I am eagerly awaiting my third close encounter of the third kind with Carole King (and James Taylor) at MSG on June 15th. I’m going with one of my best friends Sherry Davis and Sherry was telling me the other day how she must have played Tapestry a million times when it was first released.
Indeed, it is hard to overstate the case for Tapestry as not simply one of the greatest albums not simply one of the best selling albums, of all times. But as a proto-feminist screed of independence and lust from a Brooklyn wunderkind who tore up her roots and moved to Los Angeles.
This is how it goes on women in rock in the seventies:
Most Spiritual: Judee Sill
Most Artistic: Joni Mitchel
Coolest: Carly Simon
Best: Carole King
I haven’t written a bio here because, honestly, if I need to write a bio of carole King maybe you should find yourself another blog to follow. But what I will do is go onto Wipedia and remind you of some of her Brill Building masterpieces:
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Take Good Care Of My Baby
Some Kind Of Wonderful
Chains
The Loco-Motion
He Hit Me (And It Felt like a kiss)
Go Away Little Girl
Point Of No Return
One Fine Day
Up On The Roof
I’m Into Something Good
Pleasant Valley Sunday
(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman