You're so Vain by Carly Simon mystery man

[Steely Dan]

I was always under the impression from back in the day *70s* ...that the song was written about Warren Beatty.....
Mind you...I just skimmed thru some of the posts here.....so this could have been suggested...or I could be WAY off base...
I don't know if they even knew each other...I'm sure they knew 'of' one another.....but what about David Gates of Bread....fits the David...fits the 'pretty' ...they were successful about the same time ...
The reasoning for me is...the 'David' mention...and the B...R...E...A....*I don't know where that came from but read it in the very first post*....Add the D from David to those 4 letters...you actually get the band name....
Anyways.....just a thought! Smack me with a wet noodle but it just 'struck' me...haha...

I think she said he's not known as David.

 

[Steely Dan]

Well here's the Youtube video I made about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecXFFA1N86M&feature=youtu.be

 

[Dark Knight]

I think she admitted not too long ago it was Warren Beatty. It was clear enough that when I played the song on the radio, that's what I went with, I remember. I didn't think it was up for speculation, anymore, actually!

 

[Steely Dan]

I think she admitted not too long ago it was Warren Beatty. It was clear enough that when I played the song on the radio, that's what I went with, I remember. I didn't think it was up for speculation, anymore, actually!

She said it's a little about Warren, but the song has characteristics of three people, I'm assuming one is the main guy, Charles William Donaldson. JMO

 

[Dark Knight]

Actually, I think the song is about me.

 

[Steely Dan]

Actually, I think the song is about me.

Geez DK, I had no idea you were so vain.

 

[SurfieTX]

I'm reading Me, The Mob, and The Music, by Tommy James (of Tommy James and the Shondells). It's a stretch, but Morris Levy could be a candidate. He was vain, flamboyant, bred racehorses, was a mobster (hence knowing his horses would win) and was a womanizer. He was also Jewish and might have interacted with the same social circles as Carly's family. When did Carly first hold a charity event to reveal the name? Levy died in 1990.

ETA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Levy

 

[SurfieTX]

Interesting tidbit I just read in the above mentioned book:

One day in 1971, I walked into Roulette to see Morris. Karin told me Morris wasn't there. "Well, when is he going to be back?" "He won't be back for a while," she said. "Well, then I'll see him tomorrow." "He won't be back tomorrow, Tommy." "Is he up at the farm?" "No," she said. "I think he has left the country." "What!"

Back history is the Gambinos were taking over in NYC, and the Genovese family was being hit hard. Morris (AKA, Moishe or Mo within the record industry) was indebted to the Genovese family and was in danger.

Italy is south of France.

 

[SurfieTX]

Photo of a 1971 Learjet. I think the Genovese family probably had access to a Learjet back in the day.

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000316637L.html

 

[SurfieTX]

Trident Studios who produced Carly's first album:

Their decision to start their own venture was partly due to the fact that they wanted to be their own bosses and partly because Morris Levy had just sold out to US giant CBS records, leaving the pair with some uncertainty about their future employment. As was often the case with the music industry in the '60s, there was no grand design or meticulous planning involved in their decision.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct08/articles/soundtechniques.htm

 

[SurfieTX]

Released November 1972
Format 7" single
Recorded Autumn 1972, Trident Studios
Genre Soft rock[1]
Length 4:19

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You're_So_Vain

 

[SurfieTX]

Levy sued John Lennon after their release of Abbey Road as recorded by Trident studios. It was a very long legal battle.

http://www.abbeyrd.net/lenlevy.htm

 

[Bernina]

[h=1]Carly and Lucy Simon on Music, Fame, Sibling Rivalry and, Yes, James Taylor[/h]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/fashion/carly-and-lucy-simon-on-sibling-rivalry-and-yes-james-taylor.html?emc=edit_th_20150426&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=58395070

PG: Between that and Carly writing “Anticipation” while waiting for a date with Cat Stevens, did you two know any not-famous people?

I didn't know this, and I was/am a huge Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam fan.:blushing:

Thought the article would have something about "You're so Vain"...........nope!

 

[wfgodot]

Zzzzzz Dept.:

Carly Simon finally reveals who’s so vain (avclub.com)

 

[LinasK]

Does anyone else find themselves humming this song throughout the day? I've caught myself several times lately lol!

I still have this album I think.

 

[bluesneakers]

Zzzzzz Dept.:

Carly Simon finally reveals who’s so vain (avclub.com)

I thought that song was about ME.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I thought that song was about ME.

:loveyou:

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

So Carly, who was your vainest Lover?Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger - even Jeremy Irons. Carly 'You're So Vain' Simon's memoirs reveal the astonishing A-list notches on her bedpost

Carly Simon's lovers include some of Hollywood’s most infamous studs

Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Kris Kristofferson and singer Mick Jagger

She now confirms at least one of You’re So Vain's verses was about Beatty

Boys In The Trees: A Memoir by Carly Simon is published on December 3

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...shing-list-notches-bedpost.html#ixzz3sUh0wjuo

 

[bluesneakers]

What if each verse is a different guy and she's telling each one he thinks the song is about him? Like guy one gets a verse, then gets mocked, Warren gets a verse, then gets mocked, guy three gets a verse, they all get mocked. So she's singing a song about three different guys, but each one is so vain he thinks the entire song is about him?

Forgive me if this has been discussed before! I haven't kept up with this research and this idea just came to me while I was trying to figure out how only one verse could belong to Warren.

"I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee" has always been one of my favorite lyrics.

 

[daisymae]

I can't believe she is 70! When I was in my 20's, I went to a JT concert. He and Carly walked onto the stage singing Mockingbird together and we were so excited as she wasn't billed to be there!