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Mistaken Identity
Studio album by Kim Carnes
Released	April 1981
Recorded	December 15, 1980 – January 12, 1981
Studio	Record One (Los Angeles)
Genre	Pop rock soft rock
Length	40:13
Label	EMI America
Producer	Val Garay
Kim Carnes chronology
Romance Dance (1980) Mistaken Identity (1981) Voyeur (1982)
Alternative cover
International cover
Singles from Mistaken Identity
"Bette Davis Eyes" Released: March 9, 1981 "Draw of the Cards" Released: August 1981 "Mistaken Identity" Released: 1981

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

Mistaken Identity is the sixth studio album by American singer Kim Carnes, released in April 1981 by EMI America Records. The album spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard 200, and was subsequently certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

The album's lead single "Bette Davis Eyes" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for nine non-consecutive weeks and topped the Hot 100 year-end chart of 1981. Follow-up singles "Draw of the Cards" and "Mistaken Identity" reached numbers 28 and 60 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.

Record World said of the title track that "Dreamy sax/keyboard colors provide the backdrop for vocal longing."

Release and promotion

The album's supporting tour, titled the Mistaken Identity Summer Tour '81, ran from August to October 1981, split into two legs. The first leg began in Dallas, Texas, on August 16. It was Carnes' first time headlining a tour. Gary U.S. Bonds was the support act.

Commercial performance

Mistaken Identity became Carnes' best-selling album, and her first to chart within the US Top 40. It entered the Billboard 200 at no. 66 in the week of May 2, 1981, and climbed to No. 1 in its ninth week. It spent a total of four weeks at the top of the chart, selling 1 million copies and earning Platinum certification. The album's success was buoyed by its lead single "Bette Davis Eyes", which spent nine non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 between May and July 1981. Subsequent singles "Draw of the Cards" and "Mistaken Identity" peaked at No. 28 and No. 60, respectively.

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Mistaken Identity.

Musicians

• Kim Carnes – lead vocals (all tracks); piano (track 10)
• Bill Cuomo – arrangements (tracks 1, 3); Prophet
• Steve Goldstein – keyboards
• Bryan Garofalo – bass, background vocals
• Craig Krampf – drums, background vocals
• Craig Hull – electric guitar, slide guitar, background vocals
• Josh Leo – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, background vocals
• M. L. Benoit – percussion
• Jerry Peterson – saxophone
• Waddy Wachtel – electric guitar (track 1); acoustic guitar (track 2); harmony vocals (track 6); background vocals
• Danny Kortchmar – acoustic guitar (tracks 4, 7)
• Don Francisco – percussion (tracks 6, 9)
• Dave Ellingson – harmony vocals (tracks 2, 3, 7, 8); background vocals
• Daniel Moore – harmony vocals (tracks 2, 4, 8, 10); background vocals
• Wendy Waldman – harmony vocals (track 7)
• Maxine Willard Waters – harmony vocals (track 4)
• Julia Tillman Waters – harmony vocals (track 4)

Technical

• Val Garay – production, recording
• Niko Bolas – engineering assistance
• Doug Sax – mastering
• Mike Reese – mastering

Artwork

• Bill Burks – art direction, design
• David Alexander – photo

Charts

Certifications and sales

References

1. Viglione, Joe. "Mistaken Identity – Kim Carnes". AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
2. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
3. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 17, 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
4. "Talent Talk" (PDF). Billboard. August 11, 1981. p. 38. Retrieved September 22, 2022 – via World Radio History.
5. Scheibner, George (October 31, 1981). "Barefoot Kim Carnes relishes new image". St. Cloud Times. St. Cloud, Minnesota: Reach plc. p. 44. Retrieved September 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
6. Kellogg, Alan (October 6, 1981). "Hardworking Carnes delivered the goods". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Postmedia Network Inc. p. 16. Retrieved September 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
7. "Breaking Acts' Outlook Improved" (PDF). Billboard. July 11, 1981. p. 12. Retrieved September 22, 2022 – via World Radio History.
8. "Billboard 200 – May 2, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
9. "Billboard 200 – June 27, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
10. "Billboard 200 – July 18, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
11. ^ "American album certifications – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity". Recording Industry Association of America. July 16, 1981.
12. "Billboard Hot 100 – May 16, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
13. "Billboard Hot 100 – July 18, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
14. "Billboard Hot 100 – September 19, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
15. "Billboard Hot 100 – November 14, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
16. Schulte, Tom. "Mistaken Identity Collection – Kim Carnes". AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
17. Mistaken Identity (liner notes). Kim Carnes. EMI America Records. 1981. SO-17052.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
18. Kent 1993, p. 256.
19. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0359". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
21. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
23. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 29, 2022. Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "Kim Carnes" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
24. "Charts.nz – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
25. "Norwegiancharts.com – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
26. "Swedishcharts.com – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
27. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
28. "Kim Carnes Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
29. Kent 1993, p. 433.
30. "Top 100 Albums of 1981". RPM. Vol. 35, no. 22. December 26, 1981. ISSN 0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
31. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1981" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
32. "Top Selling Albums of 1981". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
33. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
34. "Majors Fight Economics with Quirky Rock Originals". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 23. June 12, 1982. p. A/NZ-4. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
35. "Canadian album certifications – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity". Music Canada. December 1, 1981.
36. "French album certifications – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved August 9, 2021. Select KIM CARNES and click OK. 
37. "New Zealand album certifications – Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.

Bibliography

• Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

• 1981 albums
• Albums produced by Val Garay
• EMI America Records albums
• Kim Carnes albums