Remember when people used to listen to song lyrics? And the lyrics were clever and made sense? Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote over a hundred hits during the 1960s: songs like “Locomotion” by Little Eva and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” by the Shirelles. This collection brings together a nice mix of Goffin and King’s familiar and not-so familiar songs. This is great music just dripping with memories!
PLAYLIST:
1. He’s In Town – THE TOKENS
2. Let Me Get Close To You – SKEETER DAVIS
3. Halfway To Paradise (Stereo album version) – TONY ORLANDO
4. The Idol – BOBBY VEE
5. The First And Last – THE CHIFFONS
6. Brand New Man – RICHARD `POPCORN’ WYLIE
7. Another Night With The Boys – THE DRIFTERS
8. Heaven Is Being With You – JACKIE DeSHANNON
9. I Didn’t Have Any Summer Romance – THE SATISFACTIONS
10. Love Eyes – BERTELL DACHE
11. Don’t Ever Change – THE CRICKETS
12. I’ll Love You For A While – JILL JACKSON
13. I Was There – LENNY WELCH
14. I Just Can’t Say Goodbye – BOBBY RYDELL
15. I Can’t Hear You – BETTY EVERETT
16. Just A Little Girl – DONNA LOREN
17. You’re Just What I Was Looking For Today – THE EVERLY BROTHERS
18. Hey Everybody – RAMONA KING
19. I Can’t Make It Alone (Mono Single Version) – PJ PROBY
20. Some Of Your Lovin’ – THE HONEY BEES
21. A Man Without A Dream – THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS
22. Don’t Bring Me Down – THE ANIMALS
23. Wasn’t Born To Follow – DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
24. So Much Love – BEN E KING
25. Yours Until Tomorrow – DEE DEE WARWICK
26. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – ARETHA FRANKLIN
Although most of the artists are familiar, a lot of the songs are not. This is terrific.
This is a terrific collection of songs, Patti. Goffin & King were a hit machine back then. And the quality of their work stayed high.
Great stuff!
Like you, I love this music, Bill. When I listen to most contemporary pop music I ask myself: “What went wrong?”
What a great list of songs! And, while you’re listening to them, I’d also strongly recommend reading Sheila Weller’s Girls Like Us, which traces the musical & personal development of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon. The entire book is wonderful, but the chapters regarding King’s growth as a musician and a songwriter are particularly interesting.
Yes, GIRLS LIKE US is a wonderful book, Deb. I read it last year and enjoyed the Carole King section. Carole King and James Taylor are touring together. We saw Carole King in concert two years ago in a Canadian casino! What great music she made!
I read it too, A bit more detail than I wanted, but very thorough and interesting.
Looks like mostly B and C sides to me, but “forgotten” certainly applies.
“Forgotten Music # 1” ? You’re planning on doing more of this?
Scott Parker has offered to host the FORGOTTEN MUSIC feature the last Thursday of every month, Rick. I’ve signed on.
I once went through my 45s and picked out all the Goffin-King songs and there were a lot!
Freddy Scott, Hey Girl
Herman’s Hermits, I’m Into Something’ Good
Cookies, Chains and Don’t Say Nothing Bad About My Baby
Bobby Vee, Take Good Care of My Baby
Little Eva, The Locomotion and Keep Your Hands Off My Baby
Gene Pitney, the classic Every Breath I Take
The Chiffons, One Fine Day (a favorit of Jackie’s)
The Drifters, Up on the Roof (favorite of mine – we once saw a show in London of that name)
Maxene Brown, Oh No Not My Baby
I agree with Rick these sound like “B” sides but still worth listening to.
We jsut got tickets for the King-James Taylor concert at Madison Square Garden in June.
I envy you and Jackie! I’m hoping Carole King and James Taylor tour near here, perhaps Toronto, so we can see them.
You also need to read Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp & Brilliance of the Brill Building Era by Ken Emerson.
WHat a lineup!
Carole King & Gerry Goffin
Barry Mann & Cynthia Weill
Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
Neil Sedaka & Howie Greenfield
Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
Burt Bachrach & Hal David
Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman
Yes, I’ve read that Bill Building book, Jeff! What an assemblage of talent!
I think Neil Diamond was in the Brill Building too.
That book is going on my TBR list right now.
The magic of the Brill Building later passed to Motown, Deb. They were literally hit machines!
Yow. Had no idea they’d written all these. The biggest shocker was “Don’t Bring Me Down” by the Animals.
“Don’t Bring Me Down” sounds terrific even after 40 years, Evan. This is a wonderful collection!
Yes, Neil Diamond was in the Brill Building too, but he isn’t part of the book, which concentrates on duos, Deb.
George, according the Ticketmaster King & Taylor will indeed be in Toronto, at the Air Canada Centre, on May 28. Check it out!
I’m on it, Jeff! Thanks for the heads up!
George, I’m not sure if I want to put another topical post on my schedule, with Friday Book and Saturday Soundtrack already there. We’ll see.
Scott Parker is proposing FORGOTTEN MUSIC the last Thursday of every month, Rick. One day per month doesn’t seem excessive to me.