Categories: LocalMusic

You’re So Vain David Geffen

The mystery of “You’re So Vain” By Carly Simon has been finally revealed. Over the past 38 years the identity of the man who the song was based on has remained a mystery until today. She has sold off the name in an auction before, and now she reveals publicly that is based on none other than media mogul David Geffen.

The song is not about a spurned lover apparently like so many people thought it was over the years. Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger, Kris Kristofferson, and Cat Stevens were all names that had come up over time. It seems that the song is primarily about Geffen who favored Simon’s rival Joni Mitchell over her.

The 64 year old singer has apparently reworked Geffen’s name backwards into the song. Although many people believe he isn’t the only one the song is about since, Simon has admitted on occasions it is more of a composite of people, rather than just one person.

I just have one question, how pissed is the guy who paid for the secret?

Lyrics, see if you see them in a different context now:

You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye in the mirror
As you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they’d be your partner
They’d be your partner, and

You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain
I’ll bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you? Don’t you?

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

You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain
I’ll bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you? Don’t you?

I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and

You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain
I’ll bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you? Don’t you?

Well, I hear you went up to Saratoga
And your horse naturally won
Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well, you’re where you should be all the time
And when you’re not, you’re with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and

You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain
I’ll bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you? Don’t you?

Blake Fehl

Member of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. Co-Founder of Saint Brewis and Review St. Louis. Digital Strategist by day, film/beer/hockey fanatic by night.

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