a hit duet for Reba McEntire and Vince Gill, “Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer”, a huge hit duet she performed with Kenny Rogers, and “Make No Mistake She’s Mine”, a duet performed by Kenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap. The latter song was originally "Make No Mistake, He's Mine," a No. 51 Pop hit in 1984 for Carnes and Streisand featured on Streisand's album Emotion. Also in 1984, Carnes sang on the No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit "What About Me?" with Rogers and James Ingram.
Co-writing with others, Carnes has had songs covered by such country stars as Deana Carter, Kevin Sharp, Sawyer Brown, Suzy Bogguss, Pam Tillis and Tanya Tucker. She wrote "You Don't Love Me Anymore," a hit song on Tim McGraw's album A Place In The Sun.
In 2004, she re-appeared with a self-released album Chasin' Wild Trains.
In August 2005, her 1981 single “Draw Of The Cards” hit #1 on the internet radio request site FreezeFrameRadio.com.
She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
Discography
* Rest on Me (1972)
* Kim Carnes (1975)
* Sailin' (1976)
* St Vincent's Court (1979)
* Romance Dance (1980) US #57
* Mistaken Identity (1981) US #1
* Voyeur (1982) US #49
* Cafe Racers (1983) US #97
* Barking at Airplanes (1985) US #48
* Light House (1986) US #116
* View from the House (1988)
* Checking Out The Ghosts (1991)
* Gypsy Honeymoon: Best of Kim Carnes (1993)
* Chasin' Wild Trains' (2004)
I'll Be Here Where the Heart Is
Kim Carnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you know I haven't seen you for a while
I lie awake at night
And I wonder how you are
And I wish that I could be you again
Is it luck or is it fate
That brings us back
Time has put a spell on you
You never seem to change
And I wish that I could see you again
But I'll be here where the heart
When the dreams that we've been after
All come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you
I'll wait for you
It's the light that keeps shining day after day
When other loves have come and gone
I'll be here with open arms to take you in
And I wish that I could see you again
And in between
And when I need to see you again
All I have to do
Is close my eyes
Oh the picture's coming in my friend
I'll hold you again
But who knows when
But I'll be here where the heart
When the dreams that we've been after
All come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you
I'll wait for you
The lyrics to Kim Carnes' song "I'll Be Here Where the Heart Is" are full of longing and reflection on a past love. The singer of the song is thinking about someone they haven't seen in a while, and wondering how they are doing. They express a desire to be that person again, which suggests that perhaps there was something lost in the relationship that they miss. The song also touches on the idea of fate and whether it is what brings people back together. However, the singer acknowledges that time has put a spell on their former partner, and that they never seem to change. Despite this, the singer is holding onto hope that they will see this person again, and in the meantime, they will be waiting for them with open arms when/if they return.
The opening lines of the song suggest that it is a classic that has been played on the radio for a long time - perhaps even outlasting the relationship it was written about. The chorus, which is repeated multiple times throughout the song, emphasizes the sentiment that the singer will always be waiting where the heart is for their former love to return. The bridge of the song is particularly poignant as it suggests that the singer can conjure up memories of their lost love and feel as though they are holding them again, even if it is just in their mind. Overall, the lyrics convey a feeling of deep longing and hope for a reunion.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the song that just keeps playing on the radio
This song is a constant reminder of you, it's always playing on the radio.
And you know I haven't seen you for a while
I haven't seen you for some time, it's been a while.
I lie awake at night
I can't sleep at night, I'm up thinking about you.
And I wonder how you are
I'm curious about you, wondering how you are doing.
And I wish that I could be you again
I long for the past, wishing I could go back and be you once more.
Is it luck or is it fate
I'm questioning whether our reunion will be due to luck or fate.
That brings us back
What will bring us back together?
Or is it just a common point of view
Perhaps our shared perspective will bring us together.
Time has put a spell on you
You seem to be under the spell of time, never changing.
You never seem to change
You've remained the same, never changing with time.
And I wish that I could see you again
I want to see you again, desperately wishing for it.
But I'll be here where the heart
No matter what happens, I will always be where my heart belongs.
When the dreams that we've been after
When we finally achieve our dreams, whatever they may be.
All come true
When our shared dreams come true, I will be here waiting.
You will find me here where the heart is
You will find me here, where my heart has always been.
I'll wait for you
Patiently waiting for your return.
It's the light that keeps shining day after day
My love for you is constant, like a shining light that never fades.
When other loves have come and gone
Even though other loves may have come and gone, my love for you remains.
I'll be here with open arms to take you in
I will always be ready to welcome you back with open arms.
And in between
In the meantime, while we are apart.
And when I need to see you again
When I'm missing you and need to see you.
All I have to do
All it takes is a simple action.
Is close my eyes
Just closing my eyes can bring you back to me in my thoughts.
Oh the picture's coming in my friend
The memories are flooding in whenever I close my eyes.
I'll hold you again
I can feel as though I'm holding you again in my imagination.
But who knows when
Unfortunately, it's uncertain when we'll actually be able to hold each other again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, KIM CARNES D/B/A MOONWINDOW MUSIC, PHOSPHENE MUSIC
Written by: CRAIG JAMES KRAMPF, DUANE S HITCHINGS, KIM CARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@allamgomez3988
It's the song that just keeps playing on the radio
And you know I haven't seen you for a while
I lie awake at night and wonder how you are
And I wish that I could see you again
Is it fate, or is it luck that brings us back
Or is it just a common point of view
Time has put a spell on you, you never seem to change
I wish that I could see you again
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
It's the light that just keeps shining day after day
And other loves have come and gone
And I'll be here with open arms to take you in
I wish that I could see you again
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
And in between, and when I need to see you again
All I have to do is close my eyes
Are the pictures comin' in my friend
I'll hold you again, but until then
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
@debparker1669
This song will live on forever. I'm 50 and like it now more than ever!!
@nancyglem
I'm 58 & feel the same way
@wendylynch1443
@nancyglem I’m 46 and I love love love it
@jeanj138
52 and feel exactly the same
@beenthere7468
I'm 50, feel the same
@kellyleigh7468
51 and this song takes me back to my dreams.... that I never pursued.
Special song ❤
@nathanbosley76
Flashdance has always been one of my favorite soundtracks. Love this song.
@kelvinwilliams3728
This is an Awesome song. I love Kim's voice, and also it tells a story that most of us can relate to.
@allamgomez3988
It's the song that just keeps playing on the radio
And you know I haven't seen you for a while
I lie awake at night and wonder how you are
And I wish that I could see you again
Is it fate, or is it luck that brings us back
Or is it just a common point of view
Time has put a spell on you, you never seem to change
I wish that I could see you again
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
It's the light that just keeps shining day after day
And other loves have come and gone
And I'll be here with open arms to take you in
I wish that I could see you again
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
And in between, and when I need to see you again
All I have to do is close my eyes
Are the pictures comin' in my friend
I'll hold you again, but until then
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you
I'll be here where the heart is
When the dreams that we've been after all come true
You will find me here where the heart is
@marckentonpierrette2602
This song keeps I keep playing on and on because I have lost the love ❤️ of my life and everything I play it its like she's literally standing before me telling me that she's waiting for me in heaven. I have never been so in love and have never loved any other woman the way I loved her ( Julaine ) After we had broken up she was seeing someone and he ended up taking her life 💔