Tapestry (Carole King album)

Untitled

Tapestry is a ground-breaking pop album by singer-songwriter Carole King, released in 1971. It features King's well-crafted, heartfelt songs sung in her honest, personal voice with minimal production by Lou Adler. It has earned a spot as one of the quintessential recordings of the rock era. Tapestry was ranked US number 1 for 15 weeks and remained on the charts for over six years. The album also garnered four Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Record of the Year ("It's Too Late"); and Song of the Year ("You've Got a Friend").

King wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, several of which had already been hits for other artists such as Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" and the Shirelles's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". Three songs were co-written with King's ex-husband Gerry Goffin. James Taylor, who encouraged King to sing her own songs, and who also played on Tapestry, would have a #1 hit with "You've Got a Friend."

In December 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Tapestry as the 36th greatest album ever. Also in 2003, the VH1 TV network named Tapestry the 39th greatest album ever. In 2003, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

Various artists combined to re-record all the original tracks for more than one tribute album; the first, released in 1995, entitled Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King, and the second, released in 2003, entitled A New Tapestry — Carole King Tribute.

Track listing

All songs by Carole King, except where noted.

Original vinyl release

1. "I Feel the Earth Move" – 2:58
2. "So Far Away" – 3:55
3. "It's Too Late" (King, Toni Stern) – 3:53
4. "Home Again" – 2:29
5. "Beautiful" – 3:08
6. "Way Over Yonder" – 4:44
7. "You've Got a Friend" – 5:09
8. "Where You Lead" (King, Stern) – 3:20
9. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" (Gerry Goffin, King) – 4:12
10. "Smackwater Jack" (Goffin, King) – 3:41
11. "Tapestry" – 3:13
12. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Goffin, King, Jerry Wexler) – 3:49

CD reissue

The album was reissued in 1999 as a CD, with two previously unreleased bonus tracks.

1. "I Feel the Earth Move" – 2:58
2. "So Far Away" – 3:55
3. "It's Too Late" – 3:53
4. "Home Again" – 2:29
5. "Beautiful" – 3:08
6. "Way Over Yonder" – 4:44
7. "You've Got a Friend" – 5:09
8. "Where You Lead" – 3:20
9. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" – 4:12
10. "Smackwater Jack" – 3:41
11. "Tapestry" – 3:13
12. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" – 3:49
13. "Out in the Cold" – 2:44
14. "Smackwater Jack" [live] – 3:21

Note

Certain copies of the original CD issue list track 12 as "(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman" with the parentheses putting a different emphasis on the title. However, the inside liner notes of these CDs still use the standard form of the track title as listed above.

Personnel

• Carole King – synthesizer, guitar, piano, keyboard, vocals, background vocals
• Curtis Amy – bass flute, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, string quartet
• Steve Barzyk – drums
• David Campbell – cello, viola
• Merry Clayton – vocals, background vocals
• Terry King – cello, tenor saxophone, string quartet
• Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar – guitar, conga, electric guitar, vocals
• Russ Kunkel – drums
• Charles Larkey – bass, electric bass, string bass, string quartet
• Joni Mitchell – background vocals
• Joel O'Brian – drums
• Michael Pultand
• Ralph Schuckett – piano, keyboard, electric piano
• Barry Socher – violin, tenor saxophone, viola, string quartet
• Perry Steinberg – bass, violin, tenor saxophone, string bass
• "Taylor Boy and Girl Choir" (Joni Mitchell and James Taylor) – background vocals
• James Taylor – acoustic guitar, guitar, vocals, granfalloon
• Julia Tillman – vocals, background vocals

Production

• Producer: Lou Adler
• Engineers: Vic Anesini, Hank Cicalo, Bob Irwin, Carole King
• A&R: Steven Berkowitz
• Mixing: Bob Irwin
• Mastering: Vic Anesini, Steve Hall
• Surround mix: Paul Klingberg
• Product manager: Jessica Sowin
• Project manager: Jessica Sowin
• Project director: Howard Frank
• Preparation: Bob Irwin
• Art direction: Roland Young
• Design: Chuck Beeson
• Reissue design: Smay Vision
• Photography: Jim McCrary
• Liner notes: James Taylor

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)
Year	Chart	Position
1971	Pop Albums	1
2000	Top Internet Albums	13

Singles - Billboard (North America)
Year	Single	Chart	Position
1971	"I Feel the Earth Move"	Pop Singles	1
1971	"It's Too Late"	Adult Contemporary	1
1971	"It's Too Late"	Pop Singles	1
1971	"Smackwater Jack"	Pop Singles	14
1971	"So Far Away"	Adult Contemporary	3
1971	"So Far Away"	Pop Singles	14

Awards

Grammy Awards
Year	Winner	Category
1971	"It's Too Late"	Record Of The Year
1971	Tapestry	Album Of The Year
1971	Tapestry	Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
1971	"You've Got a Friend"	Song Of The Year

Trivia

• "Where You Lead" became the title song of TV show Gilmore Girls. The version played on the show featured King and her daughter Louise Goffin sharing the vocals.