That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be

This was Carly Simon's first single, appearing just as the singer-songwriter era was coming to fruition. The song shows a family life in shambles underneath its affluent veneer, with the singer fearing that her own future holds more of the same.

A journalist/screenwriter named Jacob Brackman wrote the lyrics. He and Simon met when they were counselors at a summer camp in 1967; they wrote several songs together, including "Haven't Got Time For the Pain," "Attitude Dancing," and "All I Want Is You." Simon cites Brackman as a major influence in her development as a songwriter; she was amazed at his ability to fit lyrics to a melody without using clichés.

It's hard to believe that a man wrote the lyrics, which are clearly from a woman's point of view, but the song came out of a conversation Simon had with Brackman. He was going through some relationship troubles that were very similar to Simon's: His girlfriend moved in with him and he was worried about giving up some of his identity and personal space as he felt an infringement on his territory.