Tag Archives: You’ve Got A Friend

Music Monday: February 9, 2026

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Today is Carole King’s 84th birthday. Born Carol Joan Klein on February 9, 1942 in New York City, she began playing piano at the age of three from her mother. While she was in high school, she formed her first band & changed her last name to King. In August 1959, she married her first husband, Gerry Goffin, whom she met while she was a student at Queens College.

They started writing songs together in their spare time. After their hit, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” became a #1 song for The Shirelles for two consecutive weeks in 1961, Goffin & King became full time songwriters at the Brill Building. Over the next several years, they wrote over 100 songs together, including hits like “The Loco-Motion”, “Up On The Roof”, “Hey Girl”, “One Fine Day”, “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and ” (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, amongst others. Goffin & King divorced in 1968 and King moved to Laurel Canyon, California to pursue her own recording career.

Carole King circa 1971. (Image found (Image found on her Facebook page with photo credited to Jim McCrary. Courtesy Lou Adler /Ode Records).

Her debut album, Writer, was released in May 1970. Tomorrow marks the 55th anniversary of her second album, Tapestry, which is widely considered the greatest record by a female artist. Released on February 10, 1971, it became a massive hit. The first single-a double A-sided one including “It’s Too Late”-was released three months later. It spent five consecutive weeks at #1, from June 19, 1971 until July 23, 1971. The album was #1 for 15 consecutive weeks, starting on June 19 as well and stayed on the chart for nearly a year, a total of 318 weeks. It also won her three Grammy Awards in 1972 (she actually won four that year, including “Song Of The Yeat” for James Taylor’s cover of “You’ve Got A Friend”).

Happy birthday, Carole King. Congratulations on 55 years of Tapestry.

My well loved copy of King’s 1971 landmark album. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

At the 14th Annual Grammy Ceremony in 1972, King won four awards including the top three-Album Of The Year (for Tapestry), Record Of The Year (for “It’s Too Late”) and Song Of The Year (for “You’ve Got A Friend”)-along with Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female (for “Tapestry”). (Image found on her Facebook page with photo credited to Jim McCrary. Courtesy Lou Adler /Ode Records).

It was 62 years ago today that The Beatles made their American television debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show”. They arrived in America-at JFK Airport in New York City, to be exact-on February 7, 1964 & made history two days later. The Fab Four had six #1 hits in 1964. Today we celebrate the first three, two of which were performed during their first appearance on Sullivan.

The Beatles at JFK Airport in New York City on February 7, 1964 (L-R: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Beatles’ first performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on February 9, 1964 (L-R: McCartney, Harrison, Starr (on drums) and Lennon). (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Beatles with Ed Sullivan on February 9, 1964 (L-R: Starr, Harrison, Sullivan, Lennon and McCartney. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Carole King: “I Feel the Earth Move” (1971, written by Carole King).

Carole King: “So Far Away” (1971, written by Carole King).

Carole King: “Tapestry” (1971, written by Carole King).

The Beatles: “I Want To Hold Your Hand” (Performed live on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on February 9, 1964. Originally released in 1963. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

The Beatles: “She Loves You” (1963, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

The Beatles: “Can’t Buy Me Love” (1964, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

Stay safe & well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 502

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Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Tom Petty music quote

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

1971 was without a doubt the greatest year of Carole King’s career. Not only was her monumental album, Tapestry, a huge smash but so was the first single. The double sided hit of “I Feel The Earth Move” & “It’s Too Late” (Day 460) was in the #1 spot for five weeks that summer.

Two weeks after that triumph, another one of her songs recorded by one of her friends hit the top of the chart as well.. On July 31, 1971 James Taylor had the #1 record in the country for one week with today’s track. King’s original recording is on her groundbreaking album, but it became one of Taylor’s signature songs. And that all started 50 years ago today.

“You just call out my name
And you know, wherever I am
I’ll come running
To see you again“.

King And Taylor

American singer-songwriters James Taylor and Carole King. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

James and Carole 2010

 Top (L-R): James Taylor and Carole King circa 1970. Bottom (L-R): Taylor and King in 2010. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

James Taylor: “You’ve Got A Friend” (1971, written by Carole King).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 361

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Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

March 2021 Blog

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Today we celebrate birthday #73 for James Vernon Taylor born March 12, 1948 in Massachusetts. A true American treasure, he has been entertaining audiences since his debut album was released in 1968. He recorded it in England as one of the first acts signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records label. One of the album’s songs, “Something In The Way She Moves” served as the inspiration (and first line) to George Harrison’s masterpiece, “Something”.

Taylor has made a career performing his own songs (“Carolina On MY Mind”, “Fire & Rain”, today’s song) as well as those from other artists (Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend”, Holland-Dozier-Holland’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” & Sam Cooke & Herb Alpert’s “Wonderful World”). But whatever Taylor sings, he makes it his own with his signature soothing vocal & simple elegant musical arrangements. For over 50 years, he has been a permanent part of the landscape of American music. Happy birthday, Sweet Baby James.

“Now the first of December was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Though the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go“.

JT

James Taylor’s 1970 album. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

James Taylor: “Sweet Baby James” (1970, written by James Taylor).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 48

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Peanuts music

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Frank Sinatra said many things about many people in his lifetime.  My favorite was this:  “Ray Charles is the only true genius in show business.”.  Now legally as a fellow Italian I am prohibited from disagreeing with anything The Chairman of the Board ever said,  but one listen to any song Charles sang and you know Sinatra was right.  If you saw the movie, “Ray” then you saw how he was one with the piano and how that gift led to some of the most stunning music the world has ever heard.  His rendition of “America The Beautiful” has become one of the country’s most treasured recordings and a wonderful patriotic moment for us whenever it is played.  All I can add is Ray Charles is life.

And this…

As someone who adores TV almost as much as music, I love it when both worlds collide.  Charles appeared on three of my favorite shows:  St. Elsewhere (where he played a patient who sang Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend” to Geraldine Fitzgerald’s character), “Moonlighting” (where he played himself and sang “Hit The Road, Dave” to Bruce Willis’ character) & “Wings” (where he played himself but refused to sing to the ex-girlfriend of Steven Weber’s character when he asked Charles to).

Ray 2    (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Ray Charles:  “You Don’t Know Me” (1962, written by Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker in 1955),

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.