Spinner

Meanest Love Songs: No. 5

'You're So Vain'
--Carly Simon (1972)

The Kiss-Off: "You probably think this song is about you"

Did she mean Mick Jagger, who sang backup? Simon, who has otherwise remained cagey about this mystery, suggests no. Cat Stevens or Kris Kristofferson, both of whom she dated? Says here the odds-on favorite is ex-flame Warren Beatty, who undoubtedly, in those years, had one eye in the mirror as he watched himself gavotte.

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beebee

Definitely was about David Geffen. She re-recorded it not too long ago, and apparently (not very audibly) whispered "David" it the background.

January 24 2011 at 8:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ryderj99

Ok guys, I'm from the future to tell you that Carly revealed the object of the song was.........David Geffen. Yeah, David Geffen, go figure.

January 22 2011 at 11:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike

When Carly wrote her memoirs a couple of years ago, she admitted that the subject of the song was not James, not Warren...but David Geffen.

January 20 2011 at 11:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
frank

she told howard stern who the song was about when she appeared on his show. (not on air) he has not spilled the beans.

May 29 2010 at 1:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
vampsgotsoul

Carly never even MET JT when she wrote this song! How OLD are y'all anyway.

February 11 2010 at 7:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
SamBlob

The song is about... her, and how she feels after he dumped her, whoever he is. It might even be a hypothetical situation, without an actual "him" at all.

October 04 2009 at 11:46 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lena

It could be about Mick or Warren, both are vain as hell, and she had brief flings with them both, hell it could be a combination of the two!! You do know that she'll probably take the answer to this one to the grave.

July 26 2009 at 5:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
denise

funny i was going to mentioned that janet jackson sampled this song your so vain for her son of a gun track and in light of carly's lyrics on this song, i guess it could be about mick, I felt it was either about mick or beatty but not JT

July 22 2008 at 1:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
denise

Pinner you sure did miss the point of this song, this is an awesome song, i think out of all these songs on here, this one had the most comments and the song I bothered to comment on, i heard this song is either about beatty or JT, I can't imagine its about JT because he seems like a nice guy but who knows, I really think its about beatty, I heard this as being confirmed a few years ago, beatty is really arrogant to in real life

July 22 2008 at 1:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kelli

Around 1991, Carly sang on a song with Janet Jackson called "Son of a Gun." This song I believe is sort of a "You're So Vain" part two and may hold the key to the mystery. Carly mentions the name "Mick' at least twice on it. So I personally believe this song is about Mick Jagger.

July 21 2008 at 11:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Kelli's comment
missdne

That song "Song of a Gun" is on Janet's 2001 album All For You.

September 22 2009 at 4:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply