Carly Simon - You're So Vain - yea or nay?

[naughty boy]

x

[fange]

[clive gash]

It truly was the 70s "Look What You Made Me Do".

[Footy]

I like it, even now. I wonder how much of that has to do with my age. I was 22-ish when it came out and it sounded refreshingly new at that moment. Most of you are at least ten years younger than me so your first time hearing it will have been a different experience from mine.

I can still recall going with my mate to visit his wife in hospital around the time of its release and the three of us discussing it. Was that Mick Jagger in the background? Who is it about? Etc.

I passed out by the bed but came round before they called for help which I forbade them to do because I didn't want to end up hospitalised.

Both my friends are dead now.

[The Modernist]

What's she going on about anyway?
She starts singing "you were the wife of a postman" at one point.

[fange]

What's she going on about anyway?
She starts singing "you were the wife of a postman" at one point.

Thanks G, i just snorted my tea out my nostrils.

[kath]

It's great.

Richard Perry - a highly underrated producer - is the secret weapon. That bass intro - assuming it was his idea - is one of the best openings ever to a hit record.

There's something about the way it's just understated enough that fits the mood just perfectly. And of course Jagger's backing vocals are wonderful. Sung like he thinks he might be singing about himself.

i love that bass intro, too. something burbling up, here it comes. i also think that sometimes understatement carries its own kind of wickedness or punch. those almost offhand, trailing down sections... and all the girls wished that they'd be yer partner... or some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend... only to get those last phrases repeated before the chorus. the effect of all of it hit me when it came out. just understated enough to fit the mood... yes. and the mood is still a twisting knife. what a combination in a pop hit.

[copehead]

I really like it
And, unlike Rayge, I think the main lyric is fantastic, one of the best in pop mmusic

[Ranking Ted]

I voted ok. It can float along in the background moderately pleasantly in a Smooth FM style, there's some good "bits" - I like the intro, the verses are good but overall, I can't really warm to it. The chorus is pretty horrid and the yelping Jagger backing vocals are actively unpleasant. The whole thing is very bland and it's overplayed as well. Never noticed the drums, mind you.

Now if you mentioned Why? or Nobody Does It Better, that'd be different.

[naughty boy]

I really like it
And, unlike Rayge, I think the main lyric is fantastic, one of the best in pop mmusic

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

[Robert]

Dreadful.

About time you showed up!

I've just never been able to get into this song as much as i think i should. I can hear why it was a hit, but it seems to grate on me for some reason. The drums are a big part of it; they sound dreadful to my ears.

A 'Nah' for me.

The whole thing's rotten. I'd say I'm surprised it's getting so many positive votes, but this kind of bland AOR seems to go down well on BCB these days - at least with the US contingent.

Actually I watched a documentary on CS a couple of days ago and the song's still fresh in my mind. The lyrics - not that I usually listen out for them much generally - might be the worst thing about it!

And the Dutch contingent too. How can you not like it?

[Matt Wilson]

Consider the source, Robert.

[fange]

Consider the source, Robert.

?

What are you trying to say, Matt? Am i, or anybody else, not allowed to dislike something?

[Rayge]

Consider the source, Robert.

?

What are you trying to say, Matt? Am i, or anybody else, not allowed to dislike something?

I suspect he's referring to JoCo

[fange]

Yeah, but i think everyone who has said they don't like the song has raised some pretty reasonable points why, if you even need to - it's music in the end, so a "i just don't like it" is still all we really need.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Consider the source, Robert.

?

What are you trying to say, Matt? Am i, or anybody else, not allowed to dislike something?

You're so vain. You probably thought Matt's comment was about you.

[fange]

Well, my hat IS strategically dipped below one eye.

[copehead]

I really like it
And, unlike Rayge, I think the main lyric is fantastic, one of the best in pop mmusic

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

Damn right

I don't even know what a gavotte is

[Dr Markus]

I remember we had drunken debate in the pub about if she's contradicting herself about the song not being about this person. I think I argued that it obviously is because she's singing about him regardless of what it's saying.

[naughty boy]