You're So Vain
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"You're So Vain" is a song written by and performed by Carly Simon in 1973.
The song was a sarcastic profile of a self-absorbed lover. The song was a number one hit, and spawned what many fans consider to be the biggest mystery in the rock era. There has been much debate over who exactly the song was about. Popular guesses as the subject include Mick Jagger (who sang backing vocals on the song), Cat Stevens, Warren Beatty, Kris Kristofferson, and Simon's ex-husband, James Taylor.
Despite these guesses and many interviews asking who it was, to this day Carly Simon has never publicly acknowledged who the song is about, although she once commented in an interview that it was about "many vain men I've known in my life". This would certainly make the line "you're so vain: I bet you think this song is about you" more logically coherent than if it were about any single man.
Dick Ebersol, president of NBC Sports and a friend of Simon's, was the highest bidder for a Martha's Vineyard Possible Dreams charity auction offering in which the prize was the revelation of the person whom "You're So Vain" was about. A condition of that prize is that Ebersol would not reveal to anyone the actual subject. Later, Ebersol revealed that he was allowed by Simon to divulge a clue about the person's name:
- "Carly told me that I could offer up to the entire world, a clue as to what she'll tell me when we have this night in about two weeks. And the clue is: the letter 'E' is in the person's name." Dick Ebersol on NBC's Today Show - August 5 2003
By 2004 she had told Regis Philbin "If I tell it, it's going to come out in dribs and drabs. And I've given out two letters already, and "A" and an "E". But I'm going to add one to it. I'm going to add an "R", in honor of you."
The speculation continues.
Covers
The song has been covered by Chocolate Starfish, David Axelrod, Liza Minnelli, Chimira, Venice, Anna Waronker, Faster Pussycats, Romantic Guitar, Dres, Smokie among others.
External link
- Official Carly Simon Webpage about 'You're So Vain' (http://www.carlysimon.com/vain/vain.htm)