Playing Possum

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Playing Possum
Playing Possum cover
Studio album by Carly Simon
Released April 1975
Recorded at Sound Labs, Sunset Sound Recorders, Crystal Sound, A&M Studios and Burbank Studios
Genre Rock
Length 34:48
Label Elektra
Producer Richard Perry
Professional reviews
Carly Simon chronology
Hotcakes
(1974)		 Playing Possum
(1975)		 The Best of Carly Simon
(1975)

Playing Possum is singer-songwriter Carly Simon's fifth studio album, released in April 1975. It was her third consecutive album to reach the top ten of the best-selling album charts, peaking at number 10 in June 1975. Singles from the album were not as successful. The biggest hit from the album, "Attitude Dancing," reached only number 21 on the Billboard charts despite featuring Carole King on backup vocals. A second single, "Waterfall," which featured prominent backing vocals by Simon's then-husband James Taylor, reached no higher than number 78. A third attempt, the single "More and More", was co-written by New Orleans pianist Dr. John, who also played piano on the track, but it peaked no higher than number 94. Nevertheless, the album remains a favourite of many of Simon's fans, and - as ever - the production by Richard Perry showcases her powerful voice to great effect.

Playing Possum is now best remembered for its remarkable cover photograph, which shows the erudite Simon & Schuster heiress wearing only a black negligee, stockings and knee-high black boots, as she dances on her knees with sensual abandon. Back cover and inner-sleeve photos continued the theme, which was considered moderately shocking in this decade before Madonna. The photographer was Norman Seeff [1], and the package became a classic example of album art. When the cover photograph was transferred from an LP to a DVD format, years after the album's original release, the top of Simon's head was cut off. The mistake has never been rectified.

Simon chose to include further photographs from the session in the booklets accompanying her three-CD boxed set, Clouds in My Coffee (1995), and her two-CD collection, Anthology (2003).

[edit] Track listing

All tracks composed by Carly Simon; except where indicated

  1. "After the Storm" – 2:47
  2. "Love Out in the Street" – 3:40
  3. "Look Me in the Eyes" – 3:34
  4. "More and More" (Mac Rebennack, Alvin Robinson) – 4:02
  5. "Slave" (Simon, Jacob Brackman) – 3:54
  6. "Attitude Dancing" (Simon, Jacob Brackman) – 3:52
  7. "Sons of Summer" (Bill Mernit) – 3:05
  8. "Waterfall" – 3:31
  9. "Are You Ticklish" – 2:26
  10. "Playing Possum" – 3:57

[edit] Personnel

  • Carly Simon — Acoustic guitar, guitar, piano, arrangements, vocals, background vocals
  • Eddie Bango — Conga
  • Jeff Baxter — Guitar (track 4)
  • Eddie Bongo — Conga (track 6)
  • Rita Coolidge — Vocals, background vocals (track 2;5)
  • Irving Cottler — Drums (track 9)
  • Ivy Cottler — Drums
  • Dr. John — Guitar, piano, keyboards (track 4)
  • Alan Estes — Percussion (track 1;3)
  • Andrew Gold — Guitar, drums,tambourine (track 1;2;6;10)
  • Jim Gordon — Drums (track 6)
  • Abigale Haness — Vocals, background vocals (track 6)
  • James Newton Howard — Arp Synthesizer, keyboards, electric piano (track 3)
  • Carole King — Vocals, background vocals (track 6)
  • Clydie King — Vocals, background vocals (track 2;5)
  • Sneaky Pete Kleinow — Pedal steel guitar (track 10)
  • Russ Kunkel — Drums (track 5;8)
  • Trevor Lawrence — Saxophone, alto saxophone (track 1)
  • Billy Mernit — Piano (track 2;7)
  • Joe Mondragon — Bass (track 9)
  • Ken Moore — Vocals, background vocals (track 6)
  • Tommy Morgan — Harmonica (track 10)
  • Andy Newmark — Percussion, drums (track 2)
  • Richard Perry — Tambourine (track 4)
  • Vini Poncia — Vocals, background vocals (track 3)
  • Emil Richards — Percussion (track 2)
  • Rodney Richmond — Vocals, background vocals (track 2)
  • Lee Ritenour — Guitar, mandolin, electric guitar (track 1;5;8)
  • Alvin Robinson — Guitar (track 4)
  • Leland Sklar — Bass, drums (track 5;8)
  • Fred Staehle — Percussion (track 4)
  • Ringo Starr — Drums (track 4)
  • Liza Strike — Vocals
  • James Taylor — Acoustic guitar, guitar, vocals, background vocals (track 3;5;8;10)
  • Julia Tillman Waters — Vocals, background vocals (track 4)
  • Derrek Van Eaton — Fiddle, flute (track 8)
  • Lon Van Eaton — Clarinet, flute, sitar (track 8;10)
  • Klaus Voormann — Bass (track 1;4)
  • Willie Weeks — Bass (track 2;6;10)
  • Maxine Willard — Background vocals (track 4)
  • Carolyn Willis — Vocals, background vocals (track 4)

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1975 Pop Albums 10

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1975 "Attitude Dancing" Pop Singles 21
1975 "Waterfall" Pop Singles 78
1975 "More and More" Pop Singles 94
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