Seven Things You Didn't Know About Your Favorite Carole King Songs

By BEAUTIFUL – The Carole King Musical (Patch Partner)

Carole King is one of the most beloved singer-songwriters of our time. She’s released 25 solo albums, written hundreds of chart-topping hits, and won an incredible number of awards and honors, including the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. Her life is even the basis for the Tony Award® winning Broadway musical, BEAUTIFUL.

7. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”

If you’ve seen BEAUTIFUL, you know that before her singing career took off, King wrote songs that made other people famous. At just 18, King co-wrote “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” with her then-husband and songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin. Performed by The Shirelles, the song hit #1 on the charts—the first #1 hit for King, and the first #1 hit for an all-girl singing group.

6. “You’ve Got a Friend”

James Taylor certainly has a friend in Carole King. Both artists recorded individual versions of “You’ve Got a Friend” in the same studio with the same musicians in 1971. King’s version received Song of the Year at the Grammys, making her the first female winner in that category. And it won Taylor his first and only #1 hit.

5. “It’s Too Late”

Speaking of James Taylor… King wrote the music and Toni Stern wrote the lyrics for this fan favorite #1 hit about a romantic breakup. According to Stern, the lyrics poured out of her in a single day following the end of her love affair with Taylor.

4. “Chains”

Another collaboration by King and Goffin, “Chains” was written for a girl group called The Cookies. But it really took off when a little band called The Beatles covered it on their debut studio album, Please Please Me.

3. “The Loco-Motion”

King and Goffin’s teenage babysitter, Eva Boyd, happened to be a spectacular singer. They asked her to perform a demo of their new song, “The Loco-Motion,” in hopes of enticing R&B vocalist Dee Dee Sharp to record the final version. When Sharp passed, Little Eva’s recording was released, and it became a smashing success.

2. “I Feel the Earth Move”

In addition to being a #1 hit, “I Feel the Earth Move” seems to have some mystical power behind it. On February 9th, 1971—one day before the song was released on King’s Tapestry album—a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Los Angeles. It also happened to be King’s 29th birthday.

1. “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"

In 1967, Atlantic Records co-owner and producer Jerry Wexler asked King to write a song about being a “natural woman” for singer Aretha Franklin. It became one of Aretha’s most popular pieces, and went on to be covered by everyone from Mary J. Blige to Celine Dion. Aretha gave a show-stopping rendition at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors, in celebration of King’s lifetime achievements. She not only dropped the mic, she dropped a fur coat! And rumor has it President Obama shed a tear… just like the millions of viewers who tuned in on TV and YouTube.

It’s no wonder Carole King is one of the most cherished artists of our generation!

Hungry for more inspiration? Check out the interactive discography created by BEAUTIFUL just for King’s fans. You can explore your favorite songs, learn fun facts, and listen to specially curated music playlists.

Click here to explore the discography and uncover more secrets behind the songs!