Tapestry
A woman seated and holding a tapestry with a cat in front of her
Studio album by
Carole King
ReleasedFebruary 10, 1971 (1971-02-10)
RecordedJanuary 1971
StudioA&M, Hollywood
Genre
Length44:31
Label
ProducerLou Adler
Carole King chronology
Writer
(1970)		 Tapestry
(1971)		 Music
(1971)
Singles from Tapestry
  1. "It's Too Late"/"I Feel the Earth Move"
    Released: April 1971
  2. "So Far Away"/"Smackwater Jack"
    Released: March 1971

Tapestry is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Carole King, released in 1971 on Ode Records and produced by Lou Adler. The lead singles from the album—"It's Too Late" and "I Feel the Earth Move"—spent five weeks at number one on both the Billboard Hot 100[3] and Easy Listening[4] charts.

Tapestry has been certified 14× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in the US,[5] and has sold an estimated 30 million copies worldwide,[6] making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. In 2000, it ranked 74th in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums,[7] and in 2020, it ranked 25th on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[8] Tapestry won four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

Production

King wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, two of which had already been hits for other artists: Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (in 1967), and The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (in 1960). King's ex-husband Gerry Goffin wrote the lyrics for three of the songs. James Taylor, who encouraged King to sing her own songs and who also played on Tapestry, had a number one hit with "You've Got a Friend" later in 1971. Two songs were co-written with Toni Stern: "It's Too Late" and "Where You Lead".

The album was recorded at A&M Recording Studios' Studio B during January 1971 with the support of Taylor and Joni Mitchell, plus various experienced session musicians. Several of the musicians worked simultaneously on Taylor's album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon.

A&M staff photographer Jim McCrary took the cover photograph at King's Laurel Canyon home.[9] It shows her sitting in a window frame, holding a tapestry that she hand-stitched herself, with her cat, named after Telemachus, at her feet.[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Christgau's Record GuideA−[12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[13]
The Great Rock Discography8/10
Music Story
MusicHound Rock5/5
Pitchfork10/10[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Uncut[15]

The album was met with widespread critical acclaim; Village Voice critic Robert Christgau felt that her voice, free of "technical decorum", would liberate female singers;[12] Jon Landau of Rolling Stone wrote that King was one of the most creative pop music figures and had created an album of "surpassing personal-intimacy and musical accomplishment".[16]

Awards

Along with being selected Album of the Year, Tapestry received Grammys for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Record of the Year ("It's Too Late"), and Song of the Year ("You've Got a Friend"), making King the first solo female artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

The album remained on the Billboard charts for 313 weeks (second only to The Dark Side of the Moon's 724 weeks).[17]

Grammy Awards nominations for Tapestry
Year Winner Category
1972 Tapestry Album of the Year
1972 "It's Too Late" Record of the Year
1972 "You've Got a Friend" Song of the Year
1972 Tapestry Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female

Commercial performance

Carole King's Tapestry is a triumph of mass culture. In less than two years it has sold well over five million copies, putting it in a class with the best-selling albums of all time, and it is still on the charts … Such statistics are so overwhelming that they seem to transform a mere record into some sort of ineluctable cultural presence, and in a sense they do.

— Robert Christgau (Newsday, November 1972)[18]

Tapestry was a big commercial success. It spent 15 consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200.[19][20] It still holds the record for most consecutive weeks at number one by a female solo artist.[21] The album also spent nearly six years charting US Billboard 200 (318 weeks), on which King also spent 302 consecutive weeks. For more than 40 years, Tapestry held the record for the longest-charting album by a female solo artist in the U.S., until Adele's 21 broke the record in 2017.[22][23][24] In Canada, the album was on the Top 100 chart from April 14, 1971, to January 20, 1973, and again from September 22, 1973, to February 16, 1974.

Tapestry was also very successful across the world. In Canada, it spent nine weeks at number one beginning July 3, 1971.[25] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 32 on UK Albums Chart but eventually rose to number four and spent 136 weeks in the Top 100.[26] Tapestry reportedly sold over 7 million[27] copies in its first year, and around 30 million copies worldwide to date.[28]

Cultural impact

Several songs from the album were recorded by other artists and became hits while the album was still on the charts: James Taylor's 1971 recording of "You've Got a Friend" hit number one in the U.S.[29] and number four in the U.K.,[30] and Barbra Streisand's 1971 studio recording of "Where You Lead" reached number 40,[31] while a live recording of a medley in which Streisand paired the song with the Sweet Inspirations hit "Sweet Inspiration" reached number 37 the following year.[31]

Various artists have combined to rerecord more than one tribute album. The first, released in 1995 and titled Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King, was certified gold. The second, in 2003, was titled A New Tapestry – Carole King Tribute. In 2010 Australian recording artist Marcia Hines recorded a tribute album, Marcia Sings Tapestry.

"Her songs are like stories or sonic movies", Tori Amos said. "You want to walk into them. With 'I Feel the Earth Move' or 'It's Too Late', you're right there."[32]

Tapestry has appeared on critics' lists of the best albums. In 2003, it ranked 36th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,[33] maintaining that rating in a 2012 revised list,[34] but moving up to 25th in a 2020 update of the list.[8] The album was also listed 39th by VH1 on its list of 100 Greatest Albums,[35] and was one of 50 recordings chosen to be added to the National Recording Registry.[36] Recordings added to the National Recording Registry are picked to be preserved in the Library of Congress as they are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important."[36]

In 2015, for its sixth and final season, American TV series Glee paid tribute to this album, alongside Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill, in its episode "Jagged Little Tapestry". Five songs from Tapestry are performed by various artists. Two of them, "It's Too Late" and "So Far Away", are performed on their own, while the other three are used in a mashup with a song from Jagged Little Pill. "I Feel the Earth Move" is mashed up with "Hand in My Pocket", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" with "Head Over Feet", and "You've Got a Friend" with "You Learn". The episode was watched by 1.98 million viewers and received a 0.7/2 in the adult 18-49 demographic.[37]

In March 2016 it was announced that King would perform the album live in its entirety for the first time at the British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park, London, on July 3, 2016.[38] The performance was released the following year as Tapestry: Live at Hyde Park.[39]

Track listing

All songs written by Carole King except where noted.

Side 1

  1. "I Feel the Earth Move" – 3:00
  2. "So Far Away" – 3:55
  3. "It's Too Late" (lyrics by Toni Stern) – 3:54
  4. "Home Again" – 2:29
  5. "Beautiful" – 3:08
  6. "Way Over Yonder" – 4:49

Side 2

  1. "You've Got a Friend" – 5:09
  2. "Where You Lead" (King, Stern) – 3:20
  3. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" (Gerry Goffin, King) – 4:13
  4. "Smackwater Jack" (Goffin, King) – 3:42
  5. "Tapestry" – 3:15
  6. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Goffin, King, Jerry Wexler) – 3:59

1999 CD reissue bonus tracks

  1. "Out in the Cold" – 2:44
  2. "Smackwater Jack" (Live in Boston, May 21, 1973) – 3:21

2008 "Legacy Edition"

In 2008, Sony/BMG, Epic, and Ode released a two-disc "Legacy Edition". One disc is the original album remastered; the second is live performances of 11 of the 12 songs, recorded in 1973 in Boston; Columbia, Maryland; and Central Park, New York; and in 1976 at the San Francisco Opera House. "Where You Lead" is the song not included on the live disc.

Live disc track listing

  1. "I Feel the Earth Move" – 4:17
  2. "So Far Away" – 4:44
  3. "It's Too Late" – 5:06
  4. "Home Again" – 3:33
  5. "Beautiful" – 3:39
  6. "Way Over Yonder" – 5:35
  7. "You've Got a Friend" – 6:00
  8. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" – 4:31
  9. "Smackwater Jack" – 4:18
  10. "Tapestry" – 4:13
  11. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" – 5:11

Personnel

Technical

Charts

All-time charts

All-time chart performance for Tapestry
Chart Position
US Billboard 200[52] 10
US Billboard 200 (Women)[53] 4

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[54] 8× Platinum 560,000‡
Japan (RIAJ)[55]
1991 reissue 		Gold 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[56] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] 2× Platinum 600,000*
United States (RIAA)[58] 14× Platinum 14,000,000‡
Summaries
Worldwide — 30,000,000[28]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Richie Unterberger (April 29, 1999). The Rough Guide to Music USA. Rough Guides. p. 396. ISBN 978-1-85828-421-7.
  2. ↑ Mendelsohn, Jason; Klinger, Eric (January 27, 2012). "Counterbalance No. 66: Carole King's 'Tapestry'". PopMatters. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2009). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955–2008. Record Research. p. 534.
  4. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961–2006. Record Research. p. 149.
  5. ↑ RIAA Gold and Platinum: Tapestry (Retrieved May 10, 2022.)
  6. ↑ Rosen, James (April 19, 2012). ""'A Natural Woman' by Carole King"". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  7. ↑ Colin Larkin (2000). All Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd ed.). Virgin Books. p. 66. ISBN 0-7535-0493-6.
  8. 1 2 "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Valerie J. Nelson (May 6, 2012). "Jim McCrary obituary: Rock photographer dies at 72 – Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  10. ↑ Helen Brown (April 22, 2009). "Carole King interview". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009.
  11. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. Tapestry at AllMusic
  12. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 28, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  13. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  14. ↑ Pelly, Jenn (December 22, 2019). "Carole King: Tapestry". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  15. ↑ David Cavanagh Uncut magazine, September 2008.
  16. ↑ Landau, Jon (April 29, 1971). "Carole King Tapestry > Review". Rolling Stone. No. 81. Archived from the original on April 18, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  17. ↑ Menconi, David. "Carole King's all-Star Greatest-Hits Dream Album." News & Observer: 0. July 17, 2005. Web.
  18. ↑ Christgau, Robert (November 1972). "Carole King: Five Million Friends". Newsday. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  19. ↑ Bronson, Fred (March 5, 2009). "Chart Beat: Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Taylor Swift : Billboard.com". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 6, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  20. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2010). Joel Whitburn Presents Top Pop Albums, Seventh Edition. Record Research. p. 365.
  21. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2010). Joel Whitburn Presents Top Pop Albums, Seventh Edition. Record Research. pp. 974–982.
  22. ↑ Keith Caulfield. "Adele's '21' Breaks Record for Longest-Charting Album by a Woman on the Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Adele remains at No. 1; 'Idol' boosts Crystal Bowersox, Carole King". USA Today. May 4, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
  25. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums – July 3, 1971". Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Carole King | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  27. ↑ "'Tapestry'". NPR.org. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  28. 1 2 "'Tapestry' at 50: How Carole King 'bet on herself' to record a singer-songwriter classic". L.A. Times. February 4, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Music: Top 100 Songs – Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.
  30. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 50 – Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com.
  31. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2009). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955–2008. Record Research. p. 943.
  32. ↑ Mojo, date unknown
  33. ↑ Levy, Joe; Steven Van Zandt (2006) [2005]. "36 | Tapestry – Carole King". Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (3rd ed.). London: Turnaround. ISBN 1-932958-61-4. OCLC 70672814. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
  34. ↑ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time". Rolling Stone. 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  35. ↑ VH1: 100 Greatest Albums. MTV. September 1, 2003. ISBN 978-0743448765.
  36. 1 2 The National Recording Registry 2003 National Recording Board of the Library of Congress
  37. ↑ Bibel, Sara (January 20, 2015). "Friday Final Ratings: 'Hawaii Five-0' Adjusted Up; No Adjustments to 'Constantine' or 'Glee'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015.
  38. ↑ music, Guardian (March 8, 2016). "Carole King to perform Tapestry in its entirety for the first time – in London". The Guardian.
  39. ↑ "Carole King's "Tapestry: Live at Hyde Park" to be released September 1". Legacy Recordings. June 12, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  40. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  41. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums - July 4, 1971" (PDF).
  42. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  43. ↑ "norwegiancharts.com Carole King – Tapestry" (ASP). Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  44. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  45. ↑ "Carole King > Artists > Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  46. ↑ "Allmusic: Tapestry : Charts & Awards : Billboard Albums". allmusic.com. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  47. ↑ "The Official UK Charts Company : ALBUM CHART HISTORY". Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
  48. ↑ "Billboard.BIZ Top Pop Albums of 1971". billboard.biz. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  49. ↑ "Billboard.BIZ Top Pop Albums of 1972". billboard.biz. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Billboard.BIZ Top Pop Albums of 1973". billboard.biz. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  51. ↑ "2018 Annual ARIA Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  52. ↑ "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  53. ↑ "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums By Women". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  54. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  55. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – キャロル・キング – つづれおり" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 9, 2014. Select 1995年12月 on the drop-down menu
  56. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Carole King – Tapestry". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  57. ↑ "British album certifications – Carole King – Tapestry". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  58. ↑ "American album certifications – Carole King – Tapestry". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
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