‘Tapestry’ and the 1971 single Carole King had complete faith in: “No expectation”
Before the release of Tapestry, Carole King was already a well-known name in the circles that mattered: a force of songwriting genius who knew exactly how to make music with feeling.
At the time, King, along with her then-husband, Gerry Goffin, was penning hit records and rubbing shoulders with many of the biggest names in the business, including Dusty Springfield, The Monkees, Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, and more. She also, of course, already had The Shirelles’ ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ under her belt, proving herself as more than capable of writing timeless hits that transcended all time.
However, it wasn’t until after some consistent encouragement from a certain James Taylor that she decided to have a go at it herself. At this juncture, King was already at somewhat of an impasse, not just in her personal life but also in the music industry. And, with things swiftly changing and more performers becoming singer-songwriters, Taylor didn’t want to sit and watch her waste her potential.
It’s for this reason – and many others – that King would likely credit a significant part of her success and career to Taylor, if not all of it, especially as, after a slight false start with Writer, King released Tapestry, her career-defining opus that established her as an explosive force not only as a writer but as a musician who had the potential to completely change the course of music history.
This was also a huge moment for King following her split with Goffin, allowing her to thrive on her own and lead an entire movement. And she credited Taylor for “nudging me out in front” and encouraging her to “go out there, be yourself, [and] sing your songs”, trusting that the rest will follow. Following her stint as the industry’s ghost hitmaker, this wasn’t easy – but Taylor’s belief in her craft was the push she needed to enter the spotlight and set off on her own independent path.
However, the shift in motivation did little to change King’s reasons for entering the music industry in the first place. She wanted to get out there and stand at the forefront of the music she was writing, but she wasn’t in it for the wrong reasons, for instance, for commercial rewards. Every musician hopes that those listening to their music will actually like it, but King remained humble throughout the entire process, making music the way she always did: letting it come straight from the heart.
Many of these songs were inspired by her recent split from Goffin, but as is the case with many genius singer-songwriters, King gave these experiences universal appeal, adding a certain poetic flair that enabled anyone listening to resonate. The little interference from any outside force during the sessions helped her to achieve this balance, with music that seemed to speak to King’s personal experiences while also holding a mirror up to society around her.
One such song was ‘It’s Too Late’, King’s semi-politically-ambiguous rumination on the meaningless, anticlimactic end of a relationship, and the fade of love after it was once the strongest feeling in the world. Inspired by her recent breakup, the song navigates the act of removing blame from any specific party and remaining resilient when you’re feeling the emotional turmoil of that specific loss.
In the studio, King knew she was onto something great, as recalled by violinist and cello-player David Campbell to Uncut, who said that, at one point, King turned to him and asked if he’d like to hear the album’s single. “The song was ‘It’s Too Late’,” he said, recalling how King said, “Well, I hope we can put out a single at least!”
According to Campbell, there was “no expectation” of putting something like that out, but clearly, King knew that she was on the cusp of greatness and knew that the song was her defining force that would lead the entire Tapestry explosion to new heights.
