Scar

I am mainly writing because I wanted to commend you on your terrific web site and your use of the web as a vehicle to reach your audience. It's very impressive. I also wanted to tell you that I think your song Scar is one of the most powerful and courageous pieces of music I've ever heard. I gasped with ... I guess admiration the first time I heard you sing "a really big man loves a really good scar." Brava. But I wondered when I heard the song if it's tough on you to write so boldly about something so personal?

I was also wondering how the wonderful Rankin Sisters ended up collaborating with you on The Bedroom Tapes.

While I'm asking questions, can I ask after your son Ben's career? I've heard a few of his songs on the Internet and would love to have the chance to buy some of his music. Will the opportunity arise anytime soon? Be well. Helen, Toronto, Canada

A To answer you about Scar, it is that kind of writing I am unintimidated by. I keep on seeing us all as if from the moon and it seems odd to think we would be very different from each other. I would write about nearly anything given the boundaries of poetic license. It would be different if I were being utterly factual and including intimacies about other people in my depiction's, emotional, physical, spiritual or otherwise.

The Rankin sisters came to sing on "The Bedroom Tapes" because David Field, one of my collaborators on the producing end, knew them and invited them down to the Vineyard where we were doing vocals. They are absolutely great to work with and adorable to know.

Ben is gardening. Planting trees and singing songs. One seems to lead to the other. He is writing and also working with John Forte on his new CD. Mainly he's on the VIneyard and working forty acres with a mule (no kidding). Of course there is also a horse and also two sheep, two dogs and one cat. Lots of ticks. Carly Simon - 4/28/01

Smokey Robinson

I once heard you say that you were recording with Smokey Robinson. Did that ever happen? Richard Zimmerman - Los Angeles, CA

I went down to Atlantic City to meet Smokey Robinson. I was so hopeful, but time wise it didn't work out when push came to shove. I don't think in retrospect, that we ever talked beyond that one time in AC. Carly Simon - 4/27/01

Songs to update

With the release of "Son Of A Gun" imminent, what other songs of yours would you most like to update? JP - Manchester, MA

I would like to re-record "Attitude Dancing" also "In Times When My Head" (just for starters). Carly Simon - 4/26/01

You're The Love Of My Life

Are the random items that you mention in the song, "You're The Love Of My Life" truly representing the simple things that you love or were you just randomly writing items down? ..... Michael Fagone - West Roxbury, MA

I talked to Nora Ephron who was the director of the movie: "This is my Life". I asked her what she thought the character would love. She brought many of the ideas to me. I just rearranged and rhymed them and then got credit for writing the song.

I remember writing ukeleles and fireworks when I had already played the song on a ukelele and liked the way it sounded. Lilac are of course one of my favorite blossoms and who doesn't like them? (Standing ovations was substituted for chocolate egg creams which was the original lyric). Carly Simon - 4/23/01

Son Of A Gun

"Son of a Gun" sounds like fun - I'd love to hear Carly revisit that song. I'm curious as to how it all came about - I wonder if Janet had to get permission to use the song and if that dialogue resulted in Carly being asked to perform. Jack - London England

I got first inkling of an interest through the usual link: a lawyer. Luckily mine was on the ball and interested and quick on his feet. He called me and made mention of the fact that Janet had recorded it and was going to call it: "son of a gun."

She needed sample clearance. I asked that Janet call me and she did that night. She could not have been sweeter or more appreciative. I said I would prefer to re-record everything that might otherwise have been sampled. Why get Elektra involved and potentially hold up the process.

So, Jimmy Jam sent me their tracks and I went into a local studio here on the Vineyard and recorded about ten new tracks worth of material. The rap was spontaneous and I didn't think they would end up using it, but they did and I couldn't be happier about it. It was the kind of fun you don't necessarily count on having. Carly Simon - 4/17/01