Great Rock Albums of 1987: Carly Simon- Coming Around Again

Don’t panic, 80smetalman has not gone easy listening! Truth is that when I started writing down albums for 1987, I had a sh*tload of metal albums but not many rock albums. Fortunately, my good buddy Damien, emailed me with a list. Some of them you’ve already read about such as Cher and Foreigner. On the list was the 1987 album from Carly Simon titled, “Coming Around Again.” It’s no secret this album passed me by back then, I was too focused on heavy metal, although I recognize the title cut, which was a big hit for Carly in both the US and UK.

Thinking with my elder head, I know that the album would have still received a listen and brush off in 1987, though I wouldn’t have hated it. After all, applying what I know now to what I didn’t back then, this is a good easy listening album with some great musicianship. Like Cher, a huge army of musicians assist Carly in making this album as good as it is. Some even played on Cher’s album. But at the time, it wasn’t hard enough, so it still would have not captured my attention.

Where “Coming Around Again” might have come into play would have been at the turn of the century when I found myself thrust back in the dating game. This album would have been great in showing ladies my ‘softer side.’ Would they have been impressed? I can’t say. I know when I met the woman who would become Mrs. 80smetalman, we bonded over Aerosmith. Actually, I just asked her about her thoughts on Carly. She gave me a funny expression and stated that her only experience of Carly Simon was her monster early 1970s hit, “You’re So Vain.” However, she did say that Carly has a great voice.

Apart from her magnificent singing voice, something I always said Carly had, her song lyrics are very topical and from the heart. Unlike many other singers, she does write her own songs, at least most of them on this album. “Coming Around Again” is about a separated couple where the father makes his visits to see his children. Again, at the turn of the century, I would have identified with this. “Two Hot Girls (On a Summer Night)” is about two young ladies going on a night out but the one girl gets all the attention from the men while the other is ignored. The song is from the point of view of the latter. Then we get to the closer, “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” This is my favourite nursery rhyme of all time, although I know it as “Incy Wincy Spider” and when I work as a substitute teacher in an early years unit, if it’s not suggested for the children to sing, I suggest it. Carly’s voice combined with a children’s vocal group take what would normally be an amusing song and make something colossal out of it. Well done Carly!

Track Listing:

1. Coming Around Again
2. Give Me All the Night
3. As Time Goes By
4. Do the Walls Come Down
5. It Should Have Been Me
6. The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of
7. Two Hot Girls (On a Summer Night)
8. You Have to Hurt
9. All I Want is You
10. Hold On To What You Got
11. Itsy Bitsy Spider

Carly Simon

Carly Simon- lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboards, piano

There are so many musicians who play on the album, I’d be forever naming them all. Here’s a few to highlight:

Stevie Wonder- harmonica on track 3, Carly even says “Play it Stevie” in the song

Tony Levin- bass

John McCurry- acoustic guitar

Both of the above also played on Cher’s album.

Russ Kunkel- drums

Peter-John Vettesse- keyboards

Okay, I’m sold and it’s not even me mellowing with age. “Coming Around Again” is a great easy listening album. Well done Carly Simon! On the other hand, none of the songs knock “You’re So Vain” off the top spot as my favourite Carly Simon song. Still, all the tracks are better than “The Spy Who Loved Me” from the 1977 Bond film.

Next post: Jethro Tull- Crest of a Knave

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsw@hotmail.com