Carly Simon is one of the greatest songwriters and performers from the 1970s and is still active. She collects awards and accolades, and it all started in 1971 with the two albums Carly Simon and Anticipation.

Carly was born in a wealthy family and from young age had meetings with her parents’ friends, artists such as Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II and George Gershwin. It came as little surprise that she and her sister Lucy tried their turn in music. They spent the 1960s playing together, but after Lucy quit, Carly moved on solo.

The very shy Carly originally hoped to write her songs and not necessarily perform them alone. Thankfully she changed her mind. Her first solo LP, called simply Carly Simon had the beautiful and sad That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be that went to the top 10. In only nine months, still in 1971, Carly released a second album, Anticipation, reaching Gold Records as well as a Grammy as Best New Artist. It was just the beginning.

More than 50 years and 30 albums later, as well as seven books and many awards, she is a bonafide icon.

From her 1971 LP, That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be launches a series of autobiographical songs that would be so characteristic of her. It sings about her parents’ divorce and some friends too. Most of all, it brings the freshness of a female point of view about marriage, her doubts and sadness, something that wasn’t yet in vogue to speak freely about and for that same reason sort of became a feminist anthem.

You say it’s time we moved in together
And raised a family of our own, you and me
Well, that’s the way I’ve always heard it should be
You want to marry me, we’ll marry

In November, Anticipation came out and it was an even greater hit. The title song was written for Cat Stevens, in only 15 minutes, as she waited for him to go out in a date.

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin’ me late
Is keepin’ me waitin’
And tomorrow we might not be together
I’m no prophet and I don’t know nature’s ways
So I’ll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here ‘cause these are the good old days

Anticipation is followed by another classic, Legend In your Own Time. Carly never really cleared to whom this one was for although some suspect it was also for the same Cat Stevens.

You’re a legend in your own time
A hero in the footlights
Playin’ tunes to fit your rhyme
But a legends only a lonely boy
When he goes home alone

Anticipation was followed by many other critically acclaimed and awarded albums. Theme for a future post…

Here’s a playlist with 20 of Carly’s hits