No Secrets

"You're So Vain" has become Carly Simon's calling card, and rightly so, as the song never fails to charm with its moody pop-rock groove and wry, mysterious lyrics about a self-obsessed lover. But the rest of the singer/songwriter's 1972 album plays out like a nuanced series of short stories. The strings-sweetened "The Right Thing to Do" is a mature relationship confessional (reputedly about Simon's then-new beau, James Taylor), while the piano-based ballad "The Carter Family" showcases her knack for unpacking personal history in song.