"Coming Around Again" is a song by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, written for the film Heartburn (1986) and later from the album of the same name, Coming Around Again (1987). Released as a single in 1986, it became one of Simon's biggest hits, peaking at No. 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart.[1] It was also a top-10 hit in Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
A similar stripped-down arrangement of "Coming Around Again" (key of C) was used in Simon's recording of the classic children's song "Itsy Bitsy Spider" (key of G), which was the B-side of the single and also included on the Coming Around Again album.[2]
When the song is sung as part of a medley, as it is on the 1987 album Greatest Hits Live which is the soundtrack to her HBO special Live from Martha's Vineyard, there is an extended turnaround acting not only as a bridge between the two songs, but also as a bridge between the two keys.
Reception
"Coming Around Again" became a worldwide hit; in the US, it peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Simon's 12th top-40 hit on the chart,[3] and No. 5 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart, becoming her 19th top-40 hit on this chart.[4] The song was a success in Brazil, as it was included in the soundtrack of the telenovelaO Outro. It was released as a single in the United Kingdom in January 1987, and reached a peak position of No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart in late February.[5] Additionally, the song reached No. 15 in South Africa,[6] No. 29 in Australia[7] and No. 38 in Canada.[8] It was most successful in Sweden, Ireland and Austria, reaching No. 3,[9] No. 5[10] and No. 6,[11] respectively.
A music video for this song was filmed and went into heavy rotation in 1987. The video featured a home movie featuring Carly Simon as a baby and as a young child with her parents.[13]
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
In popular culture
The song was featured in the 1986 movie Heartburn and a 1987 episode of the US daytime soap opera General Hospital as well as a 1988 episode of The Bold and the Beautiful. It was used on the 1996–97 ITV medical drama Staying Alive with opening and end theme tunes, and it was used on the daytime serial Santa Barbara for the Mason and Julia characters.[25]
The song was used in an episode of Netflix's Firefly Lane, which premiered in 2021.
The song was covered by Irish girl group B*Witched in 1999, as the B-side to their single "Jesse Hold On".
Northern Irish rock band Ash covered the song in 2009, and their version is included on their A-Z Vol. 1 compilation.
Popular actor and singer/songwriter Maya Hawke has a song with the same name; it was released on June 25th, 2023.
