Bette Davis Eyes chords

Kim Carnes
  • Bette Davis Eyes was written in 1974 by Jackie DeShannon (Music) & Donna Weiss (Lyrics). The song was later popularized by Kim Carnes who recorded a version in Jan, 1981 with the single released from the album, Mistaken Identity on March 10, 1981.
  • Music: F Major in 4/4 time at 116 bpm.
  • Chords: F, F/Eb, Bb, Dm, C
  • Beginners: Relatively easy. The Bb can be played as an open chord or barre chord. The F/Eb looks a little scary but is very easy to play - simply an F chord leading with an Eb bass note... see charts below.
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
F Major F/Eb Bb Major Bb Major C Major Dm F Major
F Major F/Eb Bb Major Bb Major C Major Dm F Major

Bette Davis Eyes

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
                     Bb    Dm     C     Bb    Dm     C
Intro: 4/4 (Drums)‖:     -     |     |      -     |     :‖
  
                       Bb   Dm    C                    Bb   C
1. Her hair is Har-low gold         Her lips sweet sur-prise
  F                     Bb   Dm   C                      F
   Her hands are nev-er cold      She's got Bet-te Davis eyes
                          Bb     Dm   C                         Bb   C
   She'll turn her mu-sic on you        You won't have to think twice
Dm                        Bb   Dm   C                    F       F/Eb
   She's pure as New York snow      She got Bet-te Davis eyes |        |      

                   Dm                     F
Chorus: And she'll tease you    She'll un-ease you
                Bb              F
        All the bet-ter just to please you
                  Dm                 F 
        She's pre-co-cious   And she knows just what it 
        Bb              F
        Takes to make a pro blush
               Bb              Dm  
        She got  Greta Garbo's stand-off sighs
                  C              Bb     Dm     C    Bb   Dm     C
        She's got   Bette Davis |eyes -     |     |    -     |     |     
                  
                           Bb   Dm   C                    Bb   C
2. She'll let you take her home        It whets her app-e-tite  
  F                      Bb    Dm  C                    F
   She'll lay you on her throne    She got Bet-te Davis eyes
                         Bb     Dm   C                        Bb     C
   She'll take a tumb-le on you        Roll you like you were dice
Dm                     Bb   Dm   C                      F       F/Eb
   Un-til you come out blue      She's got Be-tte Davis Eyes |         |

                  Dm                    F
Chorus: She'll ex-pose you    When she snows you
                 Bb                       F
        Off your feet with the crumbs she throws you
                  Dm                 F
        She's fer-o-cious    And she knows just what it
        Bb              F
        Takes to make a pro blush
      Bb             Dm
        All the boys think she's a spy                           
                  C
        She's got   Bet-te Davis (eyes) 

        Bb     Dm    C   Bb   Dm    C   Bb   Dm    C     F    F/Eb
       ‖eyes -    |     |   -    |     |   -    |     |     |       ‖

                   Dm                     F
Chorus: And she'll tease you    She'll un-ease you
                Bb              F
        All the bet-ter just to please you
                  Dm                 F
        She's pre-co-cious__ And she knows just what it 
        Bb              F
        Takes to make a pro blush
      Bb             Dm  
        All the boys think she’s a spy
                  C                Bb     Dm     C    Bb   Dm     C
        She's got   Bette Davis ‖: eyes -     |     |    -     |     :‖ 

               Bb      Dm     C            Bb       Dm     C
     ** She’ll tease you        She'll  un-ease  you    |     |
                Bb        Dm     C                      Bb      C     F
        Just to please you       She's got Bette Davis |eyes -     |     |  

                  Bb      Dm    C           Bb       Dm     C
        She'll ex-pose you         When she snows you    |     |
            Bb      Dm     C                     Bb      C     F
        She knows   ya’    She's got Bette Davis|eyes -     |     |    

Please Note: We have included Bb in the open position as well as a barre chord. If you can play barre chords you may prefer playing Bb using a mini-barre with the 3rd finger instead of fingers 2,3,4.

We have also included F in the open position as well as a barre chord. If you play F as a barre chord, simply lift fingers 3 & 4 off and play the top 4 strings for the F/Eb chord.

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