Valerie Simpson, Silly Wasn’t I | Throwback Vibez

In the 45^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2026), we recollect and reflect on “Silly Wasn’t I” by Hall of Fame songwriter Valerie Simpson.

Can you feel those vibes, those surefire Throwback Vibez?! Throwback Vibez is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past. Ah, there is nothing like a good oldie to get you fired up! The records featured in this column feature gems from the 20^th century, with a few exceptions. All genres of music are welcome. In the 45^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2026), we recollect and reflect on “Silly Wasn’t I” performed by Valerie Simpson.  

Valerie Simpson (b. 1945) is renowned for her songwriting and collaborations with her husband, Nickolas Ashford (1941 – 2011).  However, Simpson was also a solo artist.  In 1972, she recorded the gem, “Silly Wasn’t I”. It originally appeared on her self-titled solo album.  It also appears on the Motown compilation, Hitsville USA, The Motown Collection 1972-1992, released in 1993.  The silly soul cut was written by Ashford, Simpson, and Josephine Armstead, and produced by Ashford and Simpson. “Silly Wasn’t I” was only moderately successful on the pop charts (it peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100), but it deserved better!

“Silly Wasn’t I” is a brief but remarkable soul song. The instrumental introduction is glorious; it is incredibly sophisticated. The arrangement oozes with soul while being non troppo. It’s classy while also being potent. The instrumental highlights include the piano, prominent bass, the groove carried by the drums, and perhaps, most of all, the strings.  Still, the star of the show is Valerie Simpson who matches the sophisticated nature of the music with her own buttery smooth vocals by.  She never sounds like she breaks a sweat as she sings. Isn’t that, dare I say, silly.  The lyrics are simple but memorable, while the melodies are tuneful from start to finish. “I believe in you / Thought what you said was true,” she sings in the first verse, and adds, “It didn’t occur to me / It was a lie.” It’s happened to all of us, Val. She gives a bit more oomph during the bridge, which distinguishes itself from other sections. “I remember the time you called me on the phone / Said you’d had a busy day / You’d hurry home,” she sings, and adds, “I waited, I waited, time went by / I tried to laugh, but all / I could do was cry.” SILLY! The outro, with its silly repetition, is nothing short of a vibe. Short but utterly sweet, Valerie Simpson delivered an underrated soul gem for the ages with “Silly Wasn’t I”.  Anyone who doesn’t have this included in the soul rotation is nothing but… wait for it… “Ha-ha-ha, SILLY!”

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Valerie Simpson » Hitsville USA, The Motown Collection 1972-1992 » Motown / UMG Recordings Inc. » 1993

Valerie Simpson, Silly Wasn’t I: Throwback Vibez No. 45 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Motown / UMG Recordings Inc.; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson, schubinger from Pixabay]

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