Never Been Gone

Carly Simon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 2009)
• Original Release Date: October 26, 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Iris Records Label
• ASIN: B002OFWFZM
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,648 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The new album revisits songs originally written throughout Carly's extensively long and productive career. With new largely acoustic arrangements, the CD was recorded at home on the island of Martha's Vineyard. Carly's son Benjamin Taylor was the originator of the idea and Carly willingly (though sometimes hesitatingly) complied and lived up to the dare. Carly, Benjamin and the rest of the producers, known as Paphiopedilium , chose the songs, most of which were Carly's best-known and commercially successful. In the CD's generous liner notes is an explanation not only of the word Paphiopedilium , but an explanation of the reworking of each of the songs. Carly hopes that even without these notes, the music will speak for itself.

We are proud to give Carly's fans old and new, a brand new look at ten of her best loved, well-known songs as well as two never-heard-before surprises.


NEVER BEEN GONE includes "You're So Vain" , "Coming Around Again" , "Anticipation", "Let The RiverRun" , "You Belong To Me", "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be", "It Happens Every Day", "Never Been Gone", "Boys In The Trees", and "The Right Thing To Do" along with new songs "No Freedom" and "Songbird".

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good album, though Ben's arrangement was amatuerish at times, November 1, 2009

By 

B. DiGiorgio (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Never Been Gone (Audio CD)

This album is, largely, good. I've been a Carly fan since her first album in 1971. Yes, her voice isn't as strong as it once was, but, overall at 64, it's damn good! The two major disappointments here are "It Happens Everyday" and "You're So Vain," which are both terribly flawed by hokey background vocals by Carly and others. In "Everyday," that happens to be Carly screeching something about girls packing their suitcases to live in friends' SoHo apartments. It's like a fingernail on a chalkboard. And her son's hokey and poor arrangement, with background vocals repeating "give it to the girls" is laughable and, together, these flaws ruin a song I believe is one of Carly's best from "Hello Big Man." The other real disappointment is "You're So Vain," again flawed by a hokey background vocal about "I need more cow milk." Just hokey, cheap and sounding like it was recorded in a garage. Come on, Ben and Carly, you can do much, much better! Because Carly has distinguished herself from her contemporaries and the motley crew of sleazy songstresses of today, I guess we expect more from her, which may be unfair.

The new songs are good, "Ain't No Freedom" and "Songbird." I wonder when "Ain't" was wrtten. The first part of "Songbird" is obviously a demo recording from '70 or '71, and the second part is Carly recording anew. It works well. I think the two best cuts are "Never Been Gone," and "Let the River Run." Both are beautiful. Carly's voice sounds strong and the melodies are beautiful. "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" and "Anticipation" are both very good and, IMHO, more upbeat than the orginals, though I love the originals. All in all a good album, flawed by a couple of really hokey, stupid arrangements, that stick out like sore thumbs and cast a negative influence on the entire album. Too bad, because otherwise this could have been a four-star or even five-star IMHO. Looking forward to some new Carly material which, I hope, isn't flawed by any future hokey arrangement.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing all over again, October 27, 2009

By 

Nancy Brewerton "presenttenses" (spain) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Never Been Gone (Audio CD)

I have never written a review here, but have read my fair share. In my opinion, this is one of carly's best work in years. Her vocals sincere, moving and heartfelt. The influence of her son Ben, probably made for some of the playful touchs here and there. I have listened to Carly ALOT, for more years than I care to say. Let's just say from day one. She shines here and sounds like she really enjoyed this labor of love. 5 stars. Buy it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasurable listen, February 22, 2010

By 

Skywalker30 (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Been Gone (Audio CD)

I agree with the amateurish sound review, but I love the fact that the album sounds as if you had invited Carly and children home and Ben grabs the guitar after dinner. Very intimate sound, great surprising rearrangements. Careful, this review comes from a guy that prefers the bonus Acoustic tracks on the "Carly Simon - A Moonlight Serenade On The Queen Mary II" with just the guitar player and her daughter, more than the actual concert.