On this day in 1981: Kim Carnes was beginning her NINTH and final week at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Bette Davis Eyes.’

“Bette Davis Eyes” was written and composed by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon in 1974. It was originally recorded by DeShannon in that year for her album ‘New arrangement’, but it was made popular by American singer Kim Carnes in 1981 when it spent nine non-consecutive weeks on top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song was #1 for five weeks but was interrupted for one week by “Stars On 45” before it returned to the top spot for another four weeks and became Billboard’s biggest hit of 1981. The single also reached #5 on Billboard’s Top Tracks Chart and #26 on the Dance chart. It was also a #1 hit in 21 countries and peaked at #10 in the United Kingdom, to date her only Top 40 hit in that country. It also reached #2 in Canada for twelve consecutive weeks, and was the #2 hit of 1981 in that country.

Here’s a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1981:

1 1 BETTE DAVIS EYES –•– Kim Carnes (EMI-America)-17 (9 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 ALL THOSE YEARS AGO –•– George Harrison (Dark Horse)-9 (2)
3 3 THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE –•– Air Supply (Arista)-10 (3)
4 4 JESSIE’S GIRL –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-17 (4)
5 5 YOU MAKE MY DREAMS –•– Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA)-12 (5)
6 6 ELVIRA –•– The Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)-10 (6)
7 8 THEME FROM “GREATEST AMERICAN HERO” (Believe It Or Not) –•– Joey Scarbury (Elektra)-11 (7)
8 9 I DON’T NEED YOU –•– Kenny Rogers (Liberty)-6 (8)
9 10 SLOW HAND –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-8 (9)
10 16 BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY –•– The Manhattan Transfer (Atlantic)-9 (10)

11 13 HEARTS –•– Marty Balin (EMI-America)-9 (11)
12 7 MEDLEY: INTRO VENUS/SUGAR SUGAR/NO REPLY/I’LL BE BACK/DRIVE MY CAR/
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET/WE CAN WORK IT OUT/I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
BETTER/NOWHERE MAN/YOU’RE GOING TO LOSE THAT GIRL/STARS ON 45 –•– Stars On 45 (Radio Records)-15 (1)
13 15 GEMINI DREAM –•– The Moody Blues (Threshold)-7 (13)
14 11 A WOMAN NEEDS LOVE (Just Like You Do) –•– Ray Parker, Jr. and Raydio (Arista)-20 (4)
15 12 THIS LITTLE GIRL –•– Gary U.S. Bonds (EMI-America)-13 (11)
16 21 QUEEN OF HEARTS –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-8 (16)
17 18 WINNING –•– Santana (Columbia)-15 (17)
18 19 MODERN GIRL –•– Sheena Easton (EMI-America)-11 (18)
19 20 TIME –•– The Alan Parsons Project (Arista)-14 (19)
20 14 AMERICA –•– Neil Diamond (Capitol)-13 (8)

On this day in 1987: Heart was beginning their second of three weeks at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Alone.” It would be ranked the #2 song of 1987 by Billboard Magazine on their year-end chart finishing behind “Walk Like An Egyptian” by The Bangles.

Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1987:

1 1 ALONE –•– Heart (Capitol)-10 (1) (2 Weeks at #1)
2 3 SHAKEDOWN –•– Bob Seger (MCA)-9 (2)
3 2 I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (Who Loves Me) –•– Whitney Houston (Arista)-10 (1)
4 5 DON’T DISTURB THIS GROOVE –•– The System (Atlantic)-15 (4)
5 6 POINT OF NO RETURN –•– Expose (Arista)-11 (5)
6 7 FUNKY TOWN –•– Pseudo Echo (RCA)-10 (6)
7 10 I STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR –•– U2 (Island)-6 (7)
8 8 SOMETHING SO STRONG –•– Crowded House (Capitol)-12 (8)
9 11 I WANT YOUR SEX –•– George Michael (Columbia)-7 (9)
10 12 RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU –•– Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine (Epic)-8 (10)

11 4 SONGBIRD –•– Kenny G (Arista)-16 (4)
12 15 HEART AND SOUL –•– T’Pau (Virgin)-12 (12)
13 13 GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS –•– Motley Crue (Elektra)-8 (13)
14 18 KISS HIM GOODBYE –•– The Nylons (Open Air)-10 (14)
15 22 CROSS MY BROKEN HEART –•– The Jets (MCA)-7 (15)
16 14 EVERY LITTLE KISS –•– Bruce Hornsby & The Range (RCA)-19 (14)
17 20 THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE –•– Janet Jackson (A&M)-9 (17)
18 9 HEAD TO TOE –•– Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (Columbia)-15 (1)
19 23 I’D STILL SAY YES –•– Klymaxx (Constellation)-12 (19)
20 24 HAPPY –•– Surface (Columbia)-9 (20)