Total brain meltdown - who is the old Carly Simon song “You’re So Vain” about? James Taylor? Mick Jagger? Warren Beatty? Or …? Help!?! Thanks.
I always heard it was James Taylor.
I thought I heard Warren Beatty, but it’s only a vague recollection.
I thought it was about me…
I don’t think Carly ever really said who it was about. I know James does backup on the song, so it’d be pretty funny if she wrote it about him. The lyrics seem to describe Warren Beatty more than James…the jetsetting and such.
Great song, though!
According to Trivial Pursuit, it’s Richard Nixon.
You probably think this song is about you…
Snopes link, referring to the Carly Simon song in an article about Alanis Morissette’s You Oughta Know. Both artists have never revealed the subjects of the songs.
Mick Jagger sings backup, too. He thinks it’s about him as well.
Ditto James Taylor. They were married once and supposedly had an acrimonious split which inspired the song. They’d since resolved their differences. Just what I heard IIRC.
Welcome to the SDMB, PiscesPrincess. Since this is about a song, I’ll move this thread to our arts forum, Cafe Society.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
I once heard it was about Elton John. I have no cites or proof. I don’t even know whether Carly Simon ever dated Elton John, or even met him.
I had always heard it was about Warren Beatty.
Does it need to be about anyone?
As Carly Simon isn’t saying, perhaps its about someone, perhaps she just thought in an interesting paradox and wrote a song.