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This Day in Music Spotlight: Who’s So Vain?
January 6, 1973
Bryan Wawzenek
|
01.06.2011
Special thanks to ThisDayinMusic.com.
On this day in 1973, Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” began a three-week run at #1 on the Billboard singles chart. Nearly four decades after Simon’s blockbuster hit ruled the airwaves, people still don’t fully know exactly whom she was singing about.
Could it be Mick Jagger? He sang (uncredited) backing vocals on the single. Could it be James Taylor? He and Simon were married not long before the song hit the charts. Could it be Warren Beatty? He and Simon had been in a relationship prior to the writing of the tune. Or could it be Cat Stevens? Nick Nolte? Kris Kristofferson? David Bowie? David Geffen? David Cassidy?
Although Simon has never revealed the subject of the tune to the public, she has been giving away clues “in drips and drabs” for more than 30 years. Plus, she’s ruled out a few of the usual suspects.
For instance, she dispelled the rumor that “You’re So Vain” has anything to do with Jagger, save for his work as a vocalist. In 2001, she said “The apricot scarf was worn by Nick [Nolte]. Nothing in the words referred to Mick.” The scarf in question is referenced early in the song’s lyrics – “Your scarf it was apricot…” Simon also ruled out Taylor back in 1973 – and even told Rolling Stone that James had asked his then-wife if the song was about him.
In 1989, Simon confirmed that the rumors of the song being about Beatty were partially true and that “You’re So Vain” was “a little bit” about Warren. But, she went on to say that the subject of the song was really a composite of three men in her life in the early ’70s. But who could the other two men be?
While the public is still in the dark in regard to the answer, at least one man knows. That’s Dick Ebersol, president of NBC Sports and a friend of Simon’s. In 2003, Ebersol won a charity auction in which the winner and nine of his friends would be given a private concert by Simon. Then, at midnight, Simon would privately confide the inspiration of “You’re So Vain” to the auction winner.
Ebersol, who paid $50,000 to win the prize, was also allowed by Simon to divulge a clue to the public. On the Today show, the NBC executive said that the name(s) of the person(s) included the letter E. Soon after, Simon announced a couple more letters on TV talk shows. On CNN, she revealed the letter A and on Live with Regis and Kelly, she announced that the name(s) also contained an R – in honor of Regis.
In 2009, Simon told NPR’s Soundcheck that she had hidden the man’s name in a certain version of the song. The next day, the program found that Simon had whispered “David” backward on a recording of the tune. Soon after, the singer refuted this and said that she was saying “Ovid,” denying any reference to “David.”
And people are still looking to the song’s lyrics for clues. You don’t need to look for very long on the Internet to find someone claiming that the lyric about Nova Scotia is a Warren Beatty reference (because his mother was born and raised there) or that the lyric about Saratoga indicates another famous actor, musician or celebrity.
But, until Carly Simon (or Dick Ebersol) decides to talk, the men behind “You’re So Vain” will remain a mystery… even if they think the song is about them.
This Day in Music Spotlight: Who’s So Vain?
January 6, 1973
Bryan Wawzenek
|
01.06.2011
Special thanks to ThisDayinMusic.com.
On this day in 1973, Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” began a three-week run at #1 on the Billboard singles chart. Nearly four decades after Simon’s blockbuster hit ruled the airwaves, people still don’t fully know exactly whom she was singing about.
Could it be Mick Jagger? He sang (uncredited) backing vocals on the single. Could it be James Taylor? He and Simon were married not long before the song hit the charts. Could it be Warren Beatty? He and Simon had been in a relationship prior to the writing of the tune. Or could it be Cat Stevens? Nick Nolte? Kris Kristofferson? David Bowie? David Geffen? David Cassidy?
Although Simon has never revealed the subject of the tune to the public, she has been giving away clues “in drips and drabs” for more than 30 years. Plus, she’s ruled out a few of the usual suspects.
For instance, she dispelled the rumor that “You’re So Vain” has anything to do with Jagger, save for his work as a vocalist. In 2001, she said “The apricot scarf was worn by Nick [Nolte]. Nothing in the words referred to Mick.” The scarf in question is referenced early in the song’s lyrics – “Your scarf it was apricot…” Simon also ruled out Taylor back in 1973 – and even told Rolling Stone that James had asked his then-wife if the song was about him.
In 1989, Simon confirmed that the rumors of the song being about Beatty were partially true and that “You’re So Vain” was “a little bit” about Warren. But, she went on to say that the subject of the song was really a composite of three men in her life in the early ’70s. But who could the other two men be?
While the public is still in the dark in regard to the answer, at least one man knows. That’s Dick Ebersol, president of NBC Sports and a friend of Simon’s. In 2003, Ebersol won a charity auction in which the winner and nine of his friends would be given a private concert by Simon. Then, at midnight, Simon would privately confide the inspiration of “You’re So Vain” to the auction winner.
Ebersol, who paid $50,000 to win the prize, was also allowed by Simon to divulge a clue to the public. On the Today show, the NBC executive said that the name(s) of the person(s) included the letter E. Soon after, Simon announced a couple more letters on TV talk shows. On CNN, she revealed the letter A and on Live with Regis and Kelly, she announced that the name(s) also contained an R – in honor of Regis.
In 2009, Simon told NPR’s Soundcheck that she had hidden the man’s name in a certain version of the song. The next day, the program found that Simon had whispered “David” backward on a recording of the tune. Soon after, the singer refuted this and said that she was saying “Ovid,” denying any reference to “David.”
And people are still looking to the song’s lyrics for clues. You don’t need to look for very long on the Internet to find someone claiming that the lyric about Nova Scotia is a Warren Beatty reference (because his mother was born and raised there) or that the lyric about Saratoga indicates another famous actor, musician or celebrity.
But, until Carly Simon (or Dick Ebersol) decides to talk, the men behind “You’re So Vain” will remain a mystery… even if they think the song is about them.
