Free Crash Course

Simon, Carly - You're So Vain

Chords & Piano Lesson
Carly Simon - You're So Vain
Hello! Below you'll find my "You're So Vain" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
 

This song by Carly Simon has an amazing although fairly complicated piano part. In the video, I first teach an easier, streamlined version. Then I come back for the more advanced details, which you can consider optional.

Enjoy!

Lesson Video
Chord Chart

You're So Vain Piano Tutorial

Here's a piano tutorial video for You're So Vain:

You're So Vain Chords & Lyrics

[Intro]
| Am | X8

[Verse]
       Am7 
You walked into the party
                        F                       Am7
Like you were walking on to a yacht
                      Am7 
Your hat, strategically dipped below one eye
        F                      Am7
Your scarf it was apricot
              Fmaj7    G     Em7        Am7
You had one eye in the mirror as
       F                              C
You watched yourself gavotte
C                G                           F
And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
 
They'd be your partner and

[Chorus]

   You're so vain
       Dm7                                     C
You probably think this song is about you
                Am7     F
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is
G6
Abo-ut you, don't you, don't you ohh
 
[Verse]
       Am7
You had me several years ago
          F                           Am7
When I was still quite naive
                Am7
Well, you said that we make such a pretty pair
       F                                Am7
And that you would never leave
             Fmaj7    G        Em7         Am7
But you gave away the things you loved
       F                          C
And one of them was me
C                G
I had some dreams; they were clouds in my coffee
F
Clouds in my coffee and
 
[Chorus]
C
   You're so vain
        Dm7                                   C
You probably think this song is about you
               Am7      F
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song
    G6
Is about you, don't you, don't you, don't you
 
[Solo]
| Am7 | Am7 | F | Am7 | X2
| Fmaj7 G | Em7 Am7 | F | 2/4 C |
 
C                G                            F
I had some dreams; they were clouds in my coffee
 
Clouds in my coffee and

[Chorus]
C                 
    You're so vain
          Dm7                                  C
You probably think this song is about you
                Am7     F
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is
  G6
About you, don't you, don't you
 
[Verse]
           Am7
Well, I hear you went up
                            F                              Am7
To Saratoga and your horse naturally won
                Am7
Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia
                  F                            Am7
To see the total eclipse of the sun
                   Fmaj7       G              Em7   Am7
Well you're where you should be all the time
        F                                  C
And when you're not you're with
           C                  G               F
Some under world spy, or the wife of a close friend
 
Wife of a close friend and
 
[Chorus]
C                             
   You're so vain
        Dm7                                    C
You probably think this song is about you
                Am7     F
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is
G6
About you, don't you, don't you, don't you
 
[Outro]
| C | C | Dm7 C |
 
C                             Dm7                                  C
You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you
C                             Dm7                                  C
You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
You're So Vain Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "You're So Vain" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
 
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.  
 
3. Simplify if need be: "You're So Vain" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
Loading...

Unlock your inner piano genius!

If you're looking to sound a little less like an amateur, and a little more like your favorite pop and rock artists, you're in the right place!

This self-paced, step-by-step online course teaches you the same accompaniment techniques the pros use to turn any chord progression into a head-turning song! Break through to a new level of freedom and creativity, and master the music you actually want to play.
I'm Ready to Get Started!
50% Complete
Almost there

FREE Piano Basics Crash Course

Set a strong foundation with this free beginner-friendly crash course, designed to help you nail the knowledge every piano player needs along their journey, and master basic chord skills too. Whether you're totally brand new, or just needing to refresh your previous knowledge, this self-paced, free course will set you up for serious success.