Nearly 25 years before Sabrina Carpenter entered the world, Carly Simon found herself in a New York department store, basking in the success of her fifth album, *Playing Possum*. The upbeat single “Attitude Dancing” appeared poised to join the ranks of her previous hits like “You’re So Vain,” “Haven’t Got Time for the Pain,” and “Anticipation.” However, during her shopping trip, a woman recognized the album’s cover and confronted her. “She’d either seen a picture of it, or she knew someone who had the album,” Simon recalls. “And she said, ‘What were you thinking?’ Voices were raised.”
Last week, Carpenter revealed the divisive artwork for her upcoming album, *Man’s Best Friend*, featuring her kneeling with one hand extended toward a suited figure who is grabbing her hair. This image ignited widespread debate about whether it conveys female empowerment or inadvertently caters to male perspectives.
Simon understands the scrutiny all too well. Her own album cover from *Playing Possum*, released in 1975, boasts a similarly provocative vibe. The black-and-white photo shows Simon on her knees, fierce and enigmatic in a black negligee and boots, contrasted starkly with the joyful cover of her previous album, *Hotcakes*, where she appeared smiling and visibly pregnant. Reflecting on this transition, Simon shared, “If this works, it’ll also let people see that I’ve gotten my body back.”
However, reactions to the album’s cover were mixed, with fans and feminists engaging in heated discussions about its meaning. Rolling Stone reported that Sears, a major retailer at the time, considered not carrying Simon’s album. Meanwhile, Crawdaddy dedicated an entire review to the cover image instead of the music itself. Its significance endured, so much so that the negligee worn by Simon was featured in her exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame upon her induction in 2022.
The backstory of *Playing Possum*’s cover reveals an intriguing irony. It started innocently enough with Simon’s infant daughter, Sally, who was in a baby carrier while Simon browsed through lingerie at Bloomingdale’s. Sally playfully swiped a piece of clothing, which went unnoticed at checkout. When it came time for the photo shoot at Norman Seeff’s studio in Los Angeles, Simon wore the stolen item under her clothes. During the session, she spontaneously danced along to Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft,” which resulted in the iconic pose captured by Seeff. “It wasn’t done on purpose. It wasn’t a setup,” Simon recounted.
The selected shot, which showcased energy and movement, caught Seeff’s eye. “Here’s a shot that’s got some kind of energy to it,” he noted. The headless image, featuring Simon with a clenched fist, sparked controversy and revelation about its artistic implications. Reflecting on the artistic nature of black-and-white photos, Simon came to appreciate is transformative qualities.
Initial reactions from her inner circle, including then-husband James Taylor and producer Richard Perry, were supportive. Yet the public’s reception was more critical. A critic remarked, “How’s that for crashing the image of the sweet mother-to-be beaming on the cover of her last album?” Simon recalled even her mother questioning, “Carly, darling! What are you doing?” As debates swirled, media outlets called it one of the “sexiest covers that has ever known,” proving that controversy only bolstered the visibility of *Playing Possum*, which became Simon’s third consecutive Top 10 album.
Although Carpenter’s cover is not directly inspired by *Playing Possum*, Simon has noticed modern artists acknowledging her influence. Both Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo have performed “You’re So Vain” live, and influencer Addison Rae recently paid homage to Simon’s album *Boys in the Trees*. “I love it that the younger girls are discovering me, and that I’ve had attention from them,” Simon shared.
Regarding Carpenter’s artwork, Simon expressed her confusion over the backlash, saying, “She’s not doing anything outrageous. It seems tame. There have been far flashier covers than hers.” Citing The Rolling Stones’ *Sticky Fingers* as an example, she remarked on its more overt sexual attitude.
While Simon has not released a new album since 2009, she has been crafting new music over the past ten years. These songs, many produced by her son Ben, include “Howl,” which she describes as “a vengeance song about getting back at someone,” and “Mother of Pearl,” inspired by her daughter. Additionally, she co-wrote “Pity the Poor Man” with Natasha Bedingfield and composed music for a W.H. Auden poem. Rather than framing these creations within a traditional album, Simon intends to release them individually, noting, “We have 10 songs, an album’s worth, but you don’t really release albums now.”
As for advice to Carpenter on navigating her current scenario, Simon stated, “Any press is good press, so I wouldn’t worry about the press. And as far as her being salacious, I certainly don’t think it’s that. She’s so beautiful, and she should be proud of herself and the way she looks. I don’t see anything wrong with that.” Reflecting on Carpenter’s artwork, Simon playfully noted one detail: “I thought it was going over the line a little bit, touching the man’s knee. I thought she didn’t have to do that.”