I first got in to this album via Guy Nottage. I asked him if he could recommend any songs about love, but love within a relationship that has gone on a while. He made some suggestions. The one that fitted my request the least, but was by far the best to my ear (the rest was all John Lennon and other losers) was one by Carole King. I went out and bought Tapestry (I think) the very next day. Was bloody good. Not often is one of those “Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” from yesteryear lives up to the reputation (I can't be doing with all this Pet Sounds, Astral Weeks stuff).
This also came during a period of listening to almost entirely female fronted bands/ solo artists for me. I don't know if she started the trend or whether she just fit in.
There are about three songs on the album that I knew beforehand but not as Carole King songs. However, I think each one of those ('...Natural Woman', 'You Got a Friend' and 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow') is better by King than there, possibly, more famous incarnations. I'm also a very easily bored person and when I bought the album I was a little concerned that the album might bore me (as I often feel when listening to some like Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan) but it is totally catchy for the most part. You can even jig to some stuff. Maybe it was the cardi and the cat on the sleeve that concerned me. But my childlike enthusiasm for catchiness was satisfied without it going to far and into Shampoo-territory. Oh yeah, that's right, I mentioned Shampoo in an article/review/ thing about Carole King. Don't see that often happen.
Was the song I suggested 'So Far Away'? Can't remember now. I doubt it was 'Smackwater Jack' (bonus track). "John Lennon and other losers", more commonly known as The Beatles...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, in terms of the craft of pop songwriting, this album is pretty much as good as it gets. The cat on the cover does help though.
Yeah, it was 'So Far Away.' - it is a great album.
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