Carly Simon
was among the
pop
royalty of the
singer/songwriter
era of the early '70s. This album collects her most popular songs of the first five years of her solo career. Opening with the powerful
"That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be,"
for which
Simon
received the 1971 Best New Artist Grammy Award, it includes four tunes from the classic
No Secrets
album, including the number one hit
"You're So Vain."
's duet with then-husband
James Taylor
on
"Mockingbird"
was also a Top Ten hit.
"Anticipation,"
with its classic "I rehearsed those words just late last night," and the repetitive coda "these are the good old days," though merely a ketchup commercial to a later generation, still retains its power here in the original version.
's insightful lyrics and evocative voice remain fresh years later. This album is a good starting point for those interested in discovering why. ~ Jim Newsom