This year has been full of iconic musicians celebrating seven decades on Earth: Eric Clapton, John Fogerty, Bob Seger and more. Today marks the 70th birthday of one more classic performer, as Carly Simon celebrates the big day on June 25. Music Times is reflecting back on 70 years of King by looking at her seven highest-charting singles, from "You're So Vain" to "Nobody Does It Better." Check them out below.
07) "Anticipation"...no. 13 (1971)
One of the most famous aspects of Simon's career in music is her relationships with others in the industry (this is only the first of many times you'll catch us wondering who "You're So Vain" is about), and second single "Anticipation" is yet another great song that deals with her dealings with male musicians. According to lore, Simon picked up her guitar and had the song written within 15 minutes while waiting for fellow folkie Cat Stevens to pick her up on a date. Part of the strength behind "Anticipation" is the simple honesty expressed in the to-go lyrics...we've all felt it, and we've all been in Simon's shoes in a similar situation. The song resonated with audiences as well, who elevated her second single to no. 13 overall in "anticipation" for her second album.
06) "Jesse"...no. 11 (1980)
The lead single from Simon's album Come Upstairs may have to deal with a lover that wronged her in the past, but it's safe to say that it doesn't reflect any really events in her past...after all, her husband at the time, James Taylor, as well as their daughter Sally, both sing backup vocals on the track. Considering that Simon spends much of the song trying to talk the so-called bad-egg into coming away with her (and perhaps coming upstairs), she probably wasn't dragging her husband and daughter into the fold. It's too bad...Simon's buoyant pop number could only have gotten sexier if there was a true story behind it.
05) "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be"...no. 10 (1971)
You may have noticed that the title of this single is quite a bit longer and more complex than the previous examples that we've listed so far from Simon's catalogue. Promoters at Elektra Records felt the same way, and fretted that a song that deals with so many issues (divorce, controlling boyfriends, unhappiness within marriage) was simply too convoluted to be Simon's first single. She stuck to her guns however and the radio audience saluted the decision, bringing it up to no. 10 on the pop charts. Eventually the single would earn Simon a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (which she lost) and Best New Artist (which she won).
04) "You Belong To Me"...no. 6 (1978)
Being a songwriter, Simon's music has appeared on the albums of plenty of other musicians as well. One of those cases was "You Belong To Me," a song that she wrote with Michael McDonald for his band The Doobie Brothers. That track didn't end up going anywhere on the radio, so Simon recorded her own version for Boys In The Trees. Hers went over much better with radio listeners, peaking at no. 6 on the Hot 100, and would earn her another Grammy nomination. Her version would inspire covers from other female stars, such as Jennifer Lopez, Anita Baker and Chaka Khan...and the Doobie Brothers would release a live version of the song during 1983. The renewed interest helped it chart at no. 79.
03) "Mockingbird"...no. 5 (1974)
With a songwriting super-couple like James Taylor and Carly Simon, it only makes sense that the pair was turning out hit-after-hit. "Mockingbird"...was not one of them. In fact, the song wasn't written by the couple at all. They covered it from another couple, soul performers Inez and Charlie Foxx. So although the song, which peaked at no. 5 on the charts, may not have been a groundbreaking single for the music power couple, it still had a dramatic impact on Simon's career. Up until that point, she avoided playing live whenever possible (not a good look for a star musician), however she broke that streak to perform "Mockingbird" with Taylor when he went on tour during 1975, opening the floodgates.
02) "Nobody Does It Better"...no. 2 (1977)
A whole generation of listeners that missed out on the '70s may have been misled regarding the songwriting identity of Carly Simon, based on the fact that one of her most popular songs was featured as the theme song in a James Bond movie (The Spy Who Loved Me). "Nobody Does It Better" wasn't written by Simon, but she sure does a number on it, giving it all the sexiness required for a '70s-era Bond film...and few musicians can make a line like "the spy who loved me" sound legitimate. Unfortunately the song came up just short of topping the Hot 100, spending three weeks at no. 2. It did, however, merit Simon her only career Academy Award nomination up until this point.
01) "You're So Vain"...no. 1 (1974)
What else could it have been? While "Nobody Does It Better" would later spend three weeks at no. 2 on the singles charts, "You're So Vain" would spend the same amount of time at no. 1. And, considering how much has been made of identifying who the song is actually about (and how Simon won't tell us), the single comes from an album titled No Secrets. Among the names that have been thrown out as possible candidates for the mystery man in "Vain": Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Warren Beatty, Cat Stevens and David Geffen. Odds are, based on other theories, is that the tune isn't about anyone famous, if it's even about a real individual. If this is the case, Simon has clearly come up with the perfect promotional campaign for her lone no. 1 single, ensuring that it will remain fresh on the tongues of listeners for years and years to come.
