Results: You're So Vain You Probably Think This Song Is About You
1.
1.
Carly Simon had a massive hit in 1972 with the song "You're So Vain", but what really got people talking was speculating who the song was about. Names of famous celebrities were tossed about -- James Taylor, Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, David Bowie, David Cassidy, Dan Armstrong, and Cat Stevens, but Carly never revealed exactly who was the subject of her song. About 10 years ago, Carly did confirm that Warren Beatty is indeed the subject of ONE verse, which left the subjects of the rest of the song in question. Who do you think the song was about?
Not familiar with the song at all
14%
•
189 votes
James Taylor
8%
•
105 votes
Warren Beatty
14%
•
192 votes
Mick Jagger
9%
•
125 votes
David Cassidy
2%
•
33 votes
David Bowie
3%
•
45 votes
Dan Armstrong
2%
•
24 votes
Cat Stevens
2%
•
33 votes
Several of the above
11%
•
151 votes
Another not mentioned
3%
•
42 votes
Not about any specific man--rather all men in general
39%
•
532 votes
Other (please specify)
3%
•
34 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 0.73% | 11 | |
| na | 0.13% | 2 |
| no idea | 0.07% | 1 |
| n/a | 0.07% | 1 |
| she stated who it was about, but i've forgotten who | 0.07% | 1 |
| Don't care. | 0.07% | 1 |
| dont know | 0.07% | 1 |
| i'm not sure | 0.07% | 1 |
| Don't know, don't care | 0.07% | 1 |
| all | 0.07% | 1 |
| me | 0.07% | 1 |
| don't care | 0.07% | 1 |
| who knows | 0.07% | 1 |
| michael eisner | 0.07% | 1 |
| I've heard the answer somewhere but can't remember where or who it was | 0.07% | 1 |
| have no idea | 0.07% | 1 |
| i dont knowe, i love the song but didnt know it was about anyone in particular | 0.07% | 1 |
| Hate that song | 0.07% | 1 |
| Jessie The Body Ventura! | 0.07% | 1 |
| don't know. haven't heard the song enough | 0.07% | 1 |
| david geffin, he was married to carole king | 0.07% | 1 |
| unknown | 0.07% | 1 |
| I don't know | 0.07% | 1 |
2.
2.
Carly wasn't the first, and definitely not the last singer to air their dirty laundry (so to speak) by singing about it. How many of these famous songs did you know were written about famous people? Coldplay 'Fix You' written about Gwyneth Paltrow
9%
•
116 votes
Foo Fighters 'I'll Stick Around' written about Hole front-woman Courtney Love
7%
•
93 votes
Leonard Cohen 'Chelsea Hotel No. 2' written about '60s icon Janis Joplin
7%
•
93 votes
Aerosmith 'Dude (Looks Like A Lady)' written about Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil
16%
•
212 votes
Don McLean 'American Pie' written about Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P.
34%
•
458 votes
Did not realize this about any of these songs
29%
•
396 votes
Do not know these songs
22%
•
304 votes
3.
3.
How about these songs--how many did you know were written about famous people? Ed Sheeran 'Don't' written about singer Ellie Goulding and, supposedly, One Direction's Niall Horan
6%
•
75 votes
John Mayer 'Paper Doll' written about Taylor Swift
10%
•
133 votes
Roberta Flack 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' written about singer-songwriter Don McLean
16%
•
216 votes
Derek & The Dominos 'Layla' written about George Harrison's wife, model Pattie Boyd.
15%
•
205 votes
Gwen Stefani 'Hollaback Girl' written about Courtney Love
8%
•
109 votes
Elton John 'Candle In The Wind' written about Marilyn Monroe
42%
•
569 votes
Did not know this about any of these songs
22%
•
293 votes
Do not know any of these songs
21%
•
278 votes
4.
4.
Perhaps no singer writes songs about other people quite as much as Taylor Swift, who likes to air her "dirty laundry" all over the music charts. Some of these are confirmed--others are heavily speculated, but all of them are definitely written specifically for a very real person. How many of these Taylor Swift songs are you aware were written about famous people?
'We Are Never Getting Back Together' -- about Jake Gyllenhaal
20%
•
271 votes
'Style' written about Harry Styles
11%
•
144 votes
'Mine' written about Corey Monteith
4%
•
56 votes
'Back To December' written about Taylor Lautner
9%
•
126 votes
'I Knew You Were Trouble' written about Harry Styles
14%
•
192 votes
'Dear John' written about John Mayer
14%
•
193 votes
'Better Than Revenge' written about Joe Jonas
5%
•
61 votes
'Begin Again' written about Conor Kennedy
4%
•
53 votes
'Picture To Burn' written about Jordan Alford
4%
•
57 votes
'Enchanted' written about Owl City front man Adam Young
2%
•
31 votes
'Forever And Always' written about Joe Jonas
6%
•
75 votes
Don't know any of these songs
32%
•
428 votes
Not aware any of these songs were written for specific people
33%
•
446 votes
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