Simon's career began with a short-lived music group with her sister Lucy as The Simon Sisters. They had a minor hit in 1964 called "Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod", and made three albums together before Lucy left to get married and start a family. Later, Carly Simon collaborated with eclectic New York rockers Elephant's Memory for about six months. She also appeared in the 1971 Milos Forman movie Taking Off, playing an auditioning singer, and sang "Long Term Physical Effects", which was included in Taking Off, the 1971 soundtrack for the movie.
Simon's major breakthrough was 1972's No Secrets. The album spawned several successful singles, including Simon's biggest hit, "You're So Vain". Simon continued to produce successful albums through the 1970s and early 1980s, moving into film scores after she was dropped by her record label in 1985. She performed the main title song for the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me - "Nobody Does It Better" which was a worldwide hit in 1977.
The Reason
Carly Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wouldn't kiss you 'cause I was afraid
That I'd like you too much
And if I liked you too much
I'd be afraid that I'd give you a present
And if I gave you a gift
You might give me a gift
And then I'd be afraid
The reason, there's always a reason
Behind the reason
When you look for a reason
A reason, I can give you a reason
And maybe you'll think
It's a really good reason
But I come up with the reasons
You asked me if I'd scratch your back
I wouldn't scratch it
'Cause I was afraid that I'd twist your arm
And if I twisted your arm
I'd be afraid that it would lead to passion
And if we got too drunk
We might fall out of the bunk
And then I'd be afraid
We would have a concussion
The reason, there's always a reason
Behind the reason
When you look for a reason
A reason, I can give you a reason
And maybe you'll think
It's a really good reason
But I come up with the reasons
Don't ever live with your real love
Stop before it starts
Real love will last much longer
Stay stronger living in your heart
Yeah, that's where it belongs, in your heart
The reason, there's always a reason
Behind the reason
When you look for the reason
The reason, I can give you a reason
And maybe you'll think
It's a really good reason
But I come up with the reason
I'll never have another chance
At the Parson's dance
He's gonna spank me
Gotta be an apple tree growing in the field
Gotta be at Frankie's place right now
Gotta be at Danny's house deja
Gotta meet a holy man
He'll be in the valley when Amelia tries to land
With his shirt off
I can never be in love, I can only be in heat
And I've never felt so, never felt so
Felt so never, felt so never
Never felt so hot
Carly Simon’s “The Reason” explores the complexity of intimacy and love through a series of reasons why she would not kiss or scratch the back of the person she desires. The song presents a series of reasons one after the other in a stream of consciousness style, and the reasons range from practical concerns to anxieties about entering a physical and emotional commitment. The logic behind each reason appears to be an attempt to contain the possibility of getting hurt, a fear of rejection or vulnerability, but also, it is a reflection of the internal anxieties that people can have in even the most casual romantic relationships.
The chorus of the song expresses this theme explicitly, “there's always a reason behind the reason when you look for a reason.” To Simon, it seems there is always more to uncover beneath the surface level of interactions, a fear, a desire, or a concern that hides within. However, in the final verse of the song, Simon acknowledges that real love still exists, and it belongs in your heart because it will last much longer and stay stronger.
Line by Line Meaning
The reason I wouldn't kiss you last night
I refused to kiss you last night out of fear.
I wouldn't kiss you 'cause I was afraid
I was afraid of developing feelings for you.
That I'd like you too much
I was scared of being deeply attracted to you.
And if I liked you too much
If I develop feelings for you, I'd be afraid of attachment.
I'd be afraid that I'd give you a present
If I become attached to you, I may start giving you gifts.
And if I gave you a gift
If I give you a gift, it may lead to expectations.
You might give me a gift
There's a possibility of receiving a gift in return.
And then I'd be afraid
I would be hesitant about expectations or future decisions.
That I wouldn't like it
I might not like the gift I receive and this could strain our relationship.
The reason, there's always a reason
Every action or decision has a reason.
Behind the reason
There is an underlying factor that influences it.
When you look for a reason
When you try to understand why things happen.
A reason, I can give you a reason
I can tell you why I did what I did.
And maybe you'll think
You may or may not agree with my reasoning.
It's a really good reason
It may seem like a logical explanation.
But I come up with the reasons
I am responsible for my own choices and actions.
You asked me if I'd scratch your back
You inquired if I would help you out.
I wouldn't scratch it
I declined to assist you because I was afraid.
'Cause I was afraid that I'd twist your arm
I was afraid of hurting you while helping you.
And if I twisted your arm
If I caused any bodily injury, it would cause conflict.
I'd be afraid that it would lead to passion
I was worried it would lead to some sort of romantic implication.
And if we got too drunk
If we intoxicated ourselves, it may cause irrational behavior.
We might fall out of the bunk
We might fall and hurt ourselves.
And then I'd be afraid
I would worry about the consequences.
We would have a concussion
We may suffer from a serious head injury.
Don't ever live with your real love
It is dangerous to live with somebody you truly love.
Stop before it starts
It's best to end things before they progress any further.
Real love will last much longer
Real, meaningful love will endure.
Stay stronger living in your heart
Your love should remain within you and not be acted upon.
Yeah, that's where it belongs, in your heart
Love should stay within your heart.
I'll never have another chance
The opportunity has passed.
At the Parson's dance
At a specific dance held by the Parson.
He's gonna spank me
A threat from the Parson himself.
Gotta be an apple tree growing in the field
An apple tree needs to be present in a certain location.
Gotta be at Frankie's place right now
I need to be at Frankie's location immediately.
Gotta be at Danny's house deja
I need to be at Danny's house as soon as possible.
Gotta meet a holy man
I have an important meeting scheduled with a religious figure.
He'll be in the valley when Amelia tries to land
The holy man can be found at a specific location at a particular time.
With his shirt off
The holy man will have his top half exposed.
I can never be in love, I can only be in heat
I cannot experience genuine love as I am only driven by physical desires.
And I've never felt so, never felt so
I have never experienced such intense feelings.
Felt so never, felt so never
It's a feeling I have never felt before.
Never felt so hot
I've never felt so passionately driven.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CARLY SIMON, DANNY KORTCHMAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind