Synopsis

In a shadowy red-light district, Kim Carnes watches events unfold from behind a window. She witnesses a violent confrontation between a man and a woman, then becomes the target of the enraged aggressor and is pursued through the neighborhood. The story is intercut with images of men watching an adult film in a theater, reinforcing the video's themes of observation, desire, and voyeurism. Carnes appears as both watcher and watched, while the dark, stylized presentation gives the clip a tense film-noir atmosphere.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Voyeur" was released as the lead single from Carnes' seventh studio album, also titled *Voyeur*, in August 1982.

• The song was co-written by Kim Carnes, her husband Dave Ellingson, and Duane Hitchings.

• MTV would not show the video during daytime hours because of its depiction of domestic violence and sexually suggestive imagery.

• The album's promotional campaign was conceived with unusually strong visual ambitions. EMI planned a feature-length video project built around the entire album, but the proposed production was eventually canceled.

• The single reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and performed especially well in parts of Europe, reaching No. 5 in Norway.

• Carnes received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Voyeur" at the 25th Annual Grammy Awards.