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Carole King is a folk rock icon—there’s no question about it. With decades of emotional lyrics, sweet melodies, and powerful-woman-in-a-male-dominated-industry energy, she has made a profound impact on the music scene for years.
She started her musical journey in the 1960s primarily as a songwriter, the powerhouse behind dozens of pop hits at the time. Partnered with then-husband Gerry Goffin, the pair penned “The Loco-Motion”, popularized by Little Eva, “Up on the Roof” from The Drifters, “Pleasant Valley Sunday” from The Monkees, and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” from The Shirelles. The couple churned out these hits while simultaneously parenting two young children.
After King and Goffin divorced, King began her musical mastery as a singer full of both independence and maternal energy, which are common themes on many of her albums. Her debut solo album, “Writer,” though not a commercial success, still paved the way for her next album – 1971’s “Tapestry,” a timeless folk rock masterpiece.
“Tapestry” was No. 1 on the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks in 1971, and then remained on the charts for more than six years. Since its release, the album has sold more than 75 million copies worldwide. Plus, with the success of her second album, “Writer” entered the charts as well, as fans longed to hear King’s voice and songwriting.
She wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, showing that her songwriting past was as relevant as ever. She had some instrumental help from folk friends, though, with Russ Kunkel (drums), Charles Larkey (bass), and Joni Mitchell (backing vocals) James Taylor (guitar, backing vocals), among other studio personnel.
The theater world also has its fair share of King’s and “Tapestry’s” mastery: “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” about King’s early and creative life. The jukebox musical debuted in San Francisco in 2013, with showings all over the world in the following years with the most recent being in the U.K. in 2022. King herself has even joined the cast onstage to sing the finale song on several occasions.
But why is “Tapestry” so legendary? It’s because there are several tracks that stand out on the album.
The final track, “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman”, starts with repetitive piano chords that pick up by the first verse. This song was a product of King/Goffin’s early writing days and popularized by Aretha Franklin. The song features moving lyrics including “Before the day I met you / Life was so unkind / You’re the key / To my piece of mind”. King’s take on the song has a more real and raw feel, pouring her heart into the lyrics.
Track 5, “Beautiful”, is a pretty song with positive lyrics. It is King’s gentle reminder to be kind to others as well as oneself. She points out the mundane daily occurrences and how they can be made much better with the addition of self-love and mindfulness. She croons, “You’ve got to get up every morning / With a smile on your face / And show the world all the love in your heart”.
“Where You Lead”, the eighth track on the album, is most known for being the “Gilmore Girls” theme song. The rewritten version used for the theme was recorded later and features King’s daughter Louise. The version on the album, though, still has a mother-daughter feel. It has a funky bassline and heavy cymbal percussion and is a reassuring listen for many.
Track 10, “Smackwater Jack,” is one of the few songs that does not exactly come from King’s perspective. Instead, it focuses on the titular character, an outlaw who “bought a shotgun.” With themes similar to Jim Croce’s “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” or Steve Miller Band’s “Take the Money and Run,” this song has become a Western anthem with a groovy drum kit beat.
The 11th and penultimate track on the album is the titular “Tapestry,” with the lyrics telling a specific story and reflecting on King’s life experiences. All of the stories are woven together to create a masterpiece. On a side note, King, being crafty herself, holds a homemade tapestry in the album cover photo taken in her home and featuring her cat.
Rating: 10/10
Main attractors: The melodies and harmonies of King’s voice mixed with the soft folk pop and piano of this record make it one worthy of a listen. Make that listen a few spins on a turntable, as the pressed vinyl brings out King’s vocal beauty. Plus, the lyrics and ideas resonate with fans both young and old.
Main detractors: Though King is a powerhouse on her own, a duet would have been right at home on the record. A song featuring King and Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, or Joan Baez would not have been out of place. But still, she shows that she can write and perform an entire album basically by herself, thus solidifying Carole King her place in music history.
