# An Obvious Question About The Song 'You're So Vain' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 13, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065 "2017-01-13T20:38:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/1 "2017-01-13T20:38:22Z")
No, not that one. In the first verse, Simon sings: You walked into the party Like you were walking on a yacht Your hat strategically dipped below one eye Your scarf, it was apricot You had one eye on the mirror And watched yourself Gavotte Who the heck was doing the Gavotte in the late 60’s/early 70’s? Was this a thing amongst the upper crust? Also, what does one look like entering a room “Like they were walking onto a yacht”? Unsteady? ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/2 "2017-01-13T20:44:34Z")
Swaggering I think. A manly, swaggering, forceful walk. Gavotte for the rhyme, I would imagine. She just meant dance. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/3 "2017-01-13T20:49:27Z")
I always pictured a preening sort of dance… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/4 "2017-01-13T20:57:09Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I always pictured a preening sort of dance… Well, look, so long as you’re already picturing Mick Jagger… ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/5 "2017-01-13T21:17:29Z")
I’m thinking “yacht” tells us in fewer syllables about the sort of party she is imagining and the sort of people there. “Penthouse” could have done the same thing but it’s harder to rhyme than “yacht” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/6 "2017-01-13T21:27:25Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’m thinking “yacht” tells us in fewer syllables about the sort of party she is imagining and the sort of people there. “Penthouse” could have done the same thing but it’s harder to rhyme than “yacht” 😉 You might have that backwards: imagine (a) the story is _true_, and (b) the guy simply was wearing an apricot scarf; what happens when she casts about for a rhyme? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/7 "2017-01-13T21:33:10Z")
It’s a metaphor. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/8 "2017-01-13T21:39:15Z")
She was widely criticized for the rhymes in that one at the time, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/9 "2017-01-13T21:41:30Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > It’s a metaphor. I thought it was a pun. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/10 "2017-01-13T21:53:22Z")
It’s Vorshtein. Anyway, thanks for clearing that up for me, OP! I forced it to say “As you watched yourself go by”. Of course I also thought it was: Well I hear you went to Saratoga And your horse, naturally, won Then you flew your [winnings or women] up to Nova Scotia To see the total eclipse of the sun I should really get my ears examined. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/11 "2017-01-13T22:39:08Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > It’s Vorshtein. > Anyway, thanks for clearing that up for me, OP! I forced it to say “As you watched yourself go by”. Of course I also thought it was: > > Well I hear you went to Saratoga > And your horse, naturally, won > Then you flew your [winnings or women] up to Nova Scotia > To see the total eclipse of the sun > > I should really get my ears examined. It’s LearJet. As in he’s rich enough to have one at his disposal and doesn’t need to wait in line at the airport. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/12 "2017-01-13T23:55:26Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Anyway, thanks for clearing that up for me, OP! I forced it to say “As you watched yourself go by”. Same here. I had never heard the word “gavotte” before reading this thread. And I have had my ears examined. The diagnosis was, I can’t hear for shit. (Hey kids! When you’re using power tools, don’t forget the ear protection!) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/13 "2017-01-14T00:40:26Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It’s LearJet. Without the “up.” I always heard “go past,” until I listened to a digitalized recording of the song. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/14 "2017-01-14T01:00:27Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Without the “up.” No, the word “up” is in there. “Then you flew your LearJet **up** to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun.” Listen to it. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/15 "2017-01-14T02:16:10Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > No, the word “up” is in there. > > “Then you flew your LearJet **up** to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun.” > > Listen to it. Huh! I’ve listened to it a million times, and I’ve never heard “up.” ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/16 "2017-01-14T02:30:22Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > No, the word “up” is in there. > > “Then you flew your LearJet **up** to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun.” > > Listen to it. Fun thing was, I convinced my dad to fly us up to PEI to watch that very same eclipse. (club-owned Cessna 172, not a Learjet.) Quite a sight. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/17 "2017-01-14T04:05:37Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Huh! I’ve listened to it a million times, and I’ve never heard “up.” ☹ [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6UAYGxiRwU) I hear it quite clearly. I’ve always heard it that way. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/18 "2017-01-14T04:41:10Z")
Well, that’s the way I’ve always heard it should be. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/19 "2017-01-14T04:44:46Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > It’s a metaphor. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > I thought it was a pun. It’s a metapun. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065/20 "2017-01-14T04:47:44Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Well, that’s the way I’ve always heard it should be. Bravo. Nobody does it better. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-obvious-question-about-the-song-youre-so-vain/777065.md?page=2)