Boys in the Trees - Simon, Carly (CD 1988)

I remember when I was a little girl of six years old; Carly Simon had a hit song, "You Belong To Me". I listened to the radio a lot back then and enjoyed so many of the pop confections that were on the airwaves. It was a time that was untainted by MTV and VH1. It mattered a lot less what an artist looked like. Talent mattered more than what met the eye. Carly Simon is, no doubt, an attractive woman. Would she have made it so big had she come of age in the era of music videos? I don't know. Carly Simon is reputed to have once had serious troubles with stage fright. In any case, she was hot in the 1970s and her album, Boys In The Trees came along in 1978... when I was six years old.

Fast forward to 1991. I was a nineteen year old college sophomore and it was the day after Christmas. I didn't have much money (still don't), but I spotted Carly Simon's album, Boys In The Trees at my favorite music store. It had been years since I had heard "You Belong To Me" and I was eager to hear that infectious groove one more time. I purchased the CD and took it home. I listened to it, marveling at all of the great musicians who were playing along with Carly Simon-- then husband James Taylor, saxophonist David Sandborn, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston's mom, Cissy Houston, and the late, great, pianist Don Grolnick. What's more, Carly Simon wrote or co-wrote nine of the eleven songs on Boys In The Trees.

The track list on Boys In The Trees includes the following:

1. You Belong To Me- Fans of the Doobie Brothers might recognize this song, which was co-written by Carly Simon and Michael McDonald. It was a decent sized hit back in 1978 that was recorded both for this album and by the Doobie Brothers. It has since been covered by Anita Baker on her 1994 album, Rhythm Of Love. I think I like Carly Simon's version the best, as she sings lyrics that suggest a desperate, possessive love. She demands that her lover tell his other girlfriend that he belongs to Carly. The music is intense and it suits the lyrics perfectly; David Sandborn contributes a sax solo that makes this song sound a bit dated; nevertheless, this song was pure pop gold back in 1978.

2. Boys In The Trees- This is a gentle, contemplative song, with dreamy, poetic lyrics that make this song sound almost like a novella. James Taylor and Jeff Mironov join Carly Simon on acoustic guitar, making this song sound multi-layered. In my opinion, this is one of the best songs on Boys In The Trees

3. Back Down To Earth- In 2005, this song sounds like classic 1970s Carly Simon. This is another quiet, reflective song, as Carly Simon sings about coming back to reality after an intense love affair. This is a short song, pleasant to listen to, but not among my favorites on this CD.

4. Devoted To You- Carly Simon and James Taylor sing this sweet song about neverending love and devotion, penned by Boudleaux Bryant. Taylor and Simon sound wonderful together and I really like this song, although I have to admit that the words become more poignant given the fact that after nine years of marriage and two children, the two split up and have virtually no relationship left. Carly Simon has said in interviews that she and James Taylor are joined only by the fact that they brought two children into the world. It's a pity that they don't speak to each other now, because this song is proof of how wonderful they sound together.

5. De Bat (Fly In Me Face)- This song, written by Carly Simon, is rather silly. It has a Carribean feel to it, right down to the lyrics which are written in such a way that suggest that perhaps Carly Simon might have been partaking of an illegal substance. The song is fun, creative, and different, which makes it an interesting change of pace on this CD.

6. Haunting- This song sounds very mystical and dreamy. The ethereal lyrics, coupled with the sweeping music is interesting, to say the least. This is not one of my favorite songs on this album, although I did notice that Carly Simon used part of this song on her 1997 album, Film Noir.

7. Tranquillo (Melt My Heart)- This song sounds very much like disco; which is surprising to me, since it was written by Carly Simon and James Taylor. Granted, it was 1978 and disco was king at the time-- it's just that neither Taylor nor Simon were disco artists. In any case, the words suggest that this song was written for Carly Simon's and James Taylor's son, Ben Taylor, who in 1978, was a year old. I like this song even though it does sound very disco (and if I'm right that it was written for Ben, I often wonder if Ben is embarrassed by it). The lyrics are touching as Carly sings about a little boy who melts her heart and won't get into bed. As heartwarming as the lyrics are, however, they are oddly matched with the disco flavored music.

8. You're The One- This song sounds a little more adult contemporary as Carly Simon sings about feeling a passionate, overwhelming love for her man. The music is very romantic and lush and the lyrics are heartfelt. I think most people listening to it today would be able to tell it was written in the 1970s, but it's not as dated as "Tranquillo" is.

9. In A Small Moment- This is an interesting song about a dishonest woman who passes off her behavior as no big deal. The song doesn't really sound like preaching-- instead, it almost sounds like Carly Simon is detached, watching the woman as she commits her minor indiscretions. Again, this song is a bit dated sounding, although I think it's one of the better ones on this disc.

10. One Man Woman- This is a James Taylor creation and it sounds it, using classic James Taylor phrasing. The words suggest a woman who is angry that another is trying to steal her man. It also suggests a woman singing about a man with a wandering eye, whom she has to rein in and force to stay home. The song sounds like rock and roll, albeit with more of an adult contemporary sound.

11. For Old Time's Sake- Written by Carly Simon and Jacob Brickman, this is a pleasant song for the end of an album. It's very gentle, wistful and sweet, as Carly Simon sings lyrics that suggest temporarily reuniting with an old lover for just one night-- for old time's sake. The music is acoustic, written in waltz time as it softly escorts listeners to the end of Boys In The Trees.

To be honest, when I first listened to this CD as a nineteen year old, I wasn't all that impressed with it. I thought it was kind of boring and sounded dated. Now that I'm almost thirty-three years old, I've found that this disc has grown on me. I wouldn't call this CD a blockbuster. In fact, to me, it's more of a sleeper, with songs that are like old friends. It's good to listen to over quiet conversation. The lyrics are included in the liner notes for those who are inclined to sing along.

Carly Simon's website: http://www.carlysimon.com/