Playing Possum

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Playing Possum is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, on April 16, 1975.

It was Simon's third consecutive album to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Pop albums chart, peaking at No. 10 in June 1975. The lead single from the album, "Attitude Dancing", which featured Carole King on backing vocals, was also a success, peaking at No. 21 on Billboard Pop singles chart, and No. 18 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. A second single, "Waterfall", which featured prominent backing vocals by Simon's then-husband James Taylor, didn't fare as well, reaching no higher than No. 78 on the Pop singles chart. It fared much better on the Adult Contemporary chart, entering the Top 40 and peaking at No. 21. The album's third and final single "More and More" was co-written by New Orleans pianist Dr. John, who also played piano on the track, along with Ringo Starr on drums, but it peaked no higher than No. 94 on the Pop singles chart.

Reception and packaging

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[1]

In his review of the album, Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone said it "represents a breakthrough of sorts for Simon", in her continued shift from a "sensitive singer/songwriter role" to a "rock songstress". He wrote that "Attitude Dancing" was "easily the most exciting Carly Simon cut since 'You're So Vain.'" Other standouts from his review were "After the Storm", "Love Out in the Street", "Are You Ticklish", "Look Me in the Eyes", "Waterfall", and "Slave".[2] Cash Box said of the single "More and More" that "Carly belts out a hard blues vocal over barrelhouse piano, with Memphis style horns and a soulful female chorus lending support."[3]

Today, Playing Possum may best be remembered for its controversial cover photograph, which shows the singer kneeling while wearing only a black negligee, sheer-to-waist pantyhose, and knee-high black boots. The photographer was Norman Seeff.[4][5][6] It was nominated for Best Album Package at the 18th Annual Grammy Awards in Feb. 1976.[7] In 1991, it ranked at No. 20 on the Rolling StoneTemplate:'s list of the 100 greatest album covers.[8]

Simon further included photographs from the session in the booklets accompanying her three-disc boxed set Clouds in My Coffee (1995) and the two-disc Anthology (2002). The latter also includes the singles "Attitude Dancing" and "Waterfall".[9]

Awards

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1976 Grammy Awards Best Album Package Playing PossumPage Template:Citation/styles.css has no content.A Nominated [7]

Notes

Other honors and recognitions

  • 1991 – Playing Possum ranked No. 20 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Album Covers of All-Time list.[8]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[10]

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Personnel

Musicians

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Production

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Charts

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Chart (1975) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[11] 25
Japanese Album Charts[12] 70
US Cash Box Top 100 Albums[13] 9

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Ruhlmann, William. "Playing Possum". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Holden, Stephen (June 19, 1975). "Playing Possum review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 13, 1975. p. 15. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Carly Simon, Los Angeles 1974 "Carly Playing Possum" | San Francisco Art Exchange".
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Estes, Lenora Jane (September 12, 2013). "The 'Lost Archive' of Norman Seeff". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Kaplan, Ilana (June 18, 2025). "Carly Simon Defends Sabrina Carpenter Against Album Cover Backlash: 'She's Not Doing Anything Outrageous'". People.com. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."18th Annual Grammy Awards". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Azerrad, Michael (November 14, 1991). "100 Classic Album Covers". Rolling Stone. No. 617. pp. 91–117.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Anthology". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Playing Possum (booklet). Carly Simon. Elektra. 1975.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXVII, no. 3. June 7, 1975. p. 45. ISSN 0008-7289 – via World Radio History.

Further reading

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