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)
One Kiss
Kim Carnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sit here looking at the stars in the sky
Making their patterns
As breezes blow by
I recognize something
As it comes into view
A face in the stars
And it's you
One kiss to last a lifetime
One kiss I remember it all
One kiss
Always the shiver
You were always the chill
On the edge of emotion
Watch what you wish for
Cause it just might come true
I wished for the moon
And got you
One kiss to last a lifetime
One kiss I remember it all
One kiss there in the moonlight
One kiss it was you
One kiss one kiss
One kiss it was one kiss
I sit here looking at the stars in the sky
Making their patterns
As breezes blow by
I recognize something
As it comes into view
A face in the stars
And it's you
One kiss to last a lifetime
One kiss I remember it all
One kiss there in the moonlight
One kiss it was you
One kiss one kiss
One kiss it was one kiss
One kiss oh one kiss one kiss
One kiss it was one kiss
One kiss one kiss
One kiss one kiss it was you
One kiss I remember you
One kiss one kiss [Repeat: x3]
The lyrics of Kim Carnes’s song One Kiss speak of a powerful and unforgettable kiss that has remained etched in the singer’s memory. The opening lyrics capture the singer observing the stars, and as the breezes blow by, she recognizes something in the stars- a face, that of a lover who kissed her once, but remains unforgettable. The singer expresses that this one kiss was enough to last a lifetime and that she remembers it all, even in the moonlight.
The lyrics suggest that the singer never met anyone who could match the intensity of this one kiss, and the person who gave it to her was someone who made her shiver and always chilled her heart. She was always on the edge of emotion and was careful what she wished for because it might come true. The singer wished for the moon, and instead, she got the person who kissed her and remained etched in her memory. The repetitive nature of the lyrics underscores the strength of the emotional connection and reinforces the idea that one kiss could make all the difference.
In summary, the song speaks of a kiss that left a lasting impression on the singer, despite how long it has been since it happened. The lyrics capture the enduring power that a single kiss can have, and the memories it can create.
Line by Line Meaning
I sit here looking at the stars in the sky
Observing the stars weaving their unique patterns
Making their patterns
Formation of intricate stellar designs
As breezes blow by
A gentle wind that stimulates the senses
I recognize something
An object or entity that's familiar
As it comes into view
Becoming visible and clear
A face in the stars
A unique image in the stellar constellation
And it's you
Reflecting on a moment with a certain person
One kiss to last a lifetime
A meaningful kiss that lingers forever
One kiss I remember it all
A powerful kiss that one cannot forget
One kiss
Emphasizing the importance of a single, life-changing kiss
Always the shiver
A feeling of fear or excitement that doesn't leave
You were always the chill
A mysterious, aloof and composed aura
On the edge of emotion
Being close to emotional outburst
Watch what you wish for
Be careful what you hope for because it might come true
Cause it just might come true
A reminder of the laws of attraction
I wished for the moon
Desiring something impossible or distant
And got you
Finding something unexpected and rare
One kiss there in the moonlight
A momentous kiss amidst an ideal setting
One kiss it was you
Attributing the special moment to a particular person
One kiss oh one kiss one kiss
Reverberating the significance of one particular kiss
One kiss one kiss it was you
Identifying the unique individual responsible for the moment
One kiss I remember you
Recalling a past event that involved a special person
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, KIM CARNES D/B/A MOONWINDOW MUSIC
Written by: KIM CARNES, WILLIAM RICHARD CUOMO, MARK PAUL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
France Rivard
on Bette Davis Eyes
tres tres bon..souvenirs des années 80 et plusieurs autres..on en a pour tous les gouts..Yesss