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The Essential Carly Simon: Ranking Her Top 20 Songs

Carly Simon won the best New Artist Grammy in 1971, and over the next couple of decades gave us some the greatest songs for the soundtrack of our lives.

Today is her 69th birthday, so let's take a look back at her career and rank her greatest songs. These 20 slices of life are a good place to start your Essential Carly Collection.

20. GIVE ME ALL NIGHT

Year: 1987

ALBUM: Coming Around Again

CHART PEAK: #61

Carly's 1987 comeback Coming Around Again was one of the greatest albums of the 80's, and revitalized her career. The second single "Give Me All Night" found her in great form, confident and strong.

19. THE RIGHT THING TO DO

Year: 1973

ALBUM: No Secrets

CHART PEAK: #17

The follow-up to "You're So Vain," she wrote it for new love James Taylor: "It was actually one of my absolutely undisputed songs about James, written three months into our relationship."

18. NOT A DAY GOES BY

Year: 1981

ALBUM: Torch

CHART PEAK: N/A

Carly's first album of standards, Torch, was the most maligned of her career, but she proved to be ahead of her time. Her version of Stephen Sondheim's "Not A Day Goes By" is achingly beautiful.

17. ATTITUDE DANCING

Year: 1975

ALBUM: Playing Possum

CHART PEAK: #21

First single from Playing Possum, it was Carly at her sassiest, and featured backing vocals by Carole King.

16. HAVEN'T GOT TIME FOR THE PAIN

Year: 1974

ALBUM: Hotcakes

CHART PEAK: #14

Carly is moving on from your bullshit, ya bastard.

15. KISSING WITH CONFIDENCE

Year: 1983

ALBUM: Dancing For Mental Health

CHART PEAK: N/A

Photographer/Singer Lynn Goldmsith took on the stage persona of Will Powers to record the 1983 album Dancing For Mental Health, and with Nile Rodgers, Steve Winwood, and Todd Rundgren wrote "Kissing With Confidence," with an uncredited Carly on lead vocals.

14. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY

Year: 1983

ALBUM: Hello Big Man

CHART PEAK: N/A

1983's Hello Big Man was a commercial flop, but it did give us two songs for this list. "It Happens Everyday" is a perfect breakup song, simple and straightforward, but heartbreaking.

13. THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF

Year: 1987

ALBUM: Coming Around Again

CHART PEAK: N/A

Another shimmering pop gem from Coming Around Again.

12. TIRED OF BEING BLONDE

Year: 1985

ALBUM: Spoiled Girl

CHART PEAK: #70

Carly hit a commercial low in 1985, when Spoiled Girl peaked at #88 on the album chart, becoming the lowest-charting album of her career. It was her one and only album for Epic records, who hired eight! producers to bring her a new sound. It didn't work, but it did give us "Tired Of Being Blonde."

11. ANTICIPATION

Year: 1971

ALBUM: Anticipation

CHART PEAK: #13

Carly's second single narrowly missed the top ten, but is thought of every time someone opens a ketchup bottle.

10. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO

Year: 1983

ALBUM: Hello Big Man

CHART PEAK: #83

One of her most underrated singles, it screams "1983" and that's a very good thing.

9. JESSE

Year: 1980

ALBUM: Come Upstairs

CHART PEAK: #11

The first single from Come Upstairs, it was Carly begging her friends to keep her away from some smooth-talking ex ... but old habits die hard.

8. YOU BELONG TO ME

Year: 1978

ALBUM: Boys In The Trees

CHART PEAK: #6

The first single from Boys In The Trees, it was, sadly, her final top ten hit.

7. WHY

Year: 1982

ALBUM: Soup For One

CHART PEAK: #74

This one-off for the soundtrack of Soup For One is one of the greatest buried treasures of Carly's career. Produced by Bernard Edwards/Nile Rodgers, it was unlike anything she had recorded before.

6. LET THE RIVER RUN

Year: 1988

ALBUM: Working Girl

CHART PEAK: #49

Winning the Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy, it's one of the crown jewels of Carly's career. It was also her final entry on the Hot 100.

5. NOBODY DOES IT BETTER

Year: 1977

ALBUM: The Spy Who Loved Me

CHART PEAK: #2

Spending three weeks at #2, it was Carly's second biggest hit, and one of the great movie theme songs of all time.

4. THAT'S THE WAY I ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE

Year: 1971

ALBUM: Carly Simon

CHART PEAK: #10

The song that started Carly's career, it's still haunting over 40 years later.

3. COMING AROUND AGAIN

Year: 1986

ALBUM: Coming Around Again

CHART PEAK: #18

Carly made a huge comeback thanks to Mike Nichols, who asked her to provide the score for Heartburn. Two of the songs, "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Coming Around Again' provided the basis for her 87 album. It's Carly at her most ... hopeful.

2. YOU'RE SO VAIN

Year: 1972

ALBUM: No Secrets

CHART PEAK: #1

Her signature song, and only #1 (for three weeks). We know that the Vain man has an "E" "R" and "A" A-Ha! it's Warren Beatty! Or Mick Jagger! Or maybe it's just a composite of different men. But that's not as fun to speculate.

1. VENGEANCE

Year: 1979

ALBUM: Spy

CHART PEAK: #48

Spy was Carly's last album for Elektra records, and was a huge commercial disappointment. But it contain what I think is the greatest Carly song. "Vengeance" showcases Carly at her best. Defiant and assured, she's had it up to here, ya bastard. Rock perfection! Oh, and Tim Curry sings backup!

Bubbling under the Top 20: "All I Want Is You," "My Romance," "Legend In Your Own Time," and I suppose "Mockingbird," but it gives me a headache.

Okay, Your turn! What's in your Essential Carly Collection?

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