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" â 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: âThe Heart Wonât Lieâ, a hit duet for Reba McEntire and Vince Gill, âDonât Fall In Love With A Dreamerâ, a huge hit duet she performed with Kenny Rogers, and âMake No Mistake Sheâs Mineâ, 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 âDraw Of The Cardsâ 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)
Voyeur
Kim Carnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Speak of aberrant behavior
And the video's her only savior
She turns it on when they're all gone
And then she turns and slips her high heels on.
Shadows fill the room and she starts moving.
Voyeur, voyeur, are ya hot tonight?
Voyeur, voyeur, who ya got tonight?
Well, love is still alive, it's just locked up inside.
Lingerie and loveliness
Still looking for a strange and sweet caress.
Her love life's hot but her life's a mess.
She got no minor vices
And she makes no excuses
And she concedes that she's the one she pleases.
Voyeur, voyeur, are ya hot tonight.
Dance, dance, dance till it makes you feel good.
Voyeur, voyeur, who ya got tonight?
Well, love is still alive, it's just locked up inside.
Voyeur, voyeur, are ya hot tonight?
Dance, dance, dance till it makes you feel good.
Voyeur, voyeur, who ya got tonight?
Well, love is still alive, it's just locked up inside.
Voyeur, voyeur, are ya hot tonight?
Dance, dance, dance till it makes you feel good.
Voyeur, voyeur, who ya got tonight?
Well, love is still alive, it's just locked up inside.
The song Voyeur by Kim Carnes portrays the story of a woman who is addicted to watching others through thin walls and videos while indulging in her own fantasies. The first stanza describes her behavior of turning on the video when no one is home and slipping her high heels on while shadows fill the room, signifying her eagerness to indulge in her fetish without being caught.
In the second stanza, we learn that the woman is still searching for love and seeking physical pleasure, which indicates her unsatisfied and unfulfilled desires. Despite her active love life, her personal life is still messy without any minor vices or reasons for justification. She is the one person she pleases above all else, indicating her consistent self-indulgence.
The repeated refrain of "Voyeur, voyeur, are ya hot tonight? Dance, dance, dance till it makes you feel good. Voyeur, voyeur, who ya got tonight? Well, love is still alive, it's just locked up inside," highlights the woman's addiction to voyeurism and the need to satisfy her desires through dance and fantasy, while also acknowledging that love and affection remain a fundamental desire in her life. Overall, the song portrays the complexities of human desire and the blurred boundaries between fantasy and reality.
Line by Line Meaning
When voices through the thin walls
She overhears her neighbors talking about kinky behavior through the walls.
Speak of aberrant behavior
They are discussing behavior that goes against societal norms.
And the video's her only savior
She turns to watching videos to find solace and fulfill her desires.
She turns it on when they're all gone
She waits for her neighbors to be away before indulging in her desires.
And then she turns and slips her high heels on
She dresses up to enhance the experience and feel more confident.
Shadows fill the room and she starts moving
She dances in front of the screen, getting lost in the fantasy.
Lingerie and loveliness
She dresses up in sexy clothing and tries to find love.
Still looking for a strange and sweet caress
She desires affection and yearns for something new and exciting.
Her love life's hot but her life's a mess
She is satisfied with her sexual desires but the rest of her life is in disarray.
She got no minor vices
She has no other indulgences or bad habits.
And she makes no excuses
She doesn't feel guilty about fulfilling her desires and doesn't apologize for it.
And she concedes that she's the one she pleases
She knows that she is responsible for her own happiness and enjoys pleasing herself.
Voyeur, voyeur, are ya hot tonight?
The chorus repeats, asking if she is feeling aroused.
Dance, dance, dance till it makes you feel good
She is encouraged to dance and enjoy herself until she feels satisfied.
Voyeur, voyeur, who ya got tonight?
The chorus asks who she is watching.
Well, love is still alive, it's just locked up inside.
The chorus reminds her that love and desire are still present, just not being fulfilled in a traditional way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, KIM CARNES D/B/A MOONWINDOW MUSIC
Written by: KIM CARNES, DAVID ELLINGSON, DUANE S. HITCHINGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dee Lynn TwoTomahawksRunning
Awesome and amazingly done! I don't know why I haven't listened to any of your other songs but I will be now,! đčđđč 1:57
Carlos José Rosa
Kim carnes amo todas as mĂșsicas Diva
Mario Tarradell
AMAZING song! How this wasn't a humongous hit at radio is beyond me. Sheer synth-pop-rock perfection!
Andrew Walsh
Her vocal performance is amazing. The song is very original. I agree with you. This should have been a bigger hit!
Mario Tarradell
@Andrew Walsh YES!!! đŻâŒïžâŒïž
Castle Lord
Agreed. This should have been a monster hit. Her best up tempo song
Harsha Sankar
This song came out 40 years ago and it hit the charts!
ALDILON RANGEL
I love this song. Kim Carnes was an amazing singer!
Piotr Kuzmicki
Had it on repeat today, all day! What a voice!
Iracy Inez
Que voz â€