Tired of Being Blonde

1985 single by Carly Simon

"Tired of Being Blonde"

Single by Carly Simon

from the album Spoiled Girl

B-side

"Black Honeymoon"

Released

June 1985

Recorded

1984

Genre

Pop

Length

4:46

Label

Epic

Songwriter(s)

Larry Raspberry

Producer(s)

G. E. Smith, Arthur Baker, Frank Filipetti, T. Bone Wolk

Carly Simon singles chronology

"Kissing with Confidence"
(1983)

"Tired of Being Blonde"
(1985)

"My New Boyfriend"
(1985)

"Tired of Being Blonde" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon for her 12th studio album Spoiled Girl (1985) for which it served as the lead single.

Background

According to its composer Larry Raspberry, the song was "inspired by...high school[mates]...who [still have] platinum hair...when you see them 14 years later. You think: 'What an expense!' And the song is about a woman who got tired of waiting on the [life enriching] results that the [cosmetic] company promised".^[1] "Tired of Being Blonde" had been pitched to Simon by MTV founder John Sykes after John Cougar Mellencamp, who had heard Raspberry perform the song live, suggested it to Sykes as suitable material for Simon.^[2]

Recorded in the autumn of 1984, "Tired of Being Blonde", originally set for February 1985 release, would not be released until June 1985. Promoted by a video which was directed by actor Jeremy Irons,^[1]^[3]^[4] the track failed to become a major hit, peaking no higher than No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[5] However, it was more successful on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reaching a peak position of No. 34.^[5]

Track listing

7" single^[6]

"Tired of Being Blonde" – 4:07
"The Wives Are In Connecticut" – 4:34

12" single^[7]

"Tired Of Being Blonde" - 4:07
"Black Honeymoon" - 4:34
"Make Me Feel Something" - 4:40

Personnel

Carly Simon – lead vocals, backing vocals
Robbie Kilgore – synthesizers
G.E. Smith – guitars, guitar solo
Tom "T- Bone" Wolk – bass
Russ Kunkel – drums
Jimmy Bralower – drum programming

Charts

Chart (1985)	Peak Position
Australia (ARIA Charts)	95
US Billboard Hot 100	70
US Billboard Adult Contemporary	34

References

^ ^a ^b Memphis Commercial Appeal 25 January 1985 "Larry Raspberry in Concert: Raspberry’s hot" by Sandra Vaughn p.70
^ Camden Courier-Post 28 July 1985 "Carly Simon's Wishful Thinking Comes True, Not Just in Her Songs" by Mary Campbell p.32
^ "Carly Simon - Tired of Being Blonde". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
^ "Spoiled Girl". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
^ ^a ^b "US Albums and Singles Charts > Carly Simon". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
^ "Tired of Being Blonde 7" single". Discogs.com. 1985. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
^ "Tired of Being Blonde 12" single". Discogs.com. 1985. Retrieved December 3, 2014.