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FAVORITE ALBUMS BY WOMEN
“Tapestry” by Carole King
I still feel the earth move when I listen to it
One of the great things about being a baby boomer is the privilege of having heard classic albums when they were first released. As much as I loved British Invasion and acid rock in the Sixties and Seventies, I loved Tapestry by Carole King just as much when it was released in 1971.
I really can’t even explain why — except to say that Carole King’s music is as timeless, elegant and moving as any. I guess I wasn’t alone in my adoration: Tapestry was certified 14 times Platinum and, as such, became one of the best selling albums of all time. It also spun off two #1 singles, “I Feel the Earth Move” and “It’s Too Late.”
Songs from the album have been extensively covered, and it even spawned more than one tribute album by other artists. The 2020 edition of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ranks Tapestry #25.
King’s backstory deserves attention before diving into the album. Born in 1942, she is acknowledged to be one of the top pop songwriters in history. King collaborated with former husband Gerry Goffin to pen more than two dozen hits in the Sixties and, overall, she wrote or co-wrote nearly 120 songs that made it to the Billboard Hot 100. You may recognize a few of…
