Carly Simon was one of the most respected female singer/songwriters to emerge from the 1970s, but she notoriously suffered from severe stage fright. You’d never guess that, though, by watching some archival video of her first-ever live performance that aired on television.
Videos by American Songwriter
In July 1971, Simon took part in an all-star concert series in New York City headlined by The Beach Boys that was filmed for an ABC TV special titled Good Vibrations from Central Park.
Carly’s performance featured renditions of first two hits, “Anticipation” and “That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be.”
As seen in the video, Simon hit the stage delivered an inspired, note-perfect version of “Anticipation.” She began the tune unaccompanied, strumming an acoustic 12-string guitar, then was joined by her crack band, including Jim Ryan on bass and backing vocals.
Simon then moved over to piano for a passionate rendering of the melancholy, introspective “That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be.” The footage of the performance also revealed that Art Garfunkel and George Harrison were in attendance at the show.
The Central Park show also included performances by the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, Boz Scaggs, and Kate Taylor. It was part of the annual Schaefer Music Festival concert series. The special aired on August 19, 1971.
Simon’s Memories About the Performance
In a recent post on her social media pages, Carly shared some recollections about the event.
“The summer of 1971, I was recording at Morgan Studio in London,” she wrote. “I had to leave the process to come back to NY and be in the Shaefer Music festival in Central Park. It was very sophisticated, flying internationally for a concert. It was one of those moments that you consider: ‘Hmm, maybe I’m a little star?’”
Carly also noted, “George Harrison and Art Garfunkel were hanging out.” In addition, she recalled “reacting positively and being in awe of Tina Turner especially, the way only stars can react to other stars, with that wide eyed gaze open and hoping to learn something, knocked out, and feeling happy to be in the sorority.”
More About the Songs Simon Performed at the Concert
“That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be” was Simon’s debut single. At the time of the Central Park concert, the song was climbing the Billboard Hot 100, on its way to peaking at No. 10. The tune was featured on Simon’s self-titled debut album, which had been released in April of 1971.
The lyrics of “That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be” were written by Carly’s frequent collaborator Jacob Brackman. The song is sung from the perspective of a woman whose boyfriend has proposed, and although she agrees to marry him, she’s apprehensive because she sees how unhappy many married couples are.
As for “Anticipation,” the now-well-known tune wasn’t released until November 1971 as the lead single and title track of Carly’s second studio effort. “Anticipation” eventually reached No. 13 on the Hot 100.
Simon wrote “Anticipation” about her then-boyfriend Cat Stevens, who was late to pick her up for a date.
(Photo by Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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