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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Michael: Hello and welcome back to Educating
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 Isabella Rock and Roll 101,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 where I'm on a quest to help EXPAND My
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 friend's 17 year old granddaughter
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 Isabella's musical universe beyond
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 Taylor Swift anthems and Billie Eilish vibe.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 Isabella, you're a vinyl queen with a heart
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 for heartfelt lyrics. Well, today we're
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 meeting the woman who basically invented that
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 blueprint. Carole King, Songwriter
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 extraordinaire, piano powerhouse, and
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 the voice behind one of the biggest albums
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 ever. Think of her as the original
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 behind the scenes boss. She penned hits for
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 everyone from Aretha Franklin to the Beatles
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 before stepping into the spotlight herself.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 And yes, we will be introducing you to all
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 these artists in future episodes. For now,
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 you just need to accept that they were the
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 superstars of their time. Every era has
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 its hidden gems. 50s songwriters like
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 Jerry Lieber, 60s Motown masters.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 But Carole she's the 70s queen who
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 turned personal stories into platinum. And
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 get this, modern stars like Taylor Swift call
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 her a hero for those raw, emotional tunes.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 Sabrina Carpenter. She's covered Carol's
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 vibes in her tours. Ready to unravel the
00:01:16 --> 00:01:17 tapestry. Let's dive in.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 Carole King was born Carol Joan
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 Klein in 1942, right in
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 Manhattan. Growing up in Brooklyn with a love
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 for music that started young. By age 4,
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 she was tickling the ivories like a pro.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 Her mom was a teacher, dad a firefighter,
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 but music was her fire. In high school,
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 she sold melodies to New York City
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 publishers, dreaming big. At Queens
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 College, she met Jerry Goffin, a chemistry
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 student with a poet's soul. Sparks
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 flew. They married in 1959 when
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 she was 17, the same age as you.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 Isabella had a daughter and dove into
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 songwriting. Enter the Brill Building, a, uh,
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 legendary Manhattan hit factory in the early
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 60s under Don Kirschner's Alden
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 Music. Carol and Jerry cranked out jams in
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 tiny cubicles. Piano and lyrics flying.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 Working alongside future greats such as Neil
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 diamond and Neil Sedaka. It was quite the
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 creative environment. They weren't the
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 performers yet. They were the wizards behind
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 the curtain. Hits. Oh, Plenty,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 Will youl Love Me Tomorrow for the Shirelles.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 1960, first number one by a black girl
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 group. All about teenage vulnerability.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 Take Good Care of My Baby for Bobby V. The
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 Locomotion for little Eva, their babysitter.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 True story. Up on the Roof for the Drifters.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 Even the Beatles covered chains early on.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 And don't forget, you Make Me Feel Like a
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 Natural Woman for Aretha Franklin. In 67.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 Carol wrote it in a day after a producer
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 challenge. Challenge. Over 400 songs in
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 total. 118 charting on
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 Billboard Hot 100. A little side
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 story Carol demoed most tracks herself,
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 her voice so spot on that stars begged for
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 her versions. But Carol stepped out solo,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 too. In 1962, her demo of
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 It Might as well Rain until September, a
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 summer song of longing, hit the top 25 in
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 the US and number three in the UK. It
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 was her first taste of the spotlight, but she
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 preferred writing for others. Quick tidbit
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 break. Carole King wrote the Locomotion for
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 her babysitter. It topped charts twice in the
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 US once in 62, again with
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 Grand Funk in 74, and a third time in
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 1987 in Australia and
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 1988 internationally for Kylie
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 Minogue. Dance craze starter
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 okay, back to our story. The mid-60s
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 a bit of wilderness for Carol. Hits slowed
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 as British Invasion rocked the scene. The
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 Beatles, Stones, shifting tastes. She and
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 Gotham divorced in 68, amicably co
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 parenting two daughters but kept
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 collaborating. Carol formed the City with
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 bassist Hubby no. 2, Charles Larkey and
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 guitarist Danny Korchmar. Their
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 1968 album now that Everything's Been
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 Said, Jazzy folk rock but flopped
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 commercially. Carol hated touring. She moved
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 to Laurel Canyon, L.A. songwriter Haven,
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 rubbing elbows with Joni Mitchell, James
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 Taylor, Crosby, Stills and Nash. It
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 recharged her. She played piano on Taylor's
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 Sweet Baby James and he
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 encouraged her solo push. Her debut
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 writer was modest but set
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 the stage. Then 1971 boom.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 The album Tapestry is released, produced by
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 Lou Adler in a cozy LA studio. It's
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 Carol raw piano, voice, life
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 stories Tracks like I feel the Earth Move
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 Sexy Quake Metaphor so Far Away
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 Longing for Friends it's too late Breakup
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 Realness Double A side number one with I feel
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 the Earth. She read that her classics Will
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 you love me Tomorrow? Stripped Bare, A
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 Natural Woman Soulful and you've got a
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 friend. She wrote it for James Taylor, but
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 both versions soared. Hers Grammy winning
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 stats epic 15 weeks at
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 number one on Billboard over 25 million
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 sold worldwide best selling album by a female
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 artist for 25 years until Whitney Houston
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 came along for four Grammys in 72
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 album record song female
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 vocal first solo woman for record of the
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 year. Rolling Stone ranks it top 25
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 all time seller. It's in the Library of
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 Congress. Why? Huge post 60s
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 honesty divorce, independence feels
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 and warm accessible pop fun fact
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 Cover photo Carol in her Laurel Canyon
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 window Cat Telemachus Chilling. She named
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 him after Odysseus son. A uh, not so subtle
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 literary nodded. Check it out. Quick tidbit
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 Carol married four times songwriters,
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 a bassist, even ranchers. Her activism
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 saved Idaho Wilderness from mining in the 80s
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 Add Eco Queen to the resume. Follow ups
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 Flu music 1971 number one
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 Rhymes and Reasons 1972 number two
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 Fantasy 1973 a
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 concept album like a radio play hits
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 like Ben to Canaan Gorazon
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 through 70s 80s Wraparound
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 Joy Pearls 1980 An
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 Album of Gotham King covers. She dabbled
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 in acting, a notable Gilmore Girls cameo,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 wrote kids books, fought for the environment.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 Then came a big pivot Beautiful
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 the Carole King musical 2013 on
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 um, Broadway. Her life story ran for
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 six years. Even Tony Award for best
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 Musical Global tour is still going
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 in 2025. Modern ties
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 Isabella your faves owe her big
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 Taylor Swift inducted her into Rock hall of
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 Fame 2021 as a solo star,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 with Goffin calling her the greatest
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 songwriter ever. That is some praise
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 indeed. Adele, uh, covers Natural woman
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 Sara Bareilles channels her piano
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 Confessionals in 2025 R&B
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 lists artists like Ari Lennox sample her
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 vibes. Even hip hop flips
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 Sabrina Carpenter her emotional pop echoes
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 Carol's honesty. Some quick
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 Kanye sampled Will youl Love Me Tomorrow and
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 gone Carol's timeless Over a thousand
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 artists recorded her songs. Not many
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 artists can make that claim as of today.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 Carol's 83, retired from the
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 road but healthy living with her husband on
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 their ranch quietly in Idaho. Last public
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 nod Birthday tributes in February
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 inspiring new gens. She's Prof.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:03 Songwriters are the real rock stars.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 Isabella Carole King shows how words and
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 chords can change worlds from Braille
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 cubicles to billion stream anthems.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 She's a thread in your playlist tapestry.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 Grandma relive the 70s glow
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 curious kids see pop's roots.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 Our playlist has been updated on Spotify,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 YouTubeMusic music deezer to include Will
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 youl Love Me Tomorrow and It's Too Late. I
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 feel the earth move, you've got a friend
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 so far away the Locomotion A
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 natural woman it might as well rain until
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 September. Plus I'll include Taylor
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 Swift's life cover from the Rock and Roll
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 hall of Fame induction ceremony of Will you
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 Still love me tomorrow on the YouTubeMusic
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 list.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 Isabella, you, homework from this episode
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 stream tapestry front to back, no
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 skips like 71 vinyl feel the earth
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 move, Tell me your top track and if it vibes
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 with Swift's 'Folklore'. Thanks for
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 listening, Rock Fam. Subscribe Share
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 Next up, we'll transport you Back to the 50s
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 for a look at a true foundational pioneer
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 in more ways than one. The original
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 piano thumper and the scandals that followed
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 him. Keep the keys tinkling Michael out