Boys In The Trees album cover

Carly,
I think my favourite album cover is Boys In The Trees. Where was that shot? Did you ever get a say in the look of the album? It seems to me like every cover photo reflects the mood of the album. Big love, Charlotte West - Manchester UK

Charlotte,
It was very much the idea of Deborah Turburville, the photographer of that cover. I had a totally different idea which I'm glad she didn't listen to. I actually would have done something silly like asking to be photographed in a childsized bed with big huge trees outside looking threatening. Very surreal. As it turned out, it is surreal, but with grace and with less particularity or specificity to the lyric. Love, Carly - 7/14/03

We Your Dearest Friends

One of the greatest qualities of your songs is their ability to make the listener think. The quintessential Carly Simon composition conjures a distant memory, tweaks a raw nerve, poses a dilemma, or explores an emotion from a new and different angle. Your songs are to be not just for the ears -- they demand the listener's mind. It's an amazing achievement you've repeated countless times.

No song of yours accomplishes this more adroitly than "We Your Dearest Friends," from the CD entitled "The Bedroom Tapes." Here, your gift for pointed sarcasm suggests a songwriter's pen dipped in arsenic. Obviously, you knew that such edgy music could be a bit off-putting, and yet unforgetable. What inspired this most ingenious composition? Mark Lincoff - Fort Lauderdale, FL

My, what a compliment. The inspiration was paranoia itself. I, imagined the conversation that was being had internally or in actuality, about me by some friends (?) of mine.

It made me feel good to write it. As if I could survive such a vicious attack in some form of musical retribution, an attack that I might be completely imagining. I could even survive the paranoia, if that's what it was. Does that kind of answer it? Love Carly - 7/9/03

The Villanova Concert with Dad

Dear Carly,
I wanted to share with you a memory that will forever be in my heart. Approximately 1978 you were appearing at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. I was 16 at the time and a huge fan! My family was just sitting down to dinner on a Sunday night and my dad was reading the paper, saw a notice about your concert and mentioned it to me. I immediately begged to go (knowing how infrequent your live performances are).

We live about two hours from Villanova and the concert was only 3 hours away. But my dad, wonderful man that he is, got on the phone to Villanova, only to be told the concert was sold out. We sat down to dinner, but I was so upset tears were running down my face. My dad looked at me, told me to run upstairs and change clothes, and within minutes we were speeding to the concert. It is the only time in my life up until and including today my dad has ever exceeded the speed limit! When we got there, my precious dad went up to every security guard and begged them to let me in, he was willing to wait outside. He told them what a long way we had come, hoping someone would let me sneak inside. Finally, my dad found someone with two extra tickets, and we were both able to enjoy your wonderful show.

Since that night, I have been privileged to see you three more times, but the memory of that night with my dad is by far the most special. I have tears in my eyes writing about it 25 years later! My dad and I both still love your music. I really just wanted you to know how you were such a big part of a wonderful memory. When I think about my dad, that night shows what a truly special guy he is, and what I lucky girl I am to have him for a father! Love and best wishes, Eva Dawson - Egg Harbor Township, NJ

Dear Eva,
What a wonderful letter and the memory of that Villanova concert is fixed in my mind. You won't believe it, but because my concert appearances are so infrequent, I remember them almost to a note. I think that was the one where I came out on stage wrapped in toilet paper!!!!! I can't quite remember why I told the audience I was wrapped in toilet paper, but I'll tell you. It was out of sheer terror. I had to take the focus off myself and do something utterly ridiculous that would preoccupy the audience.

Oh well, I was young and silly and loved to sing and hated to perform live in front of audiences, but I wonder about the toilet paper thing. If you have any memories about it, write back. I'm glad in any case you got in and give your father a hug for me. Love Carly - 7/4/03

Not A Day Goes By

Hello Carly,

Not A Day Goes By is possibly the best song you have ever recorded, how did you come to find out about this amazing song from Stephen Sondheim?

When I listen to this song it resonates so much with me, having experienced what is happening to the character in the song. No other version of this song I have heard captures the raw emotion of the song that your version does. It is almost as if I can hear your heart breaking in the middle of the song on the high note. Where did all the emotion come from?

Thank you for the song, and all of the standards you have ever covered they are some the true gems of your carreer. Paul O. - Oak Grove, MN

I have to sound like the biggest obnoxious person in the world when I tell you that I actually learned the song from the composer himself. S.S. taught it to me and then came to the recording session. I was desperate to please him but also couldn't look at him while I was singing, so I sat down in the vocal booth and he sat in the control room crying. I hope he was weeping tears of recognition. Certainly I do everytime I hear the song. I think it is one of the great songs in our vocabulary and I'm proud that you think I have done it justice. Love Carly - 7/2/03