Carly Simon’s Tell-All Pain

by Tom Miller

A nonfiction book called Girls Like Us chronicles the lives of folk-rock sensations Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon. The writer, Sheila Weiler, only managed to get firsthand interviews with Carly Simon for the book. And, according to the Miami Herald, it drudged up some painful memories for the songstress.

Shockingly, James Taylor had a relatively serious drug problem in the 70’s that made their relationship very difficult. Add the pressures of pop-rock-folk-singer-songwriter superstardom and it’s understandable why things didn’t go the distance.

Carly Simon goes on to mention that she and James Taylor no longer communicate and that his autobiographical DVD One Man Band makes no mention of her (it could have been time constraints, lots of good stuff gets left on the cutting room floor, right?). We can understand it, sometimes you don’t want anything to do with people that you spent painful periods with. But we’re pretty sure if Simon released ‘You’re So Vain 2008,’ this one would be about Sweet Baby James. Then again, pain’s pretty good motivation for writing in general and songwriting specifically. Their careers may not have blossomed without that their tough 11-year marriage.