Understanding You're So Vain

[@SavageGreywolf]

The secret of who You're So Vain is about is that each verse is about a different person, but they're all so vain that they'll think the whole song is about them.

[@corb805]

12:01

[@mattdeblassmusic]

I can rest easy knowing this song is not about me

[@MrSaverio97]

Well I thought the song was about me at first...

[@marlin2131]

can you?

[@darkseraph2009]

Were you so vain to think it was?

[@lucidous]

I thought this was a youtube video...WOAH!!!

[@joeb3590]

I can't

[@themorrigan1312]

Oh my gods, that "HEY!" made me jump. I've heard time and again that you do/did metal vocals, but *damn* that was powerful

[@kevinberstler]

The first time I heard him loud. Haha

[@andylatham4277]

You know you're on the right track if you're writing a song and you casually drop the word "gavotte." I aspire to one day write a song this good.

[@sdarryg]

Made me think of "bagatelle" in the James Reyne song"Hoochie Gucci Fiorucci Mama"

[@Boddissatva]

I looked up gavotte. I was close to the definition

[@Oswald927]

Also, Mick Jagger is on backing vocals in the chorus

[@BryceRogers_]

I can’t believe he missed that. It was a huge source of confusion that adds to the doubtful mood

[@gabriell.1437]

@@nathanjayson5137 wow! Took about 15 minutes but it really stole my private information and drained my bank account! :D

[@danielbuchanan1564]

That's right! I remember that fact! Was he one of the three men? :O

[@jonnuanez2843]

Having Mick Jagger sing backing vocals in the 2nd chorus adds perfectly to the mystery cause talk about someone so vain. He thought all women were singing songs about him. Plus he was at the height of his stylized manner of singing-Exile era-and so it adds a sarcastic, tongue-wagging effect from him. And yes I think he would walk into parties wearing apricot. (Edit: I just noticed that after the very first bass line, before the song starts, she whispers "son of a gun". I wonder what that has to do with)

[@dolfan13jmb]

Son of a gun, look who showed up.

[@sasukesarutobi3862]

I remember when a British radio station had a charity auction prize of being told by Carly Simon personally who the song was actually about (after signing an NDA, of course)

[@danielbuchanan1564]

You broke this down masterfully as all ways. There is no "sus" or "dim" chords. You can play this in first position on guitar, but it's all over the place. Tension build, then the chorus pay off. I love 12tone!

[@ManateeOnRye]

I always read the line of "about you" meaning that if you thought this song was about any guy you were wrong- that it's really about her and how she was treated by the guy(s) she's describing. It's about her heartbreak and dashed dreams rather than the guy despite her deep descriptions of the guy

[@mcwulf25]

That was the line that hooked me as a child. It sounded like a tease to my ten year old ears and it still sounds like a tease today.

[@mcwulf25]

I mean, I didn't even know what vain meant!

[@almostshawn3230]

The genius is that (from what I've heard, take it with a grain of salt) is each verse is about a different person. The song is about multiple people, but they all think it's about them and *only* them

[@mcwulf25]

@@almostshawn3230 I hadn't heard that but it's a clever twist.

[@VerityCandle]

That's exactly how I read it. The person/people described in the song see it as being about them - their actions, their flaws. But it's not. It's about her and how she felt.

[@evelynminer8568]

Thank you for subtitling these!

[@carlflyman]

Thanks for a great video mr. Elephant! Your storytelling and analysis is top notch, which makes it great fun following along with. Keep on rocking with your videos 😸

[@zbr76]

It is definitely one of rock's greatest masterpieces, and it's no stretch to say one of THE GREATEST songs of all time! Thank you for deconstructing the genius!

[@DC_Prox]

I never noticed that bit about the three different iterations of the piano lick in the intro, and now it's my favourite thing about this song.

[@FooFighter193]

I love the anticipation of "Don't you, Don't you". And the harmony; F Am G that can resolve to either C or Am. If you sing that part and go to verse it's perfect, but you can also go back to the chorus and it sounds great.

[@claire_foley]

Love this analysis! This is one of my favorite songs and I'm really glad you did this video on it :D

[@JurgMudveins]

Blood for the blood god, skulls for the skull throne, comments for the algorithm!

[@simong1666]

Bits for the bit lord, the great decider of the next video!

[@adriatic.vineyards]

Ye

[@WaterShowsProd]

I never knew Klaus Voormann played bass on this song. He's definitely not vain and probably never once thought the song was about him.

[@mcwulf25]

This was one of my favourite songs as a child. There was something very playful about it and I am still attached to it today. Thanks for the analysis. I understand it really is Warren Beatty though.

[@Bacopa68]

It's Warren Beatty, or James Taylor, or those other guys. She trolled them all. This is the best troll attempt ever because it hit the charts in the seventies. You may be a troll, but you'll never be a Carly Simon troll. This song was the ultimate troll. And also the ultimate dis verse. Did any other dis verse call out so many by not naming them? BTW, the harmonic analysis was good. I liked it. I learned something .

[@OuryLN]

Couldn’t be Taylor since it predates him

[@sassycat]

John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep" says hi.

[@marvelboy74]

Thank you for recognizing her talent.

[@Shordanna]

This particular song was one of my favourite songs to sing along to after some of my more particularly difficult partnerships, whether serious or "casual"

[@yomega69]

The G chord at the end of the chorus also has an E in it (making it a 6 chord) but that E is the 5 of Amin, which is the strongest note suggestion of chord change back to A min

[@CSXIV]

The opening lyric (You walked into the party/like you were walking onto a yacht) says without directly saying it "this guy has a face begging to be punched."

[@BubbaBearGames]

That part, from "Excuse me" to "Is this thing on?" To "HEY!!" gets me laughing every time.

[@tonygairomusic911]

Expert and absolutely clever analysis. Loved this.

[@DojoOfCool]

That record was produced by Richard Perry who was the hot producer of the time. That was the days of tape and no computers everything done by hand and Richard Perry did many takes of tunes and would edit them together. It said he averaged 40 edit per song that's a lot of worn out razor blades and splicing tape. Hell of a song and record.

[@dfinma]

Amazing analysis! I knew the song was a masterpiece 50 years ago and now I see it's a masterpiece. Where did you get the isolated tracks?

[@skrijgsman]

'You don't even remember being in A minor' That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[@LifeOfRiley2166]

Any thoughts on the use of gavotte in this song? I know it's a dance style, but is specific to certain meters.

[@palestrinachoirschool2314]

In the Renaissance dance Suite the Gavotte was done by the man to show off his dancing skills and impress all of the women

[@dylanjeffers7028]

Amazing song! Great choice 12tone, I love your videos.

[@Boycicle]

I love seeing these analysis type videos. I always am introduced to new music or learning cool, deep, interesting things about music I already like!

[@BiaAloise]

This is one of my favorite songs ever, thanks for the video, It translates so well what I've always felt about it...!

[@josephivenegas]

"Sound painting" - i love it.

[@efrazable]

You're So Vain has cool theory behind it, but I think Let the River Run might be her most musically complex song, and I love it

[@isaganipalanca8803]

One of the greatest pop songs!

[@johnpalagye7036]

Hi, amazing analysis, any insight on what some of the words or expressions and the song referred to, like clouds in my coffee?

[@sesamebay]

I loved your drawings so much that they distracted me from listening to your analysis 😅

[@stevensines7026]

Your videos are fascinating to watch and listen to, but it always leaves me with questions. What do you start with, the dialog or the video and how do you decide what to draw and where?

[@MarkLawsonY3K]

From Devin..... wow , so much to understand, so little time. Like the book by Bryson "short history of everything".

[@chriswitmer9754]

Won a Trivial Pursuit game once by knowing it was Nova Scotia where he flew to see the total eclipse of the sun.

[@arsenicjones9125]

I’ve waited my whole life for this

[@ZipplyZane]

10:59 Are you sure about your analysis there? That doesn't sound like a G chord to me. I hear a pretty strong E in the chord, and feel it wanting to resolve back to an F chord. So it sounds like E minor to me.

[@lp-xl9ld]

Ever heard the version of this song done by the cast of THE ODD COUPLE (Tony Randall and Jack Klugman?) Hysterical!

[@caleguillory5451]

Verse one is about Nick Delbanco Verse two is about Warren Beatty Verse three is about Joe Namath. Mystery almost solved. I say almost because there was a fourth verse that was written but never made it into the song A friend of yours revealed to me That you loved me all the time Kept it secret from your wives You believed it was no crime You called me once to ask me things I couldn’t quite divine Maybe that’s why I have tried to dismiss you Tried to dismiss you and… Who is that unused verse about?

[@grewalparminder2003]

One of the best songs of all time.

[@AnneTDote]

Amazing video!! love it!

[@Skip6235]

Anyone else hear "House of the Rising Sun" when they started describing the chord functions around 6:50?

[@amandahammond2691]

*they

[@Skip6235]

@@amandahammond2691 My apologies, I didn't mean to use improper pronouns. Thanks for the correction!

[@amandahammond2691]

I do also here it, too.

[@westofthedawn]

Does @12tone prefer gender neutral pronouns? Not arguing, I just wasn’t aware.

[@westofthedawn]

@@amandahammond2691 never mind, my wife suggested checking their Twitter bio and you are correct: they/them

[@Boddissatva]

This proves sings notes and lyrics are deliberate

[@jehmarxx]

It's passive-aggressiveness with joyful trumpets.

[@RJFerret]

Writing, publishing and performing a public song is FAR from "passive"!

[@jehmarxx]

@@RJFerret You didn't understand. I was referring to the overall tone of the song. You know, passive-aggressive tone.

[@chilecayenne]

I like that you can pretty plainly hear Mick Jagger singing backup on the choruses.....but I think Carly has said he isn't the topic of the song, which he seriously could have been. One of my favorite renditions of this song was from the early years of Saturday Night Live...where at one point, they pull back the camera and you can see Chevy Chase playing a Tamborine or something and he's donning an apricot scarf.

[@Hawking1969]

hey! The guitar solo is cool too. Wish you mentioned it.

[@bernardoestrela6029]

an absolute classic! Carly Simon is amazing

[@FelixWheatfield]

I always thought "you probably think this song is about you" was one of the most scathing lines I've ever heard.

[@wyattstevens8574]

Simon has revealed that verse 2 (prechorus ending "clouds in my coffee") is about Warren Beatty, but the other verses are still secret!

[@nursebridgie]

I would listen to / watch you dismantle Carly Simon all day!

[@likebot.]

Over the last half decade I've met or observed thousands of these people. The ones not suffering Munchausen's were Gumpers. Funnily enough, two or three of them actually walked the walk!

[@TrumpetMeta]

I've always thought that the song was actually about her all along, and the reason you're so vain is for thinking it's not about her, it's about you.

[@janspup6232]

Many songs have tried, none have succeeded

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

Whenever I hear this song it mostly makes me think of a cheesy NIN lyric that references it. I guess that's just how my brain works :)

[@liquidsolids9415]

Or, maybe...”apricot” was just a word that rhymes with “yacht”! Seriously, thanks for another great video. Really enjoyed it, as usual!

[@Laurabeck329]

except it doesn't

[@QobelD]

Great vid... but wouldn't she be reveling in the impact of the thought "Have I been just assuming she was thinking about me? Wait is it NOT about me, and I'm just the center of my own attention (not anyone elses?) Am I just more pathetic for feeling someone elses song is about me?" "Am I the lesser of the vain men in her life?"

[@andylatham4277]

I'm sure she is. This song is a masterclass of clever songwriting.

[@FlorissMusic]

wasn’t supposed to tell you this but it’s about me

[@heikkikuivala6870]

You can think that the tonic of the song is C, so E being minor not major makes completely sense. Even if you wanna keep A minor as a tonic, it is more common in western popular music that the fift is minor.

[@Haights]

When he said *H E Y* I felt that

[@maplebob23]

Do you think Carly thought she was up for a role in a Godzilla movie but then found out Toho went with Nick Adams instead and then Dan O’Bannon heard the song and wrote Alien with Carly in mind for the Ripley role? ‘Ripley’ being a cypher for ‘Carly?’ Or, maybe the song was about Dan O’Bannon all along and he wrote Alien to mock her?! But then, how does Godzilla fit in? Maybe when they made love she would often complain on how Nick Adams got the role she was after and Dan broke up with her because she couldn’t let it go? So, I propose the song is both about Godzilla and Dan O’Bannon. And, maybe Nick Adams too.

[@shaman9]

The song is about her (as in, her choices of partners)

[@huckthatdish]

I’m so vain, I bet I think this song is about me

[@saranonimus9211]

Precisely.

[@PollyW326]

Mick Jagger is the man in verse 1. Apricot scarf and hat strategically dipped below one eye? Having one eye in the mirror watching himself as he would "gavotte"? SO MICK. Which makes it funny that he's on backing vocal here. Someone downthread mentioned that the Stones song "Starfucker" was a reaction song to Carly. So yeah that all makes sense. She's since revealed that verse 2 is about Warren Beatty.

[@dolfan13jmb]

It's about me. The whole song is about me, and i did, indeed, gavotte.

[@AndrewWatson401]

Didn't know that Carly played piano on this! But I did know that apricot rhymes with yacht...

[@singerofsongss]

Okay my stupid neurodivergent relative pitch skills feel compelled to point out the G/A being a beautiful and unique chord that is also seen in Joni Mitchell’s “The Arrangement.” My very limited music theory instinct says there’s probably a similar thing going on there

[@lostinthemasses]

5 days and only 13k views. WTF?

[@freesk8]

Thanks! :)

[@CoffeePoints]

is this the video that you had to edit the whole thing at last minute?

[@ChemBoy613]

There’s the jpop chord changes here... 4 5 3 6 in the b section. Worth a video

[@b0000kify]

No dissection of 'You're So Vain' is complete without Gritty

[@timkramar9729]

It's about Carly Simon, or the songwriter. The song is about that person, not the person described in the song.

[@greg7656]

i'm obsessing over the vampire fingernails

[@coyote4237]

Thanks.

[@whiskeywolfgang]

The Rolling Stones' "Star Fucker" was a revenge song on Carly Simon

[@TheWolfboy180]

huh? What did she do to deserve that?

[@jasonremy1627]

@@TheWolfboy180 she dated Jagger during the writing and recording of "You're So Vain". "Starfucker" almost directly quotes "You're So Vain" so he leaves almost no mystery as to who it is about.

[@WaitingForTheHook]

That G is definitely an Eminor or at least a G6

[@theragingplatypus4743]

Now, go back to your response video to Rick Beato that today's music is just as complex as it was decades ago and do an analysis of a song showing it is this complex! I'll give you some suggestions: WAP, My Humps... You've made a great argument against your own case.

[@immortalcoils93]

No way she had most of this in mind.

[@JammyGit]

I always thought it was common knowledge that the song was about Warren Beatty 😎👍

[@Eddythebeast666]

Its about herself... when she sings "You're so Vain..." She is talking to herself... Her own vanity... Wondering why she is with someone who is only with her because she looks good next to them... That is the thing, SHE is only with him because HE looks good next to her... Its HER vanity.. he is a mirror of her own behavior. She is playfully mocking herself as she teases her partner... There are only two people in the relationship so if its not about the other person.... Its her realization that her vanity put her there.

[@andercert70]

The song is about the singer. John Lennon once said that the attack songs he wrote we're really about him, he chose a target for his vitriol, but deep down they were about him and his own insecurities and faults. That is how I have always interpreted "You're so Vain". There are details about various men in in the lyrics but what the song is about is what Carly went through when she was with each of them. It's about her hopes for the relationships, that turned to clouds in her coffee as they dissolved.

[@larrypower8659]

Paralysis by analysis.

[@mikelewis495]

This song is definitely about me.

[@geoffstockton]

Excellent video but I don’t care that it’s not the point. She wrote it about James Taylor.

[@KimSE4]

*applause*

[@QobelD]

This song's talking about the me in all of you.

[@Richard_Jones]

I think it's about me.....probably.

[@hoangkimviet8545]

I am so vain because I don't try to understand.

[@Sierrahtl]

It’s a shame that dudes don’t have more respect for this song.

[@westernnoir4808]

I thought the lyric was You're so Lame. Or maybe that's just what I thought about this tune.

[@dougarnold7955]

Awesome vid. Thanks. 👍 ...it's probably an atheist song about god. The three separate men in the three verses are the father son and holy spirit!

[@Scifiguy11th]

Comment for algorithm. Check out the mountain goats cover. It's great

[@kriscontinuum3267]

The song is ultimately about her.

[@arimago]

why did i confuse Carly Simon for Wendy Carlos.....

[@lordxtheth2634]

Hm... I always thought the song was about me... didn't I?

[@whatthefridge1o1]

We used to sing. This to my brother lmao