Anticipation (Carly Simon album)

Anticipation is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, in November 1971.

Anticipation
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1971
RecordedLate Summer 1971
StudioMorgan Studios, London, England
GenreRock, acoustic
Length37:23
LabelElektra
ProducerPaul Samwell-Smith
Carly Simon chronology
Carly Simon
(1971)
Anticipation
(1971)
No Secrets
(1972)
Singles from Anticipation
  1. "Anticipation"
    Released: 1971
  2. "Legend in Your Own Time"
    Released: 1971
  3. "The Girl You Think You See"
    Released: 1972

The title track and lead single, "Anticipation", became a smash top 20 chart hit in the U.S.; it was later used as the soundtrack for several television commercials for Heinz ketchup starting in 1973. The song relates Simon's state of mind as she waits to go on a date with Cat Stevens.[1] The album cover artwork is a photo of Simon taken by Peter Simon at the gates of Queen Mary's Garden in London's Regent's Park.[2]

The closing song, "I've Got to Have You" (written by Kris Kristofferson), was released as a single in Australia and reached No. 6 on the Australian charts in 1972.[3]

Reception and recording

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [4]

Writing in Rolling Stone, Stephen Davis gave a glowing review of the album. He called the title-track "a spirited examination of the tensions involved in a burgeoning romantic situation in which nobody has any idea of what's going on or what's going to happen." He also singled out the tracks "Our First Day Together", calling it "a quiet song, lovely and quite enigmatic, with a trace of the minor chord influence of Joni Mitchell," and "I've Got To Have You", calling it "an absolute clincher, an awesome description of the psychic ravages of gone-nuts, know-nothing love. As Carly performs it, it becomes a tour de force, and a stern reminder to those of us who might have forgotten that passion is the ruler of man, not reason. When Carly moans 'I can't help it ... I've got to have you,' we're being shown something so primal and so private that it takes your breath away."[5]

A more recent review from AllMusic's William Ruhlmann continued the praise. Ruhlmann rated the album 312-stars-out-of-5 and stated the album "found [Simon] extending the gutsy persona she had established on her debut album."[4] Cash Box described "The Girl You Think You See" as "a chart item any way you look at it," describing it as a "ballad with a rhythmic and lyrical twist."[6] Record World called it a "thoughtfully written and appropriately tuneful song."[7] In 1973, Anticipation was certified Gold by the RIAA, for sales of over 500,000 copies in the United States.[8]

On her experience of recording the album, Simon later said: "It was one of the best memories I shall ever have of recording. I had a band. The entire album was just that band (Andy Newmark, Jimmy Ryan, Paul Glanz) and myself. Cat Stevens did some vocals and there were strings on a few songs, but on the whole, it was sparse, and I loved it."[9]

Awards

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1973 Grammy Awards Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female Anticipation Nominated [10]

Track listing

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Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[11]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Anticipation"Carly Simon3:19
2."Legend in Your Own Time"Simon3:45
3."Our First Day Together"Simon3:29
4."The Girl You Think You See"3:07
5."Summer's Coming Around Again"
  • Simon
  • Jim Ryan
  • Paul Glanz
4:10
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Share the End"
  • Simon
  • Brackman
3:58
2."The Garden"
  • Simon
  • Brackman
4:08
3."Three Days"Simon3:19
4."Julie Through the Glass"Simon3:23
5."I've Got to Have You"Kris Kristofferson4:45
Total length:37:23

Personnel

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Charts

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AlbumBillboard (United States)[12]

Year Chart Position
1971 Billboard 200 30

Album – International

Year Country Position
1971 Australia[3] 12
Canada[13] 36

SinglesBillboard (United States)[12]

Year Single Chart Position
1971 "Anticipation" Adult Contemporary 3
Hot 100 13
"Legend In Your Own Time" Adult Contemporary 11
Hot 100 50

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[14] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Anticipation". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Anticipation". Musical Maps. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Anticipation". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
  5. ^ Davis, Stephen (23 December 1971). "Anticipation review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  6. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 1 July 1972. p. 18. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. 1 July 1972. p. 12. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  8. ^ "American certifications – Carly Simon". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Timeline 70's". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Carly Simon". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  11. ^ Anticipation (booklet). Carly Simon. Elektra. 1971.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ a b "Carly Simon – Chart history". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  13. ^ "CAN Charts > Carly Simon". RPM. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  14. ^ "American album certifications – Carly Simon – Hotcakes". Recording Industry Association of America.
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