Carole King

Tapestry - Epic 1971

Tracks: 1. I Feel the Earth Move / 2. So Far Away / 3. It's Too Late / 4. Home Again / 5. Beautiful / 6. Over Yonder / 7. You've Got a Friend / 8. Where You Lead / 9. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? / 10. Smackwater Jack / 11.Tapestry

Comments:

Perhaps along with the predecessor "Writer", "Tapestry" from 1971 must be Carole King's finest album. Lots of great songs of which at least half can be considered classics. In terms of genre, King usually works in the borderland between soul, motown and pop and her songs are characterized by good tunes, well-written and often content-rich lyrics.

"I Feel The Earth Move" is an infectious soulful rocker; one of her biggest solo hits - A Classic. "So Far Away" is a nice, sensitive and melodic piano ballad. "Too Too Late" is another of King's biggest solo hits - a very melodic and catchy soulful pop song - A Classic "Home Again" is, in my opinion, a somewhat overlooked song. Great melodic piano ballad. "Beautiful" is also a nice soulful ballad, although one of the album's more ordinary songs – still it has been covered by Barbara Streisand and others. On "Way Over Yonder", King is on a gospel track - another fine song. "You Got a Friend" is perhaps King's best-known and most beloved song. Incredibly strong number where lyrics and melody go up into a higher unit. The song has been covered numerous times and was a number one hit for James Taylor. A Classic The Motown inspired "Where You Lead" was also recorded by Barbara Streisand, who had a minor hit with it. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" was an earlier pop song that King chose ato records herself for "Tapestry" - one of her finest songs which has been a hit by many artists and which went to the very top for The Shirelles. King own version is slower and more like a ballad. A Classic "Smackwater Jack" is another Motown style song that became a hit for Carole King herself and which has also been recorded by several other artists "Tapestry" title track is another incredibly nice and sensitive ballad. A song that makes me think of Sandy Denny, who also wrote her ballads on the piano and although she probably had most of her roots in folk music, she also wrote songs that might have suited Carole King. A Classic. "Natural Woman" is another earlier song that King along with Gerry Goffin and Jerry Wexler wrote for Aretha Franklin, who had a big hit with it. King's own version is also pure soul. A Classic.

Counting up it must be 6 classics with "Home Again" and "Smackwater Jack" as strong candidates.


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