Only part of Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain' is about Warren Beatty

Yes, Carly Simon's 1972 hit "You're So Vain" is about actor Warren Beatty, Simon admits in a new autobiography, Boys in the Trees. But only the second verse ("You had me several years ago when I was still quite naïve/Well you said that we made such a pretty pair/And that you would never leave..."). There are three verses to the song, so who are the other two guys? She won't say. Why not? "I haven't told either of them that it's about them, so it would be too much of a shock, too much of a cold, calculated thing to put it in the book without them knowing," Simon told USA Today.
That means that Beatty has known for years that the song is, in fact, at least partly about him. ("Warren thinks the whole thing is about him!" she told People.) As for the guy who wore an apricot scarf and a "hat strategically dipped below one eye," or the fellow who flew his Lear jet to watch an eclipse in Nova Scotia and dallied around with "the wife of a close friend," well, before Simon's marriage to James Taylor (the focus of the book) in 1972 she was linked to a pretty famous roster of men, including Jack Nicholson, Kris Kristofferson, Cat Stevens, and Mick Jagger, who sings backup on "You're So Vain." You can try to figure out if any of them fit the bill for verse one or two in the video below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
There is a 'third state' between life and death
Under the radar Cells can develop new abilities after their source organism dies
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Is it worth getting an interest-only mortgage?
The Explainer Your monthly payments may be cheaper but the full mortgage amount will need to be paid back eventually
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: March 6, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published