Waiting For Cat Stevens Inspired Carly Simon To Pen This 1971 Hit In Under An Hour

It's hard to imagine keeping Carly Simon waiting for a date, even if you happen to be folk-pop superstar Cat Stevens, and it's even harder to fathom that the delay led to Simon writing "Anticipation," one of her signature hits, in under an hour. But that's exactly how this top-notch tune came about, an incidental creation that turned into a top 20 single and led to all sorts of accolades for Simon. Thanks to a lag in an at-home dinner arrangement and one of the most creative voices in songwriting, the world received a tune that otherwise might never have come into existence. 

Simon may have kept the subject of "You're So Vain" a mystery for more than half a century, but she's been all too eager to share the tale of Stevens' sludgy time management skills. The catchiness and commercial success of "Anticipation" are evidence of Simon's ready talent as a songwriter. The fact that she squeezed it in between getting ready and getting to know Stevens is a testament to her skill for seizing the moment and turning it into art. She did it quickly, too. Stevens ended up being about 40 minutes late; Simon spent that time coming up with a classic that fans still adore, one that solidified her hitmaker status and made her an icon of the '70s music scene.

The year was 1971, and Carly Simon was eagerly awaiting Cat Stevens' appearance at her apartment. Simon had been the opening act for Stevens while he was performing at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. After the two superstars played June shows at Carnegie Hall, a relationship sparked, and Simon offered to cook dinner for her new beau. But Stevens didn't appear as expected, and Simon was more than a little upset at the delay. After waiting a few minutes, she retreated to music for solace.

Rather than writing a bitter diss track, Simon channeled her emotional blitz into a live-in-the-moment philosophy. "And tomorrow we may not be together," she sings, "I'm no prophet / Lord, I don't know nature's ways / So I'll try and see into your eyes right now / And stay right here, 'cause these are the good old days." It was calm and wise, and it gave Simon the title for her next album, as well as a No. 13 hit that helped position her as a singer-songwriter extraordinaire.

The song also became associated with ads for Heinz ketchup touting its super-slow pourability, thanks to Simon's original version being used in '70s ad campaigns. The condiment world has Cat Stevens and Carly Simon to thank for that weird piece of industry trivia. The lesson here: Punctuality is overrated, and inspiration is everywhere if you're on the lookout for it.