Long before our generation began writing songs and mystery “dis” tracks dropping lines and dimes about past lovers and love gone wrong, pop singer Carly Simon wrote a song whose tune is chanted down the musical pipelines and has even made it through mine and probably several other timelines: “I bet you think this ____ is about you” …(fill in the blank with “tweet,” “song” or whatever fancies your situation).
The fact of the matter is, the lyrics was quite catchy then as t’is now but back then the 64,000 question in pop music and popular culture was: Who the hell was Carly talking about when she sang “You’re so vain-you probably think this song is about you.”
Considering the fact that she dated the likes of (then) rumored ladies man and egomaniac Warren Beatty (long before dated Madonna and was evolving out of his egomaniac ways and got ‘centered,’ over himself, and settled with Annette Benning),
The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, James Taylor (with whom she was married from 1972 to 1983), actor Kris Kristofferson, Cat Stevens, tongues wagged and wonder “who” (even each guy wondered.
Notably, it was also suggested that the song was possibly about openly gay music exec David Geffen as, it was rumored Simon disliked him as he pushed her (then) rival-pop music star Joni Mitchell over her.
Although in 2010 the issue resurfaced and it was alleged [that] Carly said it was about Geffen, in 2015 a different tune is being sang and the fall guy indeed was who he himself (then) thought it was about: Warren Beatty.
Mystery solved, as the “free love” era pop singer and book publishing giant (Simon and Schuster)’s daughter Carly Simon told our friends at People regarding the song about her self-absorbed lover who walked into a party as if he was walking upon a yacht:
“I have confirmed that the second verse is Warren. Warren thinks the whole thing is about him!” Simon said.
You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you, goes the chorus. You’re so vain, I’ll bet you think this song is about you, don’t you, don’t you?
Verse 2:
You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive / Well you said that we made such a pretty pair / And that you would never leave / But you gave away the things you loved and one of them was me / I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee / Clouds in my coffee, and…
Welp. Sorry Warren. You can’t have the
Spitfire .
Media Maestro .
Writing Rhinoceros .
