Carole King - A Natural Woman - Memoir

[theboyfromxtown]

"A memoir by the iconic singer-songwriter chronicling her story from her beginnings in Brooklyn through her remarkable success as one of the world's most acclaimed musical talents, to her present day as a leading performer and activist. From her marriage to Gerry Goffin, with whom she wrote dozens of songs that hit the charts, to her own achievements, notably with "Tapestry," which remained on the charts for more than six years, to her experiences as a mother, this memoir chronicles one of music's most successful and fascinating stars. The book will include dozens of photos from King's childhood, her own family, and behind-the-scenes images from her performances over the years."


Yesterday, the book could be found on Book Depository for £14.05. After ordering it last night, I now see Amazon are cheaper at £13.....Oh well!

There's also a new CD from Carole. "The Legendary Demos"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Legendar...3882302&sr=1-1

[jobeterob]

Thanks John; this is worth following up on.

[theboyfromxtown]

I hope so....

81 hits must mean that there are a few people interested besides the usual crowd.

[Kamasu_Jr]

"A memoir by the iconic singer-songwriter chronicling her story from her beginnings in Brooklyn through her remarkable success as one of the world's most acclaimed musical talents, to her present day as a leading performer and activist. From her marriage to Gerry Goffin, with whom she wrote dozens of songs that hit the charts, to her own achievements, notably with "Tapestry," which remained on the charts for more than six years, to her experiences as a mother, this memoir chronicles one of music's most successful and fascinating stars. The book will include dozens of photos from King's childhood, her own family, and behind-the-scenes images from her performances over the years."


Yesterday, the book could be found on Book Depository for £14.05. After ordering it last night, I now see Amazon are cheaper at £13.....Oh well!

There's also a new CD from Carole. "The Legendary Demos"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Legendar...3882302&sr=1-1

CAN YOU GIVE us a review? i've heard she discusses some dark secrets. I wonder what those secrets are.

[splanky]

I buy very few books these days, or years I'll say. I saw my library has it in their system so I placed a hold on it but there are over a hundred holds on only 16 copies so it could be 2013 before I get it. O well,..I can't imagine anything
darker in Carole's life than the disolution of her marriage to Gerry Goffin after his affair with Earljean McCrea of the Cookies, but that long kept "secret" was unearthed a few years ago...

[reese]

There was abuse in one of her later marriages.

[Kamasu_Jr]

There was abuse in one of her later marriages.

I read some reviews on line and learned about the marriages...the abuse, etc. After some less than fulfilling celebrity autobiographies, I'm hesitant to read these books because they might taint the esteem I have for the subject. I might look for a sale on this one.

[nomis]

Im looking at it now on my autobiography shelf in my bookshop..its a pretty thick book..."Tapestry" was one of the biggest selling albums of all time here in New Zealand so im hoping someone will buy it..but I only seem to sell music books at Christmas..

[motony]

I was in a bookstore this weekend & browsed this book, the only thing I was interested in was Little Eva & not much that I already knew was about her. If you get a chance try to find & listen to a Dimension Records Release "School Bells Are Ringing" Carol King is doing an almost comical imitation of Little Eva....when I was a kid, I didn't know if Carol King was white or black but when I found out she was white, it really bothered me, it also bothered me that they didn't do more for Eva when she had it ruff. Thats what I was lookin for in the book but I couldn't find anything.

[smark21]

Why did it bother you when you found out Carole King was white?

[jobeterob]

Was looking for Carole King singing this song. But I kinda like this version better.

[jobeterob]

Well maybe I like them both equally.

[splanky]

Okay, I know what I'm about to say might piss off some but to be honest I've always thought Carole
found her voice by writing and producing for other singers. I have the Dimension Dolls compilation and I almost never listen to it without skipping past her songs to hear Little Eva and The Cookies. I didn't care
much for her tone and phrasing in her early work, still don't. It wasn't until Tapestry that I began to appreciate her as a singer...

[randy_russi]

Well, she had a great producer, Lou Adler, on Tapestry. I didn't care much for her early work either and as stated above
"School Bells Are Ringing" is a Little Eva inspired vocal. Lou Adler was such a good producer that Barbara Streisand
took the record he produced on the Blossoms with Darlene Love on lead and copied it almost phrase by phrase.
He said when some people first heard Streisand's record they thought it was Darlene.

[randy_russi]

Left out the name of the record above, but it was "Stoney End".

[motony]

smark21,it didn't bother me that she was white...what bothered me was she was white trying to sing with a southern black dialect.I liked her songwriting but she never impressed me as a singer.

[jobeterob]

So Carole King wasn't Little Eva was she? Or was she?

[randy_russi]

No, I knew Eva. Eva knew the Cookies and that's how she met Carole and Gerry.

[motony]

I guess she wanted to sing as good as Eva Boyd, LOL

[smark21]

smark21,it didn't bother me that she was white...what bothered me was she was white trying to sing with a southern black dialect.I liked her songwriting but she never impressed me as a singer.

I see, well that makes sense. I’ve not a big fan of her voice either, but you have to admit her flawed voice and her songwriting really connected with the public with her Tapestry album.

[motony]

try to find "School Bells Are Ringing" & you will see what I mean...she isn't singin with same white girl voice as "It Might As Well Rain Until Sept." .......or that Tapestry stuff.

[randy_russi]

In '63 or '64 she or her company sent her recording of School Bells Are Ringing to Scepter Records to consider recording on the Rocky Fellers of "Killer Joe" fame. The never recorded the song, but the recording remained
in the Scepter master tapes and ended up being issued on a Rocky Fellers compilation on Sequel a good ten
to twelve years ago. Many of Carole's fans, unaware this had been a Demension single by her in '62, thought
she was trying to sing like a little Filipino boy, but her phrasing was inspired by Little Eva.

[R. Mark Desjardins]

Much like songwriter Laura Nyro, commercial success evaded the early work of Carole King. Both women had the knack of writing stunning songs that sold millions for other people. Their unique voices are definitely an acquired taste, but that doesn't diminish in the least the gift they had in penning songs we wanted to hear.

[randy_russi]

splanky, there is nothing in the book about Gerry Goffin having an affair withEarl Jean of the Cookies.

[juicefree20]

Randy:

Will have to verify further, but here's a link which mentions the situation of which Splanky speaks of...

http://frombetweenthecracks.blogspot...ere-gerry.html

[juicefree20]

I knew that I had heard that story before & it's because Sheila Weller wrote about it in her book "Girls Like Us", which was written about singer/songwriters Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon & the times when they first found fame.

To be fair, when discussing this situation [[if what was written is true & I've heard of no lawsuits over it), then one definitely has to take into consideration that back then, those times were definitely a'changing, as the lifestyles [[communal or otherwise) in those pre-"Love, American Style" days were definitely becoming quite an open book for many celebrities back then.

The book indicates that Gerry moved Earl & her daughter to Jersey, pretty much next door as neighbors & did so from joint songwriting earnings. They continued writing together, so maybe this wasn't as scandalous or embarrassing to all concerned back then, as it sounds today.

Hey...it WAS the late 60's

[splanky]

Thanks for the links, Juice. I can't remember exactly where I first heard the story but it was all pretty much the same
information. It never hurt my appreciation of anyone's talents and I remain a fan of all Cookies, anyway...

[randy_russi]

I read the link, so according to what is written, Gerry is the father of a baby Earl-Jean had. Where is Earl-Jean today?
I saw the Cookies on Mary Wilson's Girl Group Stamp video, but I don't recall if she is one of them.

[motown_david]

I spoke with Margaret Ross at the Pondeerosa Stomp Girl Group concert in New York last August and she said that Earl Jean was fine, as was her child who looks like Gerry. Earl Jean was lead singer on most of the Cookies' 45s, although Margaret is lead on I Never Dreamed, which she sang at the concert with song's author Russ Titelman playing keyboards behind her. I never thought I'd ever hear her singing that one live on stage. It was tremendous. Margaret says that Earl Jean only sings in church these days.

[randy_russi]

Thanks, motown_david!

[motown_david]

That's OK, Randy. Like you, I love my girl groups, as I know you do, and the Cookies are right up there in the leading bunch of favourites, although I'm a real sucker for La La Brooks of the Crystals. She's my number one girl group singer.

[robb_k]

Well maybe I like them both equally.

It was nice to hear this on You-Tube, as it lead me to hearing Neil Sedacka singing "Oh Carol" in Hebrew [[which was quite interesting [[and unexpectedly good-sounding).

[splanky]

Anyway, back to the subject of Carole's memoir, I'm still interested in reading it even if she decided that the subject of Gerry's diversions...were too painful to discuss in detail, I'd simply like to read in her own words what it was like doing
what she did. I'm surprised though that anyone would confuse her with Little Eva who was as I understand it, intially
her babysitter...

[luke]

I agree about LaLa-the greatest-and a great person as well! I LOVE Carole King's voice--something so natural and mesmerizing about it.

[randy_russi]

By the way, the record "The Loco-Motion" features only Carole and Little Eva on the backup vocals. She does say in
the book that a lot of people think the intro sounds like a train, but states it is tape hiss from so much overdubbing.

Yes, La La Brooks is an incredible singer!!!