Carly Simon Just Dropped Her First Album In 18 YEARS — And The Songs About Ex James Taylor Are Absolutely Devastating 💔

Stop everything, because Carly Simon just released her first album of original songs in 18 years — and it's packed with emotional gut-punches about her failed marriage to James Taylor. Yes, really. 🎸

The 83-year-old music icon's new album "Comes in Waves" dropped this Friday, and according to Page Six, it features some of the most vulnerable songwriting of her entire career. And that's saying something for the woman who wrote "You're So Vain."

The Tea ☕

Carly Simon's first album of original music in 18 years features brutally honest songs about ex-husband James Taylor
One track, "Mother of Pearl," directly addresses how their divorce impacted their kids Sally and Ben
Another song literally asks "Maybe I Never Loved You" — and fans are SHOOK
She co-wrote and recorded the entire album from her Martha's Vineyard home with her two children

"I Can See You At 7, A Child Of Divorce"

The most heart-wrenching moment? A track called "Mother of Pearl" that's dedicated to her daughter Sally (born Sarah Maria Taylor). The lyrics are absolutely devastating.

"I can see you at 7, a child of divorce / How can it be that we gave you no choice? / It was your job and Ben's to drown out all the noise," Simon sings, directly addressing the impact the split had on her kids.

She goes on to recognize her daughter's strength during that difficult time: "But my girl, oh my girl. / Even then you were shining, you were my mother of pearl."

According to Page Six, the song beautifully captures Sally's personality, calling her "stubborn" with classic Capricorn energy, but also celebrating their bond: "But when I been flat on my back, you're still there / And oh girl, oh my girl, to me, you're my best friend, my mother of pearl."

We are NOT okay. 😭

"Maybe I Never Loved You" — THE DRAMA

But wait, it gets even MORE intense. The album's second track is literally titled "Maybe I Never Loved You" and appears to be a direct swipe at James Taylor himself.

The opening lines are BRUTAL: "Maybe I never loved you / But anyway, I thought I did / I married you, we had a kid / That counts for something."

She goes on: "Maybe I never loved you / Yes, and maybe I did / And maybe you never loved me / Although God knows, you said you did."

The kicker? The song ends with Simon voicing her desire to make amends while STILL questioning whether there was ever real love between them. "Maybe it's best to bury whatever it was we had our fill of / Maybe I never loved you / Maybe I always will."

The Backstory Is Even Messier

For those who need a refresher: Carly Simon and James Taylor were married from 1972 to 1983. They welcomed daughter Sally in 1974 and son Ben in 1977. Their split came amid his addiction issues and — wait for it — infidelity on both sides, according to Page Six.

Despite all the drama, Simon has been remarkably open about still having feelings for her ex. In 2015, she told People magazine: "I still want to heal him, I still want to make him all right. And I love him so much." She also admitted she didn't know why Taylor wouldn't speak with her.

That same year, she wrote a tell-all memoir "Boys in the Trees" describing their marriage as "far from the idyllic one that the general public reads about."

And now? They're STILL not on speaking terms. This album is basically her way of processing all of that — and honestly, we're here for it.

Why Now?

Simon revealed last month that she was recently diagnosed with both Parkinson's disease and skin cancer. In a statement about the new album, she explained how the creative process helped her cope.

"Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape," she wrote in July. "It gave me somewhere to go without having to leave the room. It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life."

The entire 12-track album was written and recorded from her home in Martha's Vineyard in collaboration with her two children — which makes those divorce songs even MORE emotionally complex. Imagine co-writing with your kids about their dad. The vulnerability!

And Then It Got Personal

For context, Simon has been with longtime partner Richard Koehler for years now, and was also married to James Hart from 1987 to 2007. But clearly, the James Taylor chapter still hits different.

Outside of her marriages, she famously dated Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, Cat Stevens, and Warren Beatty — the latter being the actual subject of her iconic 1972 hit "You're So Vain." (Yes, we finally know for sure it was about Warren!)

But after 18 years away from releasing original music, it's James Taylor she's singing about. That tells you everything you need to know about unfinished emotional business.

The question is: Will James Taylor respond? Will he write his OWN album? Are we about to get a musical back-and-forth? Because honestly, after hearing "Maybe I Never Loved You," the ball is firmly in his court.

What do you think — is it cathartic or is it too raw to put your kids through this publicly? Sound off below! 👇

Sources:

Page Six: Carly Simon gives rare glimpse into how James Taylor divorce impacted their kids in emotional new song