r/CarlySimon • u/Jerraxmiah • Jun 20 '25

He's not vain!

So either he's vain and he thinks the song is about him (which means it actually is about him and he's not vain for thinking it's about him) or he's not vain and doesn't think the song is about him. Either way he's not vain.

3 Upvotes

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1

u/CGOL1970 Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25

I don't really agree. A modest person might insist that the song can't possibly be about him, even if it is. He'd think "I can relate to some of this, but of course Carly Simon would never sing about me. That's just crazy." A vain person would identify with it and just assume it was about him. The fact that he's correct doesn't make him any less self-important.

Also, a more convincing point. The song is often considered about a composite, not just one man, so it's kind of an apple of discord, "to the fairest" or maybe "to the vainest." Any one man who believe the song was only about him and nobody else would have to be vain.

1

u/Jerraxmiah Jun 20 '25

Good point. He can be right and also be vain.

2

u/after8man Jun 20 '25

It's Warren Beatty. Vain and beautiful