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 first single 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 and it ranked at #20 on the Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest album covers.
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).
Track listing
All tracks composed by Carly Simon; except where indicated
- "After the Storm" – 2:47
- "Love Out in the Street" – 3:40
- "Look Me in the Eyes" – 3:34
- "More and More" (Mac Rebennack, Alvin Robinson) – 4:02
- "Slave" (Simon, Jacob Brackman) – 3:54
- "Attitude Dancing" (Simon, Jacob Brackman) – 3:52
- "Sons of Summer" (Bill Mernit) – 3:05
- "Waterfall" – 3:31
- "Are You Ticklish" – 2:26
- "Playing Possum" – 3:57
Personnel
- Carly Simon — Acoustic guitar, guitar, piano, arrangements, vocals, background vocals
- Jeff Baxter — Guitar (track 4)
- Eddie Bongo — Conga (track 6)
- Rita Coolidge — Vocals, background vocals (track 2; 5)
- Irving Cottler — Drums (track 9)
- 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)
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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