It’s the song that just won’t quit—and 2025 has proven it. From viral TikToks to moody HBO karaoke scenes, “Bette Davis Eyes” is having a moment. Again. But amidst the buzz, there’s one name too often left out of the spotlight: Jackie DeShannon, the original co-writer of the now-legendary track.
Pop provocateur JoJo Siwa reignited the conversation earlier this year with a radically stylized cover of “Bette Davis Eyes.” Swapping lyrics like “She’s got Bette Davis eyes” with “She’s got Chris Hughes eyes,” Siwa paired the track with a bold, Stepford-chic visual that leaned more camp than cool. It wasn’t just a remix—it was a full transformation.
But not everyone was clapping.
Kim Carnes, whose gravelly 1981 version turned the song into a global No. 1 hit (and a cultural landmark), fired back in a now-deleted Instagram post:
“There’s a difference between singing a song and becoming it. Authenticity matters.”
The message? Reinterpretation is one thing, but the soul of “Bette Davis Eyes” comes from somewhere deeper—and it isn’t found in glitter and gimmicks.
Then came a scene no one expected: in And Just Like That (Season 3, Episode 7), Logan Marshall-Green stole hearts—and cab rides—by performing a stripped-down, emotionally vulnerable karaoke rendition of the song during Charlotte’s birthday bash. No flash. No edits. Just feeling.
It was the opposite of Siwa’s version—and audiences noticed. Fans called it “surprisingly charming” and “better than JoJo’s” across Reddit and X, praising the rawness and connection he brought to the scene.
For many, his performance hit closer to the essence of what made “Bette Davis Eyes” resonate in the first place: it’s not about flashy reinvention—it’s about haunting allure and emotional complexity.
Before Kim Carnes ever entered the studio, and long before JoJo Siwa was born, Jackie DeShannon co-wrote “Bette Davis Eyes” in 1974 with Donna Weiss. DeShannon even recorded the original version—a sultry, funk-tinged track that didn’t chart but laid the groundwork for everything that followed.
It wasn’t until Carnes radically rearranged the song—with a synth-driven, smoky energy—that the world took notice. But the bones of the track—the lyrics, the cinematic mystique, the daring concept of using Bette Davis as a metaphor—were all DeShannon’s.
And now, in 2025, her writing is again shaping pop culture moments.
“Bette Davis Eyes” isn’t just a catchy tune—it’s a character study in disguise, with lines like “She’ll tease you, she’ll unease you,” evoking danger, seduction, and charisma. That tension gives the song its staying power.
Every generation reimagines it:
1981: Kim Carnes redefined it for the MTV era.
2025: JoJo Siwa reshaped it into queer futurism.
2025 again: Logan Marshall-Green brought it back to basics, reminding us of the raw story behind the glam.
But in every version, Jackie DeShannon’s lyrical DNA remains intact.
In a year where “Bette Davis Eyes” is having another renaissance, it’s essential to remember the woman who first imagined it. While Siwa may provoke and Carnes may protect, and HBO may unexpectedly revive—it was Jackie DeShannon who created.
So as the song continues its journey across decades, genders, genres, and screens, let’s not just sing the hook. Let’s sing the praise of the woman who made it possible.
Jackie DeShannon has Bette Davis eyes—and vision.
