72 on Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1972, while the Anticipation album garnered Simon a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Female Vocalist.

Stephen Davis, writing for Rolling Stone, stated: "Anticipation" is a spirited examination of the tensions involved in a burgeoning romantic situation in which nobody has any idea of what's going on or what's going to happen."

He continued, "Carly's fine, aggressive vocal is complemented by Paul Glanz' lyrical piano comping, and drummer Andy Newmark's rhythms are to the point.

The cut winds up with a surprising coda crescendo that pithily wraps up the premise of the message about anticipating things to come–Stay right here, 'cause these are the good old days.

"[11] In addition, Simon's performance of the song in New York City at the 1971 Schaefer Music Festival was filmed for the ABC television special Good Vibrations from Central Park.