Synopsis

Kim Carnes appears in a surreal, horror-tinged carnival world where tarot imagery, strange performers, and grotesque creatures turn the song's fatalistic theme into a visual nightmare. The video shifts between Carnes singing and bizarre tableaux populated by theatrical figures, creating the impression of a ritual or sideshow governed by chance. Its unsettling climax features an underworld-like creature with an unnaturally long tongue, reinforcing the song's eerie, supernatural atmosphere.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Draw of the Cards" was released in 1981 as the second single from Carnes' album "Mistaken Identity," following the enormous success of "Bette Davis Eyes."

• The song's concept originated during a hospital visit to Carnes' guitarist. Carnes, her husband and co-writer Dave Ellingson, and producer Val Garay discussed the idea that illness was "in the draw of the cards." Bill Cuomo later brought in a synthesizer part that helped complete the track.

• The video's carnival and voodoo-like imagery reflects Carnes' interest in the 1959 film "Black Orpheus," which she cited as an inspiration for the visual concept.

• In the United States, the single reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1981.

• The video was restored and reissued in HD through Carnes' official music-video campaign in 2025, bringing one of her more unusual early-1980s visuals back to streaming audiences.