Night Owl (song)

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Album This song officially appears on the No Secrets LP.

Timeline This song has been officially released in 1972

Song facts

“Night Owl” is a song from Carly Simon’s 1972 album No Secrets with Paul McCartney providing backing vocals.

From Wikipedia:

“Night Owl” is a song written by James Taylor that was originally released as a single by Taylor’s band The Flying Machine, which also included Danny Kortchmar in 1966. Taylor later rerecorded a solo version of the song for his Apple Records debut album James Taylor in 1968. Subsequently the Flying Machine version was released on the album James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine. It has also been covered by such artists as Alex Taylor, Carly Simon and Anne Murray. […]

Carly Simon was dating James Taylor during the recording of her 1972 album No Secrets. She decided that she wanted to include one of Taylor’s songs on the album. Producer Richard Perry chose “Night Owl” for her to cover, because “it was a funkier, bluesier tune than [Taylor’s] more folk-oriented material.” Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Doris Troy and Bonnie Bramlett provided the backing vocals for Simon’s version of the song. Long time Rolling Stones collaborator Nicky Hopkins played piano, and Klaus Voorman and Bobby Keys also played on the song. Taylor was initially not entirely happy that Simon’s version of the song sounded to him like an outtake from the Rolling Stones’ recent album Exile on Main Street. Rolling Stone Magazine critic Stephen Holden regarded it as the second best song on No Secrets after the #1 hit “You’re So Vain.” High Fidelity Magazine regarded it as the best song on the album. Stereo Review called it a “scortching good version” of the song. Author Jami Bernard described Simon’s “sexy growl” when singing the line “I’m a night owl, honey” as implying that “life was more interesting in the wee hours.” Critic James Hunter described Simon’s “whooping growls” on the song as a “triumph.” Simon later included “Night Owl” on her compilation album The Best of Carly Simon.