Carly Simon (album)
Carly Simon | ||||
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Studio album by Carly Simon | ||||
Released | February 9, 1971 | |||
Recorded | 1970–1971 | |||
Studio | Electric Lady Studios, New York City, New York, U.S. | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 38:26 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Eddie Kramer | |||
Carly Simon chronology | ||||
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Carly Simon is the debut studio album by singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released in February 1971 by Elektra Records. The album was produced by Eddie Kramer, who had previously worked with Joe Cocker and Jimi Hendrix.
The album included her first Top 10 hit, "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be", a somber ballad centered on a woman pondering marriage with a sense of both inevitability and entrapment; the song was written by Simon and collaborator Jacob Brackman. The album features material written by Simon, with additional writing by Brackman, Kramer, and Freddy Gardner. The album also features two covers of songs by Mark Klingman and Buzzy Linhart.
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
Robert Christgau | C− [2] |
Rolling Stone | (positive) [3] |
Uncut |
Reception
Carly Simon was mostly well received by critics when released. Timothy Crouse, writing in Rolling Stone, stated "Carly's voice perfectly matches her material" and her "...superbly controlled voice is complemented by deft arrangements." Robert Christgau was not as pleased. Grading the album a C-, he wrote "I suppose it makes sense not only for the privileged to inflict their sensibilities on us, but for many of us to dig it." In more recent years, William Ruhlmann, writing for Allmusic, gave the album a three and a half star rating out of a possible five, and stated "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" and "Dan, My Fling", were the stand-out tracks.
In a retrospective assessment, music scholar Kim Simpson deemed "That's the Way I've Always Heard it Should Be" an "early soft rock masterpiece."[5]
Simon stated in the Ask Carly section on her website that "Reunions" was her mother's—Andrea Simon—favorite song of hers.
Awards
Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
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1972 | "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" | Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female | Nominated |
Carly Simon | Best New Artist | Won |
Track listing
Side one | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" | 4:15 | |
2. | "Alone" | Simon | 3:36 |
3. | "One More Time" | Simon | 3:32 |
4. | "The Best Thing" | Simon | 4:14 |
5. | "Just a Sinner" | Mark "Moogy" Klingman | 3:10 |
Side two | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
6. | "Dan, My Fling" |
| 5:28 |
7. | "Another Door" | Simon | 3:16 |
8. | "Reunions" |
| 3:06 |
9. | "Rolling Down the Hills" | Simon | 3:35 |
10. | "The Love's Still Growing" | Buzzy Linhart | 4:14 |
Total length: | 38:26 |
Personnel
- Carly Simon – vocals, guitar, piano
- Jeff Baxter
- David Bromberg
- Tom Caulfield
- Ed Freeman – string arrangements (1, 8, 10)
- David Givens
- Paul Griffin
- Jerry Jemmott
- Jimmy Johnson
- Tony Levin
- Billy Mernit
- Steve Merriman
- Doug Rauch
- Pat Rebillot – string arrangements (2)
- Jimmy Ryan
- Harvey Shapiro
- John Siomos
- Frank Steo
- Jim Wilkins
Technical personnel
- Producer: Eddie Kramer
- Engineered and Mixed by Eddie Kramer and Dave Palmer
- Art Direction and Design: Robert L. Heimall
- Cover Photography and Poster: Peter Simon
- Back Cover Photo: Joel Brodsky[6]
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
Year | Chart | Position |
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1971 | Pop Albums | 30 |
Album - International
Year | Country | Position |
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1971 | Australia | 55[7] |
1971 | Canada | 17[8] |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
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1971 | "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" | Adult Contemporary | 6 |
1971 | "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" | Pop Singles | 10 |
References
- ↑ Ruhlmann, William. Carly Simon at AllMusic. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert (August 19, 1971). "Consumer Guide: Carly Simon". The Village Voice. Retrieved 7 November 2011. Also included in "Carly Simon > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
- ↑ Crouse, Timothy (April 1, 1971). "Carly Simon > Album Review". Rolling Stone (79). Retrieved 7 November 2011.
- ↑ "Carly Simon Carly Simon > Review". Uncut. Retrieved 23 December 2009.
- ↑ Simpson, Kim. Early '70s Radio: The American Format Revolution. A&C Black. p. 89. ISBN 978-1-441-15758-4.
- ↑
- ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ↑ "CAN Charts > Carly Simon". RPM. Retrieved 4 January 2015.