Ray Davies, everyman

If you fit into one of these groups, or did at one time, you probably consider Ray Davies (pronounced dave – iz) a champion for your cause.

Forty-seven years after The Kinks first hit the USA Top 10 with “You Really Got Me”, chief songwriter, lead singer and rhythm guitarist Raymond Douglas Davies is still on the circuit and delighting audiences across America. I caught his show on November 11, 2011 at the Chicago Theatre.

Ray is currently on tour, backed up by an indie quartet from California called The 88. They had a great, raucous energy that fit well with the up-tempo songs. The excellent Irish guitarist Bill Shanley (I thought Ray called him Bill Shatner) rounded out the six piece band.

The show opened with just himself and Shanley on acoustic guitars – taking old favorites like “Waterloo Sunset” and “Sunny Afternoon” to new places. Shanley echoed the melody with nice runs and fills as Davies strummed chords. The overall effect was very pleasant. See the very bottom of this post for a treat.

After 38 minutes of beautiful acoustic music, Ray read a bit from his autobiography, X-Ray about the moment he realized that in the future he wouldn’t have to follow expectations – that he would one day become an individual. With that the full band joined him onstage and they appropriately launched into “20th Century Man”. The contrast in sounds was powerful and although the acoustic music was really good, I was glad to finally hear the full power of a good rock band! Click here for the clip from this very concert.

Undoubtedly, Ray wrote some great 60’s anthems that are still on heavy rotation on the oldies channels. But his real genius – what has kept him in such high esteem over all these years – is that his best songs are sentimental odes to non-conformity and to better days ahead. They not only serve to empathize with your situation, but often to help you feel you’re not alone in this world.

The Kinks in '67: Ray Davies, Mick Avory, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife

The proud, defiant “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” not only empathizes with you, it emboldens you. You are no cookie-cutter. You are different… and you are all the better for it! Although I did wonder if Ray caught the irony in his prodding the crowd to sing along to the chorus of this song, but I digress.

The big surprise to me was the reception to “Misfits” from the 1977 album Sleepwalker. This was somewhat of a comeback album for the Kinks, whom hadn’t had a hit in America since “Lola” in 1970. It’s a song Ray very rarely plays live, yet it really resonated with this crowd. Several people were singing along to this ballad, proudly emphasizing the final line:

You’re a misfit, afraid of yourself so you run away and hide
You’ve been a misfit all your life
Why don’t you join the crowd
And come inside
You wander round this town like you’ve lost your way
You had your chance in your day
Yet you threw it all away
But you know what they say
Every dog has his day

With the current dire economic situation around the world, Ray has decided to bust out the rowdy “Low Budget” on this tour. In fact, it was the final song on this night. He wrote this tune in the late 1970’s when things were similarly bleak. “Don’t think I’m cheap if I don’t buy a round!”

Ray was in fine spirits throughout, bantering a bit with the crowd, high fiving the lucky first-rowers and inserting some funny bits into the songs. When someone asked, “How’s Dave” – a question about his brother who had a stroke in 2004 – Ray replied, “sleeping, I hope. Otherwise, it’s a scary situation” Since Dave Davies is in England, it was around 1:30 am GMT when Ray answered that question.

Chicago Theatre marquis

The crowd gave as good as it got. When Davies introduced “Nothing In The World Can Stop Me Worrying About That Girl” – a song about the first time he fell in love, was dumped and became heartbroken – a guy from the audience yelled out ‘F’ her! The whole theater laughed!

At 67 years of age, Davies is still in great shape physically. He had plenty of energy throughout the night. His voice, while never the rival of say, Paul McCartney, was nevertheless in good form. He missed a note or two, but he was in strong voice. A good time was had by all.

Go see Ray Davies if you can. He is truly a living music legend!

Setlist:

1. I Need You
2. I’m Not Like Everybody Else
3. Sunny Afternoon
4. Waterloo Sunset
5. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion
6. See My Friends
7. Apeman
8. Victoria (snippet)
9. 20th Century Man
10. This Is Where I Belong
11. David Watts (shared vocal with Keith Slettedahl)
12. Where Have All the Good Times Gone?
13. Till The End Of The Day
14. Muswell Hillbillies
15. Nothing In The World Can Stop Me Worrying About That Girl
16. Too Much On My Mind
17. All Day And All Of The Night
18. Full Moon
19. Misfits
20. Imaginary Man
21. Celluloid Heroes
22. You Really Got Me
23. Lola
24. Low Budget

Here is “Waterloo Sunset” live from 11/15 in Silver Spring, MD. Tasty licks, witty banter and crowd noise included, free of charge…

Buck, Stipe, Berry, Mills

It’s hard to believe a world without R.E.M. making music and touring. Although the hits dried up years ago, the creativity and artistic integrity never waned. R.E.M. simply befell the fate of almost all old rockers; obscurity in the modern age of processed music ala Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Glee and American Idol. 60′s, 70′s, 80′s and 90′s artists don’t stand a chance. Somehow, and to their great credit, U2 have survived and thrived. Can you think of anyone else?

Although R.E.M. are not of the era of music we celebrate here at Rock and Roll Write In!, we still would be remiss in not discussing a band that shook things up in the 90′s with big hits and great alternative music. After all, they did cover some interesting diverse music in their early years, including The Clique‘s “(I Am) Superman”, an instrumental version of Skeeter Davis’ 1960 country and pop hit “Last Date” and the Velvet Underground’s “There She Goes Again“. Here they are with an unplugged, mandolin infused version of The Trogg’s “Love Is All Around“, featuring those great Stipe-Mills harmonies:

The frenetic “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” still energizes me to this day when I hear it. The big radio staples like “Losing My Religion” and “Man On The Moon” weren’t just pop fodder. They took interesting topics and set them to great music. Luckily, the masses were in-step at the time… even if they had no clue what they were hearing. How many newlyweds in the 80′s merrily and ignorantly danced to R.E.M.’s “The One I Love”? It sounds like a love song. The title sounds like a love song. But the lyrics?

This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I left behind
A simple prop,
To occupy my time
This one goes out to the one I love

Genius… It’s a really only a love song to people who pay attention to the lyrics!

To me, the band’s greatest songs feature the interplay and harmony between lead singer Michael Stipe and bassist/vocalist Mike Mills. Examples include, “Fall On Me”, “The One I Love”, “Exhuming McCarthy”, “Strange”, “Turn You Inside Out”, “Orange Crush”, “Shiny Happy People” and “Try Not To Breathe”. Here is a great example of the complementary voicework of Mills and Stipe…

Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry of R.E.M. will be missed.

Click HERE to listen to R.E.M.’s version of the sixties classic, “Last Date“.

Featuring Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron & Cory Wells

“Black And White” was originally a folk song, written in 1954 as a celebration of the Supreme Court’s ruling that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. It was originally recorded by Sammy Davis Jr in 1957.

Click here to see the Negron-less Three Dog Night perform this song in 2008. Below, see all three of them live from 1972. Enjoy:

Groovy!

One Sunday afternoon I was listening to Chicago radio station WLS or WCFL but for some reason I changed stations. I was soon blown away by a group called the Kinks. I stopped wiping glass and just stood there dumbfounded. For one hour on Sunday afternoon the local rock radio station played a syndicated program that featured the top 15 or 20 songs on the British Charts.

After the arrival of the Beatles in 1964 it seemed like every week a new British group or artist would enter the U.S. charts. For 60 minutes every Sunday I would be in awe listening to the new sound that was threatening to take over the U.S. radio airwaves. I took notes so I could remember the artist’s names and the titles of the songs. And on Monday I called the record shops and special-ordered the titles that I hoped would soon be released in America. Some records I never was able to find but I located most of what I deemed necessary. Needless to say I was definitely in the know. Eventually I located a record shop in the UK.

Lonnie Donegan, Skiffle King

The Walker Brothers

In 1962 Acker Bilk had a number one hit with “Stranger on the Shore.” Also in 1962 the Tornadoes became the first British instrumental group to hit the top spot on the American charts with “Telstar.” The Beatles changed everything–for the better….Certainly we all have our favorites when it comes to the British Invasion.

Here are Cliff’s favorites!

Adam Faith…Animals…Bachelors…Beatles…Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas…Chad and Jeremy…Cilla Black…Dave Clark Five…Donovan…Dusty Springfield……Fortunes…Freddy and the Dreamers…Fourmost…Georgie Fame…Gerry and the Pacemakers…Hedgehopper’s Anonymous…Herman’s Hermits…Hollies…Honeycombs…Hullaballoos…Ian Whitcomb…Ivy League…Jonathan King…Kinks…Lulu…Manfred Mann…Marianne Faithful…Moody Blues…Nashville Teens…Overlanders…P.J. Proby…Peter and Gordon…Petula Clark…Pretty Things…Rockin’ Berries…Rolling Stones…Sandie Shaw…Searchers…Seekers…Spencer Davis Group…Swinging Blue Jeans…Tom Jones…Tremeloes…Troggs…Unit 4 + 2…Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders…Walker Brothers…Who…Yardbirds…Zombies

Check out this video of The Springfields, a British folk trio which included a young Dusty Springfield and her brother Tom…

Will Christine McVie ever rejoin the band?

There is no word yet on the lineup, but it’s safe to assume Lindsay, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie will be on board again. The big question: Will Christine McVie remain in retirement?

If so, that would be such a shame. The band just doesn’t sound right without her. Compare the great “Say You Love Me” with Christine in 1997 and without Christine in 2009. You decide, but to me it’s clear. Her voice is an integral part of the classic FM sound, whether singing lead or adding vocal harmony.

A significant portion of FM’s parade of hits were penned or co-written by Christine. Fleetwood Mac had 17 top 30 hits on the USA Billboard charts between 1975 and 1987. McVie wrote or co-wrote more than half of them! Here is the list:

Over My Head – #20
Say You Love Me – #11
Don’t Stop – #3
You Make Lovin’ Fun – #9
Songbird – never released as a single, but closed out every FM concert for years
Think About Me – #20
Hold Me – #4
Love in Store – #22
Little Lies – #4
Everywhere – #14
As Long as You Follow – not top 30, but did reach #1 on Adult Contemporary chart

Christine Perfect

In 2003, she was invited to play keyboards and sing backing vocals once again for Fleetwood Mac. She appeared on two memorable tracks from Say You Will, “Bleed To Love Her” and “Steal Your Heart Away”. Click here to listen to the latter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBGtuGihs9s

Who knows why she quit the band in the first place. Tired of the grind? Not getting along with the band? She did release an album (with no tour to support it) in 2004 called In The Meantime, showing there’s no doubt she can still do it, if she wants. The songs offer her trademark tight songwriting, great keyboard work and smooth vocals. Unfortunately, most great artists from the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s can’t get airplay in the 2000′s, so you probably didn’t hear this record. The single “Friend” died a quick death (I don’t even recall hearing it), but did make a small noise on the Adult Contemporary chart – reaching #29. What a great, mostly-unknown song this is!! Check it out here:

C’mon Lindsay and Stevie… Bring Christine back for one more go-round, please! I will purchase tickets for certain.

Jerry Leiber (left), famed rock & roll songwriter has passed away

Leiber, along with partner Mike Stoller, shared a deep love of black music and were staunch proponents of Rhythm and Blues in the early Fifties. Soon thereafter they helped to usher in the early, volatile days of the Rock and Roll Revolution. In 1955 Atlantic Records signed Leiber and Stoller to the first independent production deal in the music industry.

Some of the songs written by Leiber and Stoller include “Kansas City”, “Hound Dog”, “Young Blood“, “Yakety Yak”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “On Broadway”, “Stand by Me”, “Only in America”, “Ruby Baby”, “Love Potion #9″ and “Is That All There Is?”

In 1985 Leiber and Stoller were inducted into the Song Writers’ Hall of Fame. The following year they entered the Record Producers’ Hall of Fame. And in 1987, Leiber and Stoller were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

See the king of Doo Wop, Dion, performing “Ruby Baby” on the David Letterman show in the late 1980′s…

melody + harmony

A relatively obscure Buddy Holly song – “Listen To Me” – has been recorded by Beach Boys’ mastermind Brian Wilson for an upcoming Buddy Holly tribute CD. It is available as a free mp3 download via Rolling Stone magazine’s website. Click on the link to hear the song: http://mp3.rollingstone.com/download/03ListentoMe.mp3

“Listen to Me” was the fourth track on side one of Holly’s 2nd album, the self titled Buddy Holly. Released in February 1958, this album and the smash hit “Peggy Sue” soared up the charts. “Listen to Me” was not released as a single. But, as is typical of most Holly songs, it has withstood the test of time. It’s a blend of rockabilly and country with a rhythm section (Joe Mauldin on bass / Jerry Allison on drums) sound that could easily have been mistaken for the Tennessee Two. The vocals include Holly’s trademarked double-tracked lead vocals along with some nice harmonies (with himself).

Wilson’s update is really quite good! He keeps instrumentation simple, as on the original – bass/drums/guitar with the addition of a xylophone. Of course, Wilson has added his patented choral harmonies, all of which are quite strong.

The tribute album will be released on September 6th. Featured artists include Ringo Starr, Jackson Browne, Natalie Merchant, Stevie Nicks, Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak and more. Read more about it HERE.

Hear the original Buddy Holly track below!

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, music masterminds

What a treat it was going to be to hear the great Steely Dan again in concert. I saw them two years ago at the Chicago Theater, where they played the album Gaucho straight through. That concert was so good and fresh in my memory, that I couldn’t let them come through Chicago again without making it out to the venue. The choice of Ravinia was a bit puzzling, but hey… beggars can’t be choosers. More on that later.

Ravinia is an outdoor venue with a huge lawn area that sprawls through a park. Unlike other sheds around the country, the lawn area is not up on a hill. Thus, you can’t actually see the band. They have speakers placed throughout the park so you can hear the music.

Jam-Packed Ravinia Festival

The show started at 8:12pm under cloudy skies. Rain was in the forecast, but we were hopeful for a miss. I’d heard that Fagen’s voice was shot, so that was a concern. However, my fears were soon allayed, as Fagen sounded just like his old self. “Your Gold Teeth” started the night off in great fashion. I’d never heard it live and in doing some research, found they hadn’t performed it live EVER before the 2011 tour. It’s an uptempo jazz keyboard track from 1973′s Countdown to Ecstasy, infused with lots of strange drug and cultural references (do you know who Cathy Berberian is?).

minor flooding at Ravinia

From that point on, the concert contained many familiar arrangements of songs that I’ve heard over the years. Yet, they never fail to impress. The band is really tight, with nary a note out of place. See the setlist below for links to some great live footage of Steely Dan, highlighting particular solos for your viewing pleasure.

Heavy rains came down at 9:20, as the band launched into “Dirty Work” from 1972′s debut album, Can’t Buy A Thrill. Since Fagen didn’t sing on the original, he gave way to The Embassy Brats (aka the three background singers). It is slowed down a little and comes across as more soulful than the record. The ladies were great! Some of the less intrepid or less interested ran for the exits, but the vast majority stuck it out through the end.

The place was rocking by 9:30, as we headed down an impressive stretch of crowd-pleasing songs: “Josie”, “Peg” and “My Old School”. “Reeling in the Years” was next and dancing ensued! The band has a new coda to the song, a short, yet impressive bit of a drum solo by the great Keith Carlock.

A single encore song was played (“Kid Charlemagne”) before Fagen and Becker left the stage to the light jazzy strains of “Theme from Last Tango in Paris”. My immediate reaction was one of disappointment. Done already? I checked the clock and it was 10:20pm. The show had gone on for over 2 hours, with no intermission. The time simply flew. That is the hallmark of having a good time!

Without any new material to go on the road with since 2003, the band still manages to sell out venues wherever they go. This is a testament to Dan fans’ love of great material and an even greater presentation of said material. Fagen and Becker tour with a group of all-star musicians, most of whom have been together since the Two Against Nature tour (2000). See the lineup below, with video highlights included.

The Miles High Big Band
featuring The Embassy Brats

Donald Fagen [Vocals, Keyboards]
Walter Becker [Guitar, Storyteller] – tasty guitar solo followed by funny story during “Hey Nineteen”. Click HERE to see it, starting at 2:06.
Jim Beard [Keyboards]
Keith Carlock [Drums] – this guy is awesome and really lives up to the legendary drummers he’s filling in for on these songs. Click HERE and check the 6:55 mark for the tremendous outtro to “Aja”.
Jon Herington [Guitar] – sublime take on “Kid Charlemagne”, making the great Larry Carlton solo all his own. Click HERE and go to 3:55.
Michael Leonhart [Trumpet, Keys] – See the 3:52 mark of “Your Gold Teeth” for a jazzy trumpet solo. Click HERE.
Jim Pugh [Trombone] – nice trombone solo during “Hey Nineteen”. See it HERE starting at the 5:50 mark.
Roger Rosenberg [Baritone Saxophone]
Freddie Washington [Bass]
Walt Weiskopf [Saxophone] – see his outtro solo on “Deacon Blues” HERE, from the 6:14 mark through the end of the song.

The Embassy Brats:
Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery [B. Vocals]
Cindy Mizelle [B. Vocals]
Catherine Russell [B. Vocals]

A Small Complaint Or Two
The Dan played the night before at Ravinia as well, with a special setlist. They played the 1977 album Aja in it’s entirety, followed by a smattering of hits. The concert I attended was billed as a “By Popular Demand” night, meaning that fans could go to a website and request the setlist. This must be rigged! Did fans really request “Time Out Of Mind” without Michael McDonald there to lend his backing vocal which dominates the middle section? Did they want to hear “Show Biz Kids“? OK, I take that back. People do love to sing along to the F word! But what about “GodWhacker”? Only hardcore fans know this tune from 2003′s Everything Must Go. Great song and all, but if this was truly a request show, it wouldn’t make the cut. Where the heck was “Deacon Blues”, “Do It Again”, “Bad Sneakers”, “FM (No Static At All)”, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and “Pretzel Logic”? All are either huge hits or big FM radio staples.

Also, in the middle of the set, Steely Dan busted into James Brown’s “Papa Don’t Take No Mess”. Great song, great groove… but the Dan used this time to introduce each member of the band, giving them all a short solo. Well, this isn’t a small group of people. The song stretched 11 MINUTES! I understand that these are all crack musicians whom deserve recognition, but c’mon… this could have been done in 2-3 minutes and they could have given us at least 2 more Steely Dan songs!

Here is a performance of “Reeling In The Years” from July 2011, in HD…

Some Dan History
Group leaders, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, formed Steely Dan in 1972 in an effort to bring their pop-rock-jazz fusion to the masses. Their very first single, “Do It Again”, went right up the charts in November, 1972 – peaking at #6 in the USA. Four months later, “Reeling In The Years” made it to #11. A year later, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” would top them both, going to #4 in the country.

With that great start under their belts, the group shook things up. Always perfectionists in the studio, Fagen and Becker were often at odds with other members of the band. By 1975 the group became simply a duo; augmented with top-notch studio musicians. While there were less big hits from 1974-1977, the band’s music progressed, gaining an even bigger following. The writing became more interesting musically and lyrically, as the band brought a sarcastic and often dark wit along with serious rock and jazz chops to many of the songs. In 1981, with their latest (and last for a long time) album having spawned another top-10 hit (“Hey Nineteen”), the duo called it quits and didn’t record again until 2000. Read more Steely Dan history HERE.

Warning to music lovers planning a trip to Ravinia
Ravinia began as a destination for a serious music crowd. Patrons went to hear opera, classical or chamber music. They were aficionados, there to listen and enjoy music. But as the years have passed, the organizers realized they could make a lot more money by bringing in popular acts. They could charge much higher prices for pavilion seats, while keeping lawn seats reasonable. Pavilion seats for Steely Dan were $85. Lawn were only $33 – a bargain!

Now, when attending pop or rock concerts, people with lawn seats can expect to hear plenty of audience chatter. People who are not huge music fans treat the occasion as a time to socialize. This is due partly because it’s a picnic setting, so it’s natural to gather in a circle around the food and talk. But, it’s also partly due to free-flowing alcohol, which the park allows customers to bring in. Most show up well before showtime. By the end of the evening, you could be there drinking for 5 hours straight!

This is why I feel Ravinia was a curious choice for Steely Dan. Above all, they value the quality of music and the quality of sound. So, to have that big sound coming out of what can’t be state of the art speakers in a park full of talking people seems like an anomaly to me.

I’m not complaining, mind you. I’ve been there many times and knew what to expect. This is just a PSA… if you really love the artist or band you are going to see at Ravinia, then you should splurge on Pavilion seats.

Setlist

Intro: Dizzy’s Bidness
Your Gold Teeth
Aja
Black Friday
Hey Nineteen
Time Out of Mind
GodWhacker
Black Cow
Show Biz Kids
Bodhisattva
Dirty Work
Papa Don’t Take No Mess
(James Brown cover – band introductions)
Babylon Sisters
Josie
Peg
My Old School
Reeling in the Years
Encore:
Kid Charlemagne
Outro: Last Tango in Paris Theme

Hammond B3 master

Lord is one of the great Hammond B3 organ players in rock music. His sound, always tuneful yet often the verge of distortion, is probably the key hallmark of the band’s overall sound. In 1968, Lord was a founding member of Deep Purple along with guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore and drummer, Ian Paice. In the beginning, Deep Purple started out as a cover band, scoring a U.S. hits with Joe South‘s “Hush”, Neil Diamond’s “Kentucky Woman” and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich’s “River Deep-Mountain High” – all with original singer Rod Evans. Click HERE to see a live performance of Hush from 1969. Oddity: Hugh Hefner introduces the band!

In the 70′s and 80′s, various incarnations of Deep Purple would be known for their own heavy rock compositions that became big radio staples. Examples include Highway Star, Woman From Tokyo, Smoke on the Water and Knocking at your Back Door.

Mark II (1969-1973) Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Ian Paice and Roger Glover

In 1969, Lord composed Concerto for Group and Orchestra (with lyrics by new singer Ian Gillan), which was performed by Deep Purple with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall in London. This was a musically adventurous mix of rock and roll in a symphonic setting. See a four-minute section here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyfv22_DEwE

Jon Lord will continue to compose music during his convalescence, but will otherwise be out of the music scene for a bit. Let’s hope for a speedy recovery and perhaps more Deep Purple concerts in the near future!

Check this video out… Deep Purple live in 1973, performing one of their most recognizable songs. Lord’s Hammond solo comes in around the 2:56 mark:

Brill Building Babe

As a kid in early grade school the transistor radio was my music connection to the hip teenage years that eventually would be realized. The hits just kept on coming and I kept on listening. And when I saved up enough allowance I would walk two-plus miles to Downtown and find my way into a record shop. I’d select a stack of 45’s and go into a listening booth. Yes I definitely knew my way around a record store. After an hour or so I would finally decide what records I was going to buy. If a song struck a chord within and had a good melody it did not matter if it was the Drifters (Up on the Roof*), Dion (This Little Girl*), Chiffons (One Fine Day*), Everly Brothers (Crying in the Rain*) or Little Eva (The Loco-Motion*).

I had my favorite artists but I also bought a lot of 45’s by the numerous one-hit wonders of the day. The more records I bought the more I realized that a high percentage of my favorite songs were written by Goffin-King. Yet I literally knew nothing about the songwriters other than the fact that their names could be found on the 45 label just below the title of the song they had composed. I also came to realize that the duo crafted some of the greatest pop songs I had ever heard.

Eventually through bits and pieces of music industry information—insightful disc jockey banter, comments by Dick Clark on American Bandstand, pop music magazine articles, etc.—I figured out that “Goffin” was Gerry Goffin and “King” was Carole King and that the songwriting team was husband and wife. I recall thinking how great it was that they were married for the simple, selfish reason that they would be writing songs forever.

From that point on, I began to get serious. If it was penned by Goffin-King I usually found it, even if it was a “miss” instead of a hit. As I got older Goffin-King got even better. Artists from the early Sixties like Bobby Rydell (I Got Bonnie*), Drifters (Some Kind of Wonderful*), Bobby Vee (Take Good Care of My Baby* and the Cookies (Chains*) faded but Goffin-King stayed contemporary with songs for the Righteous Brothers (Just Once in My Life*), Monkees (Pleasant Valley Sunday*) and Aretha Franklin (Natural Woman*).

Sometime in 1967, Goffin-King became un-hyphenated. In 1968 Carole King moved to California and formed the band City. The group released one LP, the very promising Now That Everything’s Been Said, and relatively soon thereafter Carole King decided to go solo. Her first release was appropriately titled Writer. At the time I could not believe it was overlooked by the music-buying public. In my opinion it was better than the majority of the music that filled the airwaves. It wasn’t slick and to me that was exactly the point.

Her next LP, Tapestry, released in 1971, simply could not be ignored. It was an undeniable masterpiece and it quickly shot up the record charts. There had been nothing quite like it before. “Who is this unknown singer-songwriter?” the record-buying public wanted to know. When I would hear that question I just smiled, and if someone really wanted to know, I’d ask, “Remember the Drifters? How about the Loco-Motion?” From her earliest songs written for other artists to the personal tapestry she continues to weave approaching age 70, Carole King continues to write songs and tour…and still manages to strike an occasional chord within.
_______________
*Just a sampling of the early songs penned by Goffin-King

I Was There, sung by Lenny Welch, is one of the overlooked Goffin-King compositions that failed to connect. Always the wonderful melody coupled with Gerry Goffin’s tidy lyrics…definitely has the early Carole King trademark groove.

If you can’t get enough Carole King, check out this early sixties song, “Oh Neil” which was an answer song to the hit “Oh Carole” by Neil Sedaka which was written with Carole King in mind…