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

By Page Six | Created at 2026-08-13 23:56:40 | Updated at 2026-08-14 08:59:25 10 hours ago

Carly Simon shares rare insights into how her divorce from James Taylor impacted their two kids — Sally and Ben — in an emotional new song, Page Six can exclusively reveal.

“Comes in Waves” — Simon’s upcoming album set to debut this Friday — features “Mother of Pearl” as its fifth track.

“I can see you at 7, a child of divorce,” she sings. “How can it be that we gave you no choice? / It was your job and Ben’s to drown out all the noise.”

Carly Simon (seen here with kids Sally and Ben in 1983) sings about her children’s experience with her divorce from their father, James Taylor, on her new album. Getty Images
Simon’s “Comes in Waves” releases Friday. Iris Records via AP

The proud mom goes on to recognize her daughter’s strength at such a young age.

“But my girl, oh my girl. / Even then you were shining, you were my mother of pearl,” she sings.

The song begins with Simon calling out her daughter by name. (She was born Sarah Maria Taylor, but goes by the nickname Sally.

“Sally, oh, Sarah, another song with your name,” she sings. “You’ve gone around the roses, a mustang became. / A boat in the harbor that’s called Sally Mae. / And oh girl, my girl, to me you’re my goddess, you’re my mother of pearl.”

Simon and Taylor (seen here in 1981 with their children) were married from 1972 to 1983. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
“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 of her kids (all seen together above in 2000) in her new song “Mother of Pearl.” Getty Images

Simon sweetly describes Sally’s Capricorn tendencies, calling her “stubborn” and “not sure when to care.”

“But when I been flat on my back, you’re still there,” she sings. “And oh girl, oh my girl, to me, you’re my best friend, my mother of pearl.”

The “You’re So Vain” singer married Taylor in 1972, but the pair divorced in 1983 amid his addiction issues and infidelity on both sides. They welcomed Sally, 52, and Ben, 49, in 1974 and 1977, respectively.

In the new album’s second track, “Maybe I Never Loved You,” Simon seemingly takes a brutal swipe at her estranged ex-husband, though she never mentions him by name.

“Maybe I never loved you / But anyway, I thought I did,” Simon sings in the song. “I married you, we had a kid / That counts for something.”

Simon and Taylor (seen here together in 1971) welcomed Sally in 1974 and Ben in 1977. Michael Ochs Archives
Simon also wrote a song about Taylor on her upcoming album. (The former couple is seen here in 1980.) Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

“Maybe I never loved you / Yes, and maybe I did,” she adds. “And maybe you never loved me / Although God knows, you said you did.”

The tune ends with Simon voicing her desire to make amends with Taylor and continues to question whether there was love between them.

“And maybe it’s best to bury whatever it was we had our fill of,” she sings. “Maybe I never loved you / Maybe I always will.”

The singer (seen here with Taylor in 1978) wrote about maybe never loving him in a song aptly titled “Maybe I Never Loved You” off the album. Getty Images
The former pair (seen here in a throwback photo from 1978) split amid his addiction issues and cheating on both sides. Bettmann Archive

The Grammy-winning artist previously shared that she still loves James despite not being on speaking terms.

“I still want to heal him, I still want to make him all right,” she told People in 2015. “And I love him so much.”

Simon also admitted that she did not know why Taylor would not speak with her.

That same year, the singer-songwriter wrote a tell-all memoir, “Boys in the Trees,” in which she described their marriage as “far from the idyllic one that the general public reads about.”

Simon (seen here in 2015) is releasing her first album in 18 years. Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
The “You’re So Vain” singer (seen here in 2016) wrote the new music with her kids. Getty Images

Simon has since moved on with longtime partner Richard Koehler. She was also married to James Hart from 1987 to 2007.

Outside of her long-term relationships, she was linked to several famous men, including Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, Cat Stevens and Warren Beatty — the latter of whom is the subject of her brutal 1972 hit, “You’re So Vain.”

Simon’s new album — her first collection of original songs in 18 years — features 12 powerful songs, which she wrote and recorded from her home in Martha’s Vineyard in collaboration with her two children.

Simon (seen here in a recent photo) was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and skin cancer. Carly Simon
Simon (above) said that writing the new music has helped her amid her health struggles. Getty Images

The musician revealed last month that she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and skin cancer.

“Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape,” she wrote in a statement in July, referring to her new album. “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.”

“Comes in Waves” releases this Friday.

Welcome to the Page Six Community!

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space.

In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience.

Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will/might be rejected if it contains:

  • Spam
  • Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind
  • Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author

User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice:

  • Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
  • Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments
  • Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk

So, how can you be a power user?

  • Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across.
  • 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions!
  • Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!

Read Entire Article