Carly Simon has this way of making vulnerability sound like a superpower. It’s 1973. The album is No Secrets. Everyone is obsessing over "You’re So Vain," trying to figure out which Hollywood ego she’s dissecting, but the opening track is where the real soul of the record lives. When you sit down and actually read the right thing to do lyrics, you aren't just looking at a love song. You’re looking at a confession of total, terrifying devotion. It’s the sound of someone jumping off a cliff and hoping the wind catches them.
Honestly, it’s a bit messy. Real love usually is.
Most people hear that upbeat, piano-driven melody and think it’s just a feel-good anthem about doing the "right" thing. But Simon isn't talking about morality in a Sunday school sense. She’s talking about the internal gravity that pulls you toward another person even when your brain is screaming at you to be careful. It’s about the magnetism of James Taylor—who she had just married when the song was released—and the specific, heavy feeling of knowing a relationship is going to change your entire life.
The Story Inside The Right Thing to Do Lyrics
The song starts with a direct address. "There's nothing you can do to turn me away." That’s a bold opening. It establishes a lack of boundaries that is both beautiful and slightly dangerous. If you look at the history of Simon and Taylor, they were the ultimate 70s power couple, but they were both carrying a lot of baggage. Taylor was dealing with addiction issues; Simon was dealing with her own rising fame and the anxieties that come with it.
When she sings about how it's the right thing to do to "hold" him, she's acknowledging that the world might have different opinions. People might say it's too fast. They might say he's too troubled. She doesn't care. The lyrics basically say that the only moral compass that matters is the one pointing toward the person you love.
There is a specific line that gets me every time: "I'm close to you now, and I'm staying." It’s so simple. It’s short. It’s a period, not a comma. In a world of pop songs that are usually about the chase or the breakup, this is a song about the decision. It’s the moment the cement hardens.
Why the 1970s Context Changes Everything
You have to remember what was happening in music back then. The singer-songwriter movement was exploding. It was the era of Joni Mitchell’s Blue and Carole King’s Tapestry. Lyrics were becoming diaries. Before this, pop music was often about "us" or "them," but Simon made it about "me" and "you."
The production on the track—produced by Richard Perry—is slick, but the lyrics keep it grounded. While the backing vocals (featuring the likes of Liza Minnelli and James Taylor himself) add this lush, communal feeling, the core message remains a private pact. It’s a "me against the world" sentiment wrapped in a Top 10 radio hit.
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Breaking Down the Verse Structure
Simon writes in a way that feels like she’s talking to herself. The verses don't always follow a rigid poetic meter. They flow like thoughts.
- The opening hook: It sets the stakes.
- The bridge: It moves from the "now" into the "forever."
- The repetition: The phrase "it's the right thing to do" becomes a mantra.
When she mentions "the path of least resistance," she's flipping the script. Usually, following your heart is seen as the hard path. But she’s saying that for her, staying away would actually be harder. Loving him is the only thing that makes sense. It’s the path of least resistance because she’s already surrendered.
It’s interesting how she uses the word "right." In the early 70s, the "right thing" was often associated with social movements or political stances. Simon reclaimed it for the domestic sphere. She made the choice of a partner a radical act of truth-telling.
The James Taylor Connection
You can’t talk about the right thing to do lyrics without talking about James. They were the King and Queen of the Laurel Canyon scene, even if they spent a lot of time on the East Coast. James was the "Sweet Baby James" the world adored, but he was also a man who struggled.
Simon has admitted in her memoir, Boys in the Trees, that her attraction to him was instantaneous and overwhelming. This song was written in that fever dream stage. It captures the transition from being two separate celebrities to being a "we." It’s a snapshot of a moment before the complications of their decade-long marriage really took hold. It’s the optimism before the storm.
Misconceptions About the Song’s Meaning
Some people think this is a song about "doing the right thing" by leaving a bad situation. I’ve seen forums where people interpret it as a breakup song. That couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s an "all-in" song.
Others suggest it’s about a secret affair. While Carly Simon certainly had her share of high-profile romances (Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger, Kris Kristofferson), this specific track is widely accepted as a tribute to the beginning of her life with Taylor. It’s a song about commitment.
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The confusion usually stems from the line "I don't know really what I'm doing / Only that I'm doing it with you." To a casual listener, that might sound like someone who is lost. To someone in love, it’s the most honest thing you can say. You don't need a map if you have a person.
Production Details That Impact the Lyrics
The way Carly delivers the lines matters as much as the words themselves. Her voice has that famous vibrato, a slight quiver that suggests she’s nervous even as she’s being brave. When she hits the high notes in the chorus, it feels like an exhale.
The piano riff is the heartbeat. It’s steady. It’s insistent. It mirrors the lyrics by refusing to let go. If the lyrics are the "what," the piano is the "how." It provides the momentum that makes the "right thing" feel inevitable.
The Lasting Legacy of the Song
Why do we still care about these lyrics fifty years later? Because the feeling of "this is it" is universal. We’ve all had that moment where we stop weighing the pros and cons and just decide to be with someone.
Simon’s ability to take a massive, life-altering decision and distill it into a three-minute pop song is why No Secrets stayed at number one for five weeks. She wasn't just singing to James; she was singing for everyone who ever felt like they found their person.
The song has been covered by everyone from Anita Baker to the Watson Twins. Each version brings a different flavor, but the core—the lyrics—remains the same. It’s a testament to the "rightness" of the songwriting. Baker’s version, in particular, leans into the soulfulness of the lyrics, turning it into a smooth R&B slow jam that highlights the sensual side of the commitment Simon was writing about.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of Carly Simon or you’re trying to analyze these lyrics for a project or just for your own curiosity, here is how to get the full picture:
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1. Read the Memoir
Pick up Boys in the Trees. Carly describes her relationship with James Taylor in vivid, sometimes painful detail. It gives the lyrics a layer of reality that you won't get just by listening to the radio.
2. Listen to the Full Album
Don't just stream the single. Listen to "The Right Thing to Do" followed by the rest of No Secrets. The album moves through themes of honesty, betrayal, and self-reflection. Seeing where this song sits as the opening track helps you understand the mindset she wanted to establish for the listener.
3. Compare with "You’re So Vain"
Look at the contrast. "You’re So Vain" is about an "other"—a man who is selfish and distant. "The Right Thing to Do" is about a "you"—a man she is actively inviting in. It shows the two sides of her songwriting: the sharp critic and the open-hearted lover.
4. Check the Live Versions
Find footage of Carly performing this in the 70s versus later in her career. The way she approaches the lyrics changes as she gets older. In the early days, it’s a song of hope. In later years, it carries the weight of a woman who lived through that marriage and came out the other side.
The lyrics tell a story that didn't end with the fade-out of the track. They were the beginning of a chapter in music history that defined an era of transparency and emotional honesty. Whether you're a lifelong fan or just discovered the track on a "70s Soft Rock" playlist, there is always something new to find in the way Carly Simon justifies her heart.
To truly understand the song, you have to accept its main premise: that love isn't always a logical choice, but when it's real, it feels like the only moral one left.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Knowledge
To fully appreciate the era that birthed these lyrics, your next move should be exploring the collaborative nature of the 1970s Laurel Canyon music scene. Start by researching the session musicians who played on No Secrets, specifically looking into the work of bassist Klaus Voormann and drummer Jim Keltner. Understanding the technical "vibe" created by these legends provides the essential framework for why Carly Simon’s lyrical vulnerability landed so effectively with audiences in 1973. From there, compare the themes of "The Right Thing to Do" with James Taylor’s own songwriting from the same period, particularly on his album One Man Dog, to see how the couple was communicating through their music in real-time.