Who did Carly Simon write "your so vain" about?

Question

I always thought it was Warren Beatty but my friend says it wasn't and that she has only ever told one person who she wrote it about.

Answer 1

"You're So Vain" is a song written by and performed by Carly Simon in 1972.

The song was a sarcastic profile of a self-absorbed lover. The song was a number one hit, and spawned what many fans consider to be the biggest mystery in the rock era. There has been much debate over who exactly the song was about. Popular guesses on the subject include Mick Jagger (who sang backing vocals on the song), Carole King, Cat Stevens, Warren Beatty, Kris Kristofferson, unfaithful fiancé William Donaldson and Simon's ex-husband, James Taylor.

Despite these guesses and many interviews asking who it was, to this day Carly Simon has never publicly acknowledged who the song is about, although she once commented in an interview that it was about "many vain men I've known in my life". This may make the line "you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you" more logically coherent than if it were about any single man.

Answer 2

It was Warren Beatty.... She said she woudnt reveal because it wouldnt be fair.....
The Washington Post - 1983

WP: Who was ‘You’re So Vain about? Mick Jagger?

Carly: No.

WP: Warren Beatty?

Carly: It certainly sounds like it was about Warren Beatty. He certainly thought it was about him - he called me and said thanks for the song….

WP: You had gone with him?

Carly: Hasn’t everybody?

WP: No.

Carly: That only means you haven’t met him, though at the time I met him he was still relatively undiscovered as a Don Juan. I felt I was one among thousands at that point – it hadn’t reached, you know, the populations of small countries….



FAME - 1989

For the record, Simon acknowledges the song is a little about Beatty; it's a composite of three men from her L.A. days. Warren, it seems, was not a particularly good boyfriend.

"And I never took him seriously," she says. "He was great fun and very, very, bright. But noooo ... as a boyfriend.

A lot of women like somebody who's that smooth. In the beginning Warren was pretty good at pretending he was only smooth on the outside and a bowl of jelly on the inside. But he doesn't do that secondary act very well now." Carly Simon.... It always seemed obvious to me she denied everyone but Beatty...she denied him once and then added she might be lieing...Besides of all the possiblities.. who is more likely than Warren Beatty?

Answer 3

saw this article on the net.

$50,000 to Learn Who's 'So Vain'
Wed Aug 6,10:56 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Carly Simon finally will reveal who the mysterious subject of her 1972 mega-hit "You're so Vain" is to raise money for a Martha's Vineyard charity, but to only one person for a winning bid of $50,000,

Actor Warren Beatty has long led the speculation over who was the subject of the song that hit No. 1 in December 1972, though Stones lead singer Mick Jagger and her husband at the time, James Taylor, have been mentioned as contenders.

On the NBC "Today Show" on Tuesday, NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol said he had won the bidding at Monday's Possible Dreams Auction to benefit the Community Services of Martha's Vineyard, where Simon makes her home.

Ebersol said he would ante up $50,000 to learn Simon's secret but the songstress is requiring him to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Simon, 58, once dated movie star Beatty, and Jagger sang back-up on the song.

Ebersol said Simon told him he could offer a clue as to the identity of the mystery man. "The letter 'E' is in the person's name."

Answer 4

Carly Simon has not publicly revealed who the song is referring to specifically.

Possible choices have included Cat Stevens, Mick Jagger, Chris Christoferson, James Taylor, and Wiliam Donaldson.

The only clues that have been revealed by Carly Simon are that the person's name includes the letters A, E, and R.

While this eliminated some candidates, the identity of the person remains a mystery.

Carly Simon had, in jest, even suggested that it was Watergate informant Mark Felt, a.k.a. "Deep Throat", who was the subject of the song.

Answer 5

It was wrote about Warren Beatty

Answer 6

Apparantely, the song was about Warren Beatty.

Answer 7

I'm sure it was Warren Beatty, that was the story when the song was first released

Answer 8

I heard it was Warren Beatty - but he had a lot to be vain about - he was beautiful in his day

Answer 9

I heard that some guy paid her $500,000 for the answer and he is prohibited from telling us. Guess we will never find out. I think it is Warren Beatty too. He was cute when he was younger!

Answer 10

Warren Beaty