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)
more love
Kim Carnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let it be soon, don't hesitate, make love, don't wait.
Open your heart and let my love come in.
I want the moment to start when I can fill your heart
with more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound,
gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down,
wear it down, tear it down.
This is no fiction, this no act,
This is real, it's a fact.
I'll always belong only to you.
And each day I'll be living to
Make sure I'm giving you more love and more joy
than age or time could ever destroy.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound,
gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down,
wear it down, tear it down.
As we grow older, no need to fear,
'Cause when you need me I'll be here.
I'll be beside you every step of the way.
A heart that's truthful, and is keeping it youthful
With more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound,
gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down,
wear it down, tear it down.
Oh I'm gonna give you
more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound,
gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down,
wear it down, tear it down.
Oh I'm gonna give you
more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound,
gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down,
In "More Love," Kim Carnes is urging her love interest to not hesitate and embrace the love that she is offering. She asks him to open his heart so that she can fill it with more love and joy that will be everlasting, immune to age and time. By doing so, she promises to love him unconditionally and remain committed to him for all of his life. Kim confidently declares that her love is genuine and not just an act of fiction. She makes a sincere promise to always be there for him, to support him and help him grow old gracefully without any fear. She asserts that her love is so strong and sound that it could take a hundred lifetimes to live it down, wear it down, or tear it down.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
Expressing excitement and anticipation.
Let it be soon, don't hesitate, make love, don't wait.
Don't wait too long to express your love, let's do it now.
Open your heart and let my love come in.
Allow me to love you and care for you.
I want the moment to start when I can fill your heart with more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
My love will bring you happiness and it will never diminish with time or age.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound, gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down, wear it down, tear it down.
My love is so strong that it will endure many lifetimes and nothing can diminish its power.
This is no fiction, this no act, This is real, it's a fact.
My love is genuine and sincere.
I'll always belong only to you.
I am committed to only loving and being with you.
And each day I'll be living to Make sure I'm giving you more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
I will work towards showing my love for you every day and making sure it never fades with time or age.
As we grow older, no need to fear, 'Cause when you need me I'll be here.
I will be here for you no matter how old we get, and there is no need to worry about losing my love.
I'll be beside you every step of the way.
I will support and comfort you through all life's challenges.
A heart that's truthful, and is keeping it youthful With more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
My truthful and youthful heart will bring you more love and joy than time or age could ever diminish.
Oh I'm gonna give you more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
I will give you a love that is stronger than time and age, and will never diminish.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound, gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down, wear it down, tear it down.
My love will endure and never fade, it will last for many lifetimes.
Oh I'm gonna give you more love and more joy than age or time could ever destroy.
I will give you a love that is stronger than time and age, and will never diminish.
Oh honey now, my love will be so sound, gonna take about a hundred lifetimes to live it down, wear it down, tear it down.
My love will endure and never fade, it will last for many lifetimes.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SMOKEY ROBINSON, WILLIAM ROBINSON JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tomroberts7714
Kim Carnes nailed this song best version!!!!!!..I could listen to this song all day...
@belindamoran127
Tom Roberts me too, love this song !!
@myronejones3180
The best version is the original by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles!
@williamg2552
@Myron E Jones You got THAT right !! MIRACLES FOREVER !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdrBSUX5xvU
@arthurworkman4399
@williamg2552 - did you hear Tina Marie's version she did a good job on her version. Her's has a more of calypso flavor - check it out. It's not such a bad version.
@williamg2552
@arthur workman No, Art- I never have . I'll check and see if it's on YouTube. Thanks !
@johnfaro9129
I have to say that this is one of the BEST songs I have ever heard in my 67 years on Earth!
Thank you Smokey Robinson for writing this epic song and thank you Kim Carnes for an absolutely beautiful version.
@williamg2552
And thanks to THE MIRACLES for recording it...'cause SMOKEY sure as heck didn't record it ALONE !!
@74bshs
Yes, it is a really good song by Smokey Robinson, and an even better cover by Kim Carnes. The latter brings back some fond memories of the Summer of '80.
@mja91352
You really should have listened to more music!