Carly Simon's 10 best songs, ranked

24 June 2026, 09:27

Carly Simon over the years. Picture: Alamy

By Mayer Nissim

Carly Simon is one of the all-time great singer songwriters.

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Singer-songwriter Carly Simon burst on to the scene in the 1970s with a string of absolutely massive hits.

She continued to write and record in the decades that followed, and made something of a surprise return to the studio with Come in Waves in 2026.

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If you're not sure where to start with Carly's back catalogue or just looking for a reminder of her very greatest moments, we've got you covered.

Below we've rounded up a couple of handful of Carly Simon's biggest songs.

From a Bond theme to duet with her then-husband James Taylor and plenty more besides, here's the very best of Carly Simon.

Haven't Got Time for the Pain

Haven't Got Time for the Pain

Written by Carly with lyricist Jacob Brackman, this single featured on Simon's 1974 album Hotcakes.
It featured Klaus Voorman on bass and, on the album version the high notes were actually performed by backing singer Tasha Thomas because Carly was very pregnant with her first child Sally.
After Sally was born, Carly nipped back in to the studio to do the honours for the single version.
Anticipation

Carly Simon - Anticipation

The lead single, opener and title track of 1971's Anticipation (Carly's second album of that year), this single soared to number 13 in the charts.
Written by Carly, the rocky ballad has become an ever-present on her compilations, and even had a parallel life on adverts for Heinz Ketchup.
Why

Why - Carly Simon

Carly proved that she could roll with the changing decades when she hooked up with Chic in 1982, with the duo producing 'Why' and Nile Rodgers writing it with Bernard Edwards.
The disco pop smash was actually recorded for the movie Soup for One, and while that movie has been forgotten, this song definitely hasn't.
That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be

Carly Simon - That's The Way I Always Heard It Should Be - 1971

'That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be' was Carly's debut single and opener of her debut album Carly Simon.
Written with Jacob Brackman, it was a hell of a way to launch a career. A lyrically complex, musically gentle pocket masterpiece, it got to number ten on the Billboard chart and got things going for Carly.
Coming Round Again

Carly Simon - Coming Around Again (Official HD Video - Extended Version)

'Coming Round Again' was written by Carly for 1986 movie Heartburn and was a global hit, going top 20 in the US and as high as number 10 in the UK.
With its big 80s sounds and emotional swoops, Carly liked it so much she not only included it on her own album the following year, but even named the record after the song.
Jesse

Carly Simon - Jesse (Live On The Queen Mary 2)

This country-tinged break-up/make-up song ("Don't let him near me" / "Jesse, quick come here") led the way on Carly's 1980 album Come Upstairs.
The song went to number 11 in the charts and would eventually go gold, selling over a million copies.
Mockingbird (with James Taylor)

Mockingbird - Carly Simon & James Taylor

Nearly all of the songs on this list were written solely by Carly, with a couple of co-writes present too.
Not 'Mockingbird', which was written by and originally performed by Inez and Charlie Foxx, being based on the the old lullaby 'Hush, Little Baby'.
James Taylor brought the song to Carly Simon and their gorgeous duet becme a massive hit in 1974, with a later live version being played at the legendary No Nukes Concert, accompanying live album and concert movie.
You Belong To Me

You Belong To Me - Carly Simon

Carly Simon wrote the lyrics for 'You Belong To Me', with the music being written by Michael McDonald.
It was originally recorded by McDonald's band The Doobie Brothers for their 1977 album Livin' on the Fault Line but it's Carly's version from the following year's Boys in the Trees that was the proper pop hit.
Featuring James Taylor on backing vocals, that mix of Carly's style with a touch of Doobies made for a lush bit of blue-eyed soul.
You’re So Vain

Carly Simon - You're So Vain

A witty loop of an all-timer lyric ("You're so vain / You probably think this song is about you"), Carly did eventually reveal that the song was about three guys and, yes, one of them was indeed Warren Beaty.
She said it wasn't about Mick Jagger (though he did pitch in with some uncredited backing vocals). It's a sleek, sly soft rock masterpiece that topped the US charts, went to number 3 over here and picked up all the accolades.
Nobody Does it Better

Carly Simon - Nobody Does It Better - The Spy Who Loved Me (Official HD Music Video)

'Nobody Does It Better' is a bit of an odd fish as a Bond film. It doesn't sound like classic 007, it isn't named after the film, and the lyrics don't really tie into the story line.
But that doesn't matter one jot. Songwriter Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager crafted what Radiohead's Thom Yorke once claimed was "The sexiest song ever written", and crucial to that was Carly's wondrous, sexy, sultry performance.
It was only kept off the top spot in the US charts by Debby Boone's 'You Light Up My Life' and went to number seven in the UK and was nominated for a Grammy, Golden Globe and an Oscar (though scandalously missed out on all three to - again 'You Light Up My Life').