Album Title: Tapestry
Artist: Carole King
Year: 1971
Genre: Pop/Soft Rock
Position in Discography: 2 of 17 (ATOW)
There's something about the cover of this album that, for me, speaks to the end of an era. With a mixture of soft rock, folky ballads and songs with a harder, more bitter edge, Carole King's second album (one of the best-selling of all time, with sales of over 25 million) throws an often harsh light on the world of love and romance, life in general and the human condition. With the hedonistic days of the sixties come to a close, the Flower Power wilted under the barrage of bullets that greeted student protests at Kent State and left four people dead and many wounded, the light-and-shade displayed on the album cover seems almost like she's drawing a blind over the sixties, and entering the harder, more realistic and grim seventies. Her cat, Telemachus, no doubt long dead now, must be one of the most famous felines in music, looking out from the record shelves (and presumably later, CD racks) of millions of Americans and indeed record-collectors and music fans around the world.
The look on Carole's face is wan, almost drawn, and you really wouldn't expect this kind of seriousness or even grimness from a woman who, at this point, one year short of her thirtieth birthday, is presenting her second solo album to the world. She doesn't, to be honest, look very happy or excited, more world-weary. But let's not forget that by now King had, with her husband Gerry Goffin or by herself, already written hit songs for the likes of The Monkees, Aretha Franklin, Neil Sedaka and the Drifters, to name but a very few. A prolific songwriter, she had already well established her pedigree by the time Tapestry hit. Even she, though, must have been somewhat surprised at what a smash it was, heading right to number one in the US and number four in the UK, while its lead single also took top spot and held it for five weeks. Oddly enough, her debut had sunk pretty much without a trace the year before, but this album was set to change all that.
I Feel the Earth Move
A good upbeat start to the album, a nice boppy, happy tune that celebrates the pure joy of finding that one person who, when they walk into a room or when you think about them, lights up your heart and gives wings to your soul. Innocent and naive, obviously, but still a song concerned with the first flush of love and romance. If you were around the pop scene in the late eighties you may have heard singer Martika take this into the charts, but if not you probably know it anyway.
10/10
So Far Away
A more restrained, mature little ballad on which King plaintively asks “Doesn't anyone stay together anymore?” The blush has gone off the romance already! It does seem that the song is concerned with a long-distance relationship, which, given that I assume she toured to support this album, might be more her fault than his. Nice piano work, and the song really showcases her special brand of singing. Reminds me a little of a less raunchy Elkie Brooks. Love the acoustic guitar courtesy of some guy called James Taylor.
9/10
It's Too Late
If “I Feel the Earth Move” was first love, the honeymoon is well and truly over by the time the third track comes along. Released as a double-A-sided single (ask yer da!) with the abovementioned, it was this song that ended up becoming the hit, with its world-weary, tired, defeated lyric opening “Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time” and its grim acceptance that the relationship is over. Probably one of her most famous and well-known songs, at least of the ones she released under her own name. Lovely sax break here at the end, and some fine electric piano running through the track.
10/10
Home Again
A short little song, just over two and a half minutes, on which Carole sings about a familiar problem for musicians on the road, homesickness. Has a nice kind of country twinge to it, a simple track which seems to feature just her and her piano, along with percussion.
8/10
Beautiful
This gives me some sort of gospel vibe, and it's a more upbeat song than anything since the opener, and certainly has the right attitude: “You gotta get up every morning with a smile in your heart.” Can't really argue with that, can you?
8/10
Way Over Yonder
If the last track had a hint of gospel in it, this reeks of it, with a nice swinging blues feel to. You could hear this being sung in a church while a choir belt out the chorus. Superb backing vocals from Merry Clayton only underline its gospel credentials, and wonderful sax break again there.
You've Got a Friend
What can I say about this song that hasn't been said already? If, somehow, you don't know it, then that's what you get for living under a rock. Made famous by James Taylor (who plays on it here) it's a simple song of the simplest and most enduring of bond between humans: friendship. Gorgeous string ensemble really adds an extra layer of poignancy to the song here. As Hawk would surely say, unassailable.
10/10
Where You Lead
Nice little folky/rock track which is for once guitar-led thanks to Danny Kortchmar. I notice she recycles part of the lyric from “You've Got a Friend”, but given that this album was recorded in a single month, I guess you can't blame her for filling in the odd gap. Not a bad song, but probably the weakest on the album.
6/10
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
Again, most people are going to know this song, mostly probably from the sixties version by The Shirelles, but Carole wrote it for them. Her version is slower, more acoustic and to be completely honest and fair, less energetic than theirs, but it's a really nice version and the difference to the hit single kind of makes it. One of only three on the album co-written by her and by then ex-husband Gerry Goffin.
9/10
Smackwater Jack
Fun little song that bops along nicely and has an interesting storyline - “You can't talk to a man with a shotgun in his hand”. Indeed. Great honky-tonk piano driving this, very catchy.
8/10
Tapestry
A poignant little ballad that sounds more like it belongs at the end of a career rather than the start of one, at least, an actual recording as opposed to just a songwriting one. A great example of King's talent for telling rich and deep stories with her music, but given the lyric with its musings on death and the end of a life, a strange one indeed.
8/10
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
A huge hit for Aretha Franklin, but again written for her by King, her version is a good one to close the album on and kind of brings everything full circle in terms of relationships. You get the feeling through this album that you've been on an emotional journey with Carole King, and though there's heartache, rejection and sorrow along the way, it's always an interesting and rewarding ride.
10/10
Album Rating: 10/10