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. It won the 1982 Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. 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 [Carnes'] 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. 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 ; piano
- Bill Cuomo – arrangements ; 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 ; acoustic guitar ; harmony vocals ; background vocals
- Danny Kortchmar – acoustic guitar
- Don Francisco – percussion
- Dave Ellingson – harmony vocals ; background vocals
- Daniel Moore – harmony vocals ; background vocals
- Wendy Waldman – harmony vocals
- Maxine Willard Waters – harmony vocals
- Julia Tillman Waters – harmony vocals
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
Weekly charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Mistaken Identity
! scope="col"| Chart (1981)
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)
| 2
|-
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)
| 6
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)
| 6
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|}
Year-end charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for Mistaken Identity
! scope="col"| Chart (1981)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)
| 26
|-
! scope="row"| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
| 27
|-
! scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
| 40
|-
! scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
| 18
|-
! scope="row"| US Billboard 200
| 15
|}