There’s an expression folks sometimes use to describe music that they grew up with –
they call it the ‘soundtrack of their lives’. For those who lived through the 1960’s,
lyricist Gerry Goffin was one of the major architects of countless teen pop songs of the period
and without his contributions, that world would have been far less memorable.
Brooklyn-born Gerald Goffin (1939-2014) was training to be a chemist but meeting
a young student called Carol Klein, he discovered that they both shared musical ambitions
and they began to write songs together. Carol changed her name to Carole King,
they married and signed with Al Nevins &Don Kirshner’s new publishing company Aldon Music
which operated out of an office at 1650 Broadway, just across the street from the legendary
Brill Building. Gerry & Carole’s career took off when east coast producer Luther Dixon
recorded their romantic ballad WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW with the four-girl
vocal group The Shirelles in 1960 for Scepter Records. Aided by Carole’s distinctive
string-laden arrangement, the single started selling; in the last week that November,
it entered the Billboard Hot 100 and on January 30th ’61, it hit #1! Gerry’s unique talent as
a powerfully articulate wordsmith was on full display as in the song’s opening chorus:
“Tonight you're mine completely
You give your love so sweetly
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes
But will you love me tomorrow’.
Carole sang on their demos and it wasn’t long before west coast producer Snuff Garrett
heard another Goffin & King ballad titled TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY which he
immediately recorded with teen singer Bobby Vee; the single was issued on Liberty and by
September ’61, Gerry & Carole found themselves with another hit on top of the
Billboard singles chart!
Sitting each day creating teen love songs in a cubicle in Aldon Music’s office,
Gerry & Carole were off and running on a winning streak. Two other of their early hits
HALFWAY TO PARADISE and I’D NEVER FIND ANOTHER YOU were even more
successful overseas via cover versions by British teen heaththrob Billy Fury.
It was therefore no surprise that when the Beatles first arrived here,
they wanted to meet Gerry & Carole.
Gerry was also becoming adept as a record producer and he was in charge of the sessions
of the original hit versions of several major Goffin & King sellers including CHAINS by The Cookies
and THE LOCO-MOTION by Little Eva. Incidentally, Carole sang backup on THE LOCO-MOTION
along with Dorothy Jones, Earl-Jean McCrea and Margaret Ross aka The Cookies. Earl-Jean
was front and center on another Goffin & King seller by The Cookies (DON’T SAY NOTHIN’ BAD
(ABOUT MY BABY) and then she cut her own single which introduced the world to
I’M INTO SOMETHING GOOD, a Gerry & Carole song which also benefitted from cover
interpretations, most famously by Herman’s Hermits.
I personally enjoyed the way that certain Goffin & King compositions opened
with a pre-chorus intro lyric as in WHEN MY LITTLE GIRL IS SMILING
(Every time my baby and I have a quarrel/I swear I won't give in
Then my baby starts to smile at me/And I know, I know I just can't win).
in TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY
(My tears are fallin'/'Cause you've taken her away
And though it really hurts me so/There's something that I've gotta say)
and in IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER
(What should I write?/What can I say?/How can I tell you how much I miss you?).
Gerry also wrote with fellow Aldon Music writer Barry Mann and together they concocted
the novelty song WHO PUT THE BOMP, parodying and paying tribute to doo-wop songs.
Its success landed Barry in the Top Ten!
A further standout Goffin & King ballad was UP ON THE ROOF
for which Gerry said he got the idea from Cynthia Weil’s lyric in the song UPTOWN
which she wrote with her husband, the aforementioned Barry Mann. UP ON THE ROOF
benefitted from being first recorded by the legendary R&B vocal group The Drifters
whose lead tenor on the session was Rudy Lewis. Gerry’s lyric set it up perfectly:
“When this old world starts getting me down/And people are just too much for me to face”
and later, it became even more eloquent:
“I get away from the hustling crowd/And all that rat-race noise down in the street”.
Rudy Lewis also led the Drifters on a furtherGoffin & King classic, SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL.
Gerry’s way with words also shone brilliantly in
(You Make Me Feel Like) A NATURAL WOMAN.
Here’s a poignant example:
“When my soul was in the lost and found/You came along to claim it
I didn't know just what was wrong with me/Till your kiss helped me name it.”
In later years and following his divorce from Carole, Gerry
collaborated with various other composers
from Barry Goldberg to Bob Dylan. He also wrote very successfully
with Michael Masser, most memorably on the Academy Award-nominated
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO
for Diana Ross in her film “Mahogany”, the duet hit ballad
TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE
by Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack and the Grammy-winning
SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU
by Whitney Houston.
His DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO
lyric was strikingly emotive:
“Now looking back at all we've had/We let so many dreams just slip through our hands
Why must we wait so long before we see?/How sad the answers to those questions can be”
Gerry’s career was so successful that the following list
of his charted songs is particularly exhaustive…
AT THE CLUB
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Drifters
Arr & Cond: Teacho Wiltshire
A Bert Berns Production (Atlantic: 1965)
US #43 Pop; #10 R&B & UK #35 all in ’65.
Re-issue: UK #3 in ‘72
CHAINS (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Cookies
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner (Dimension: 1962)
US #17 Pop in ’62, #6 R&B and UK #50 in ’63
by Buddy Alan
Pro: Jim Shaw
Capitol: 1975 US #35 Country
by Sarah
Arr & Pro: Bob Summers
(Hub: 1988) US #81 Country
DEAR MR. D.J. PLAY IT AGAIN
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Howard Greenfield)
by Tina Robin/A Nevins-Kirshner Prod.
(Mercury: 1961) US #95 Pop
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
aka THEME FROM MAHOGANY
by Diana Ross
Pro: Michael Masser (Motown: 1975)
US #14 R&B in ’75, #1 Pop, #1 AC and UK #5 in ’76
DON’T BRING ME DOWN (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Animals
Pro: Tom Wilson (MGM: 1966) US #12 Pop; UK #6
DON’T EVER CHANGE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Crickets
Pro: Snuff Garrett (Liberty: 1962) UK #5
DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Barbara Lewis
Arr & Cond: Artie Butler
Pro: Bert Berns (Atlantic: 1966) US #91 Pop
DON’T SAY NOTHIN’ BAD (ABOUT MY BABY)
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Cookies
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner (Dimension: 1963)
US #3 R&B; #7 Pop
EVERY BREATH I TAKE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Gene Pitney
Pro: Phil Spector
Musicor: 1961) US #42 Pop
by EME
Pro: Ray Ruff EPI: 1981) US #86 Country
EVERYBODY GO HOME (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Eydie Gorme
Arr, Cond & Pro: Marion Evans (Columbia: 1963) US #80 Pop
A FOREVER KIND OF LOVE (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller)
by Bobby Vee
Orch Cond: Norrie Paramor
Pro: Snuff Garrett (Liberty: 1962)
UK #13 https://youtu.be/Q0QEGXu2ETM
GIRLS GROW UP FASTER THAN BOYS
(Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller)
by The Cookies
Arr: Carole King
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner (Dimension: 1964)
US #33 R&B; #34 Pop
GO AWAY LITTLE BOY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
Female version of GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL
by Marlena Shaw
Arr, Cond & Pro: Bert DeCoteaux (Columbia: 1977) #21 R&B
GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Steve Lawrence
Arr & Cond: Marion Evans
Pro: Al Kasha (Columbia: 1963) US #1 Pop; #1 AC; #14 R&B
by Mark Wynter
Acc Dir: Tony Hatch (Pye: 1962) UK #6
by The Happenings
Arr: Herb Bernstein
Pro: The Tokens (B.T. Puppy: 1966) US #12 Pop
by Donny Osmond
Strings Arr: Pete Carpenter/Horn Arr: Rich Hall & Harrison Calloway Jr.
Pro: Rich Hall (MGM: 1971) US #1 Pop; #14 AC
GOIN’ BACK (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Dusty Springfield
Acc Dir: Peter Knight (Philips: 1966) UK #10
by The Byrds
Pro: Gary Usher (Columbia: 1967) US #89 Pop
HALFWAY TO PARADISE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Tony OrlandoArr: Carole King/
Cond: Chuck Sagle
Pro: Nevins-Kirshner w/Jack Keller (Epic: 1961)
US #39 Pop
by Billy Fury
Acc Dir: Ivor Raymonde
(Decca: 1961) UK #3
by Bobby Vinton
Pro: Billy Sherrill
(Epic: 1968) US #23
Pop; #8 AC
HAPPY TIMES (Are Here To Stay)
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Cynthia Weil)
by Tony Orlando
Arr: Carole King & Alan Lorber
Pro: Nevins-Kirshner with Jack Keller
(Epic: 1961) US #82 Pop
HE KNOWS I LOVE HIM TOO MUCH (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Paris Sisters
Pro: Phil Spector (Gregmark: 1962)
US #34 Pop, #7 AC
HE’S A BAD BOY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Carole King
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner
(Dimension: 1963) US #94 Pop
HE’S IN TOWN (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Rockin’ Berries
(UK Piccadilly: 1964) UK #3
by The Tokens
Eng: Brooks Arthur
Pro: Big Time Productions (B.T. Puppy: 1964)
US #43 Pop, #20 AC
HER ROYAL MAJESTY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by James Darren
Arr & Pro: Stu Phillips (Colpix: 1962)
US #6 Pop, UK #36
HEY, GIRL (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Freddie Scott
Arr: Garry Sherman
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Screen Gems Inc. (Colpix: 1963)
US #10 R&B, #10 Pop
by Bobby Vee (medley with “My Girl”)
Arr: Lincoln Mayorga
Pro: Dallas Smith (Liberty: 1968)
US #35 Pop
by The Lettermen
Pro: Al De Lory (Capitol: 1970)
US #17 AC
by Donny Osmond
Strings Arr: Pete Carpenter/Horns Arr: Dale Quillan & Ronnie Eades
Pro: Rick Hall
(MGM: 1972) US #9
Pop, #21 AC
Included in the medley 3 MINUTES 2 - HEY GIRL by George Kerr
Pro: George Kerr & Sylvia (All Platinum: 1970)
US #15 R&B
HI-DE-HO (THAT OLD SWEET ROLL)
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Blood, Sweat & Tears
Arr: Fred Lipsius
Pro: Roy Halee & Bobby Colomby
(Columbia: 1970)
US #14 Pop, #14 AC
HIGH OUT OF TIME (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Carole King
Eng: Hank Cicalo
Pro: Lou Adler
(Ode: 1976) US #76
Pop, #40 AC
HOME AGAIN (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Judy Collins with T.G. Sheppard
Pro: Michael Masser
(Elektra: 1984) US #42
AC, #57 Country
HOW CAN I MEET HER (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller)
by The Everly Brothers
Arr: The Everly Brothers
(Warner Bros: 1962)
US #75 Pop, UK #12
HOW MANY TEARS (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Bobby Vee w/The Johnny Mann Singers
Pro: Snuff Garrett
(Liberty: 1961) US #63 Pop, UK #10
HUNG ON YOU (Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Phil Spector)
by The Righteous Brothers
Arr: Jack Nitzsche
Eng: Larry Levine
Pro: Phil Spector
(Philles: 1965) US #47 Pop
I CAN'T HEAR YOU (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Betty Everett
Arr: Johnny Pate
Pro: Calvin Carter
(Vee-Jay: 1964)
US #39 R&B
As I CAN’T HEAR YOU NO MORE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Helen Reddy
Arr & Cond: Nick DeCaro
Pro: Joe Wissert
Pop, #1 AC
I CAN'T MAKE IT ALONE
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by P.J. Proby
Arr & Cond: Jack Nitzsche
(Liberty: 1966) UK #37
by Bill Medley
Arr: Bill Baker
Cond: Mike Patterson
Pro: Bill Medley
(MGM: 1968) US #95 Pop
by Lou Rawls
Pro: David Axelrod
(Capitol: 1969)
US #33 R&B
by Maria McKee
Pro: George Drakoulias
(Geffen: 1993) UK #74
I CAN’T SAY GOODBYE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Bobby Vee w/The Johnny Mann Singers
Pro: Snuff Garrett
(Liberty: 1962) US #92 Pop
I CAN’T STAY MAD AT YOU (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Skeeter Davis
Pro: Chet Atkins
(RCA: 1963) US #7 Pop, #14 Country, #2 AC
I CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT YOU (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Steve & Eydie
Pro: Marion Evans
(Columbia: 1963)
US #35 Pop & #14 AC in ‘64
I COULD HAVE LOVED YOU SO WELL
(Gerry Goffin/Barry Mann)
by Ray Peterson
Arr: Robert Mersey
Pro: Phil Spector
(Dunes: 1961) US #57 Pop in ’62
I NEED YOU (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Chuck Jackson
Arr: Ed Martin
Pro: Stan Green & Steve Tyrell
(Wand: 1965) US #22 R&B, #75 Pop
I WANT TO STAY HERE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme
Arr, Cond & Pro: Marion Evans
(Columbia: 1963) US #28 Pop, #8 AC, UK #3
by Miki & Griff
Acc dir: Tony Hatch (UK Pye: 1963) UK #23
I’D NEVER FIND ANOTHER YOU (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Billy Fury
Acc Dir: Ivor Raymonde (UK Decca: 1961) UK #5https://youtu.be/2Vy8uipRYYI
I’LL MEET YOU HALFWAY (Gerry Goffin/Wes Farrell)
by The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones Featuring David Cassidy
Strings & Horns Arr: Mike Melvoin
Pro: Wes Farrell (Bell: 1971)
US #9 Pop, #4 AC
I’M INTO SOMETHING GOOD (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Earl-Jean
Arr: Carole King
Pro: Gerry Goffin (Colpix: 1964) US #38 Pop
by Herman’s Hermits
A Mickie Most Production (MGM: 1964)
US #13 Pop, UK #1
by Peter Noone
Pro: Ira Newborn
(Cypress: 1989) US #19 AC
I’VE GOT BONNIE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Bobby Rydell
(Cameo: 1962) US #18 Pop
I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION (Gerry Goffin/Barry Goldberg)
by Gladys Knight & The Pips
Pro & Arr: Kenny Kerner & Richie Wise
(Buddah: 1973) US #1
R&B & #4 Pop both in '74
IS THIS WHAT I GET FOR LOVING YOU
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King/ Phil Spector)
by The Ronettes Featuring Veronica
Arr: Jack Nitzsche
Eng: Larry Levine/Pro: Phil Spector (Philles: 1965) US #75 Pop
by Marianne Faithfull
Pro: Andrew Loog Oldham (UK Decca: 1967) UK #43
IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Carole King
Pro: Gerry Goffin (Dimension: 1962)
US #22 Pop, UK #3 in ’62.
UK re-issue: #43 in ’72.
IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller)
by Brenda Lee (Decca: 1962) US #29 Pop, UK #15
IT'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Maxine Brown/Arr: Ed Martin/Pro: Stan Green & Steve Tyrell (Wand: 1965) US #26 R&B
JUST ONCE IN MY LIFE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Phil Spector)
by The Righteous Brothers/Arr: Jack Nitzsche/Eng: Larry Levine/Pro: Phil Spector (Philles: 1965) US #9 Pop, #26 R&B https://youtu.be/Z2vMp0kJHyo
by Johnny Mathis (in a medley w/SOUL & INSPIRATION)/Arr: D’Arneill Pershing/Pro: Jerry Fuller (Columbia: 1972) US #37 AC
KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Little Eva/Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner (Dimension: 1962) US #12 Pop and #6 R&B in ’62, UK #30 in ’63 https://youtu.be/61IeTPSQHL8
KEEP YOUR LOVE LOCKED (Deep In Your Heart) (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Paul Petersen/Arr & Cond: Stu Phillips (Colpix: 1962) US #58 Pop
LET’S TURKEY TROT (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller)
by Little Eva
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner
(Dimension: 1963) US #20 Pop, #16 R&B, UK #
THE LOCO-MOTION (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Little Eva
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner (Dimension: 1962)
US #1 R&B, #1 Pop, UK #2
by The Vernons Girls/
Pro & Mus Dir: Charles Blackwell
(UK Decca: 1962) UK #47
by Grand Funk
Pro: Todd Rundgren (Capitol: 1974) US #1 Pop
by Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
Pro: Dave Stewart (Broken: 1986) UK #70
by Kylie Minogue
Pro: Stock Aitken Waterman (Geffen: 1988)
US #3 Pop, #12 Dance, #39 AC, UK #2
A LONG AND LASTING LOVE (ONCE IN A LIFETIME)
(Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Crystal Gayle
Pro: Michael Masser
Dir: Crystal Gayle
(Warner Bros: 1985) US #5 Country
by Glenn Medeiros
Arr: Robbie Buchanan
Pro: Michael Masser
(Amherst: 1988)
US #68 Pop, UK #42
THE LOVIN’ TOUCH (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller) by Mark Dinning
(MGM: 1960) US #84 Pop
MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser/Preston Glass)
by Natalie Cole
Pro & Arr: Michael Masser
(EMI: 1989) US #1 R&B, #7 Pop, #1 AC, UK #2
NO ONE CAN MAKE MY SUNSHINE SMILE (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller)
by The Everly Brothers
(Warner Bros: 1962) UK #11
NOTHING’S GONNA CHANGE MY LOVE FOR YOU (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Glenn Mederios
Pro: Jay Stone (Amherst: 1987) US #12 Pop, #4 AC, UK #1
OH NO NOT MY BABY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Maxine Brown
Arr: Bert Keyes
Pro: Luther Dixon & Stan Green (Wand: 1964) US #2 R&B & #24 Pop both in ’65
by Manfred Mann/Vocal: Paul Jones (HMV: 1965) UK #11
by Merry Clayton
Pro: Lou Adler (Ode: 1973) US #$30 R&B
by Rod Stewart
Arr: Jimmy Horowitz
Pro: Rod Stewart (Mercury: 1973) US #59 Pop, UK #6
by De Blanc
Strings Arr: John Lissauer
Pro: Rick Chertoff (Arista: 1975) US #70 R&B in ‘76
by Cher
Pro: Peter Asher (Geffen: 1992) UK #33
by Linda Ronstadt
Pro: George Massenburg & Linda Ronstadt
(Elektra album cut: 1993) US #35 AC in ‘94
OLD SMOKEY LOCOMOTION (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Little Eva
Pro: Gerry Goffin for Nevins-Kirshner
(Dimension: 1963) US #48 Pop
ON THIS SIDE OF GOODBYE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
By The Righteous Brothers
Arr & Cond: Bill Baker
Pro: Bill Medley (Verve: 1966) US #47 Pop
ONE FINE DAY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Chiffons
Pro: Bright Tunes Prod.
(Laurie: 1963) US #6 R&B, #5 Pop, UK #29
by Julie Arr: Harold Wheeler/Pro: Herb Bernstein (Tom Cat: 1976) US #34 AC
by Rita Coolidge/Pro: David Anderle & Booker T. Jones (A&M: 1979) US #66 Pop, #15 AC
by Carole King/Pro: Mark Hallman & Carole King (Capitol: 1980) US #12 Pop, #11 AC
ONE MORE CHANCE (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Diana Ross
Strings Arr: Gene Page
Pro: Michael Masser
(Motown: 1981) US #54 R&B, #79 Pop
PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Monkees
Pro: Douglas Farthing Hatelid aka Chip Douglas
(Colgems: 1967) US #3 Pop, UK #11
POINT OF NO RETURN (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Gene McDaniels w/The Johnny Mann Singers
Pro: Snuff Garrett
(Liberty: 1962) US #23 R&B, #21 Pop
POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Steve Lawrence
Arr & Cond: Marion Evans
(Columbia: 1963) US #27 Pop, #11 AC
THE PORPOISE SONG (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Monkees
Arr: Jack Nitzsche
Cond: Russ Titelman
Pro: Gerry Goffin (Colgems: 1968) US #62 Pop
RUN TO HER (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller) Female version of RUN TO HIM
by Susie Allanson
Arr: John D’Andrea
Eng: Carmine Rubino
Pro: Michael Lloyd
(Liberty: 1981) US #53 Country
RUN TO HIM (Gerry Goffin/Jack Keller)
by Bobby Vee w/The Johnny Mann Singers
Pro: Snuff Garrett
(Liberty: 1961) US #2 Pop, UK #6
SAILOR BOY (Gerry Goffin/Russ Titelman)
by The Chiffons
Eng: Brooks Arthur
Pro: Bright Tunes Prods.
(Laurie: 1964) US #24 R&
SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Whitney Houston
Pro: Michael Masser (Arista: 1985) #1 Pop; #1 R&B; #1 AC, UK #1
SHARING YOU (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Bobby Vee w/The Johnny Mann Singers/Pro: Snuff Garrett (Liberty: 1962) US #15 Pop, UK #10
SHOW ME GIRL (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Herman’s Hermits/A Mickie Most Production (MGM: 1964) UK #19
SO MUCH LOVE (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Steve Alaimo/Arr & Cond: Bill Justis (ABC-Paramount: 1966) US #92 Pop
by Ben E. King (Atco: 1966) US #96 Pop
by Tony Blackburn/Arr: Johnny Harris/Pro: Jimmy Smith (MGM: 1968) UK #31
SO SAD THE SONG (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Gladys Knight & The Pips (Buddah: 1976) US #47 Pop, #12 R&B, #3 AC, UK #20
SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Drifters
Arr & Cond: Ray Ellis
A Leiber-Stoller Production (Atlantic: 1961) US #32 Pop; #6 R&B
SOME OF YOUR LOVIN’ (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Dusty Springfield/Acc Dir: Ivor Raymonde (Philips: 1965) UK #8
SOMEONE THAT I USED TO LOVE
(Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Natalie Cole
Pro: Michael Masser
(Capitol: 1980) US # 21 Pop, #21 R&B, #3 AC
by Barbra Streisand
(Columbia album cut: 1989) US #25 AC
SWEET SWEETHEART (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Bobby Vee
Arr: Bobby Vee & Dallas Smith
Pro: Dallas Smith (Liberty: 1970) US #88 Pop
TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Bobby Vee w/The Johnny Mann Singers/Pro: Snuff Garrett (Liberty: 1961) US #1 Pop, UK #3
by Bobby Vinton/Pro: Billy Sherrill (Epic: 1968) US #33 Pop, #14 AC
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU AND ME (Gerry Goffin/Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager)
by Dionne Warwick & Jeffrey Osborne/Pro: Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager (Arista: 1989) US #46 R&B
TELL DADDY (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Ben E. King (Atco: 1963) US #29 R&B
THEME FROM MAHOGANY
see: DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO
THIS LITTLE GIRL (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Dion
Arr, Cond & Pro: Robert Mersey
(Columbia: 1963) US #21 Pop
TIME DON’T RUN OUT ON ME (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Anne Murray
Pro: Jim Ed Norman
(Capitol: 1984)
US #2 Country and #11 AC in ‘85
TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser)
by Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
Pro: Michael Masser (Capitol: 1983) US #16 Pop, #5 R&B, #4 AC, UK #2
UP ON THE ROOF
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Drifters
Arr & Cond: Gary Sherman
A Leiber-Stoller Prod.
(Atlantic: 1963) US #5 Pop, #4 R&B
by Kenny Lynch/Orch Cond: Harry Robinson (UK HMV: 1962) UK #10
by Julie Grant/Acc Dir: Tony Hatch (UK Pye: 1963) UK #33
by The Cryan’ Shames/Pro: Jim Golden & Bob Monaco (Columbia: 1968) US #85 Pop
by Laura Nyro/Pro: Felix Cavaliere & Arif Mardin (Columbia: 1970) US #92 Pop, #30 AC
by James Taylor/Strings Arr & Cond: Arif Mardin/Pro: Peter Asher (Columbia: 1979) US #28 Pop, #7 AC
by II D Extreme/Pro: Paul Brown & Jeff Carruthers (Gasoline Alley: 1993) US #33 R&B
by Robson & Jerome (in a medley w/“I Believe”) Pro: Stock/Aitken (RCA: 1995) UK #1
WALKIN’ WITH MY ANGEL
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Bobby Vee w/The Johnny Mann Singers
Pro: Snuff Garrett (Liberty: 1961) US #53 Pop
WALKING PROUD (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Steve Lawrence/Arr, Cond & Pro: Marion Evans (Columbia: 1963) US #26 Pop
WHAT A SWEET THING THAT WAS (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Shirelles (Scepter: 1961) #54 Pop
WHATEVER SATISFIES YOU (Gerry Goffin/Scott Cutler)
by Jocelyn Brown/Pro: Jellybean (Warner Bros: 1987) US #72 R&B
WHEN MY LITTLE GIRL IS SMILING (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Drifters
Arr & Cond: Klaus Ogermann
A Leiber-Stoller Prod.
(Atlantic: 1962) US #28 Pop, UK #31
by Jimmy Justice/Acc Dir: Bob Leaper (UK Pye: 1962) UK #9
by Craig Douglas w/Harry Robinson & His Orchestra (UK Top Rank: 1962) UK #9
by Steve Alaimo/Pro: Chips Moman (Entrance: 1971) US #72 Pop
WHERE DOES LOVE GO
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Freddie Scott
Arr: Gary Sherman
Pro: Gerry Goffin (Colpix: 1964)
US #82 Pop, #82 R&B
WHO PUT THE BOMP (IN THE BOMP, BOMP, BOMP)
(Gerry Goffin/Barry Mann)
by Barry Mann
A Nevins-Kirshner Production (ABC-Paramount: 1961) US #7 Pop https://youtu.be/22L5fJ_oHBo
by The Viscounts/Acc Dir: Tony Hatch (UK Pye: 1961) UK #21
by Showaddywaddy/Pro: Showaddywaddy (UK RCA: 1982) UK #37
WILL POWER (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Cookies/Pro: Gerry Goffin/Supervision: Jerry Wexler (Dimension: 1963) US #72 Pop
WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Shirelles
Arr: Carole King
Cond: Luther Dixon
Prod: Ludix Prods.
(Scepter: 1960) US #1 Pop, #2 R&B, & UK #4 all in ’61
by The Four Seasons
Arr: Bob Gaudio with Charles Calello/Pro & Dir: Bob Crewe (Vee-Jay: 1968) US #24 Pop
by Lynda K. Lance
Pro & Arr: Ron Oates (Royal American: 1971) US #74 Country
by Roberta Flack
Arr: Roberta Flack/String Arr: William Eaton/Pro: Joel Dorn (Atlantic: 1971) US #76 Pop, #38 R&B & #15 AC all in ‘72
by Melanie/Pro: Peter Scheker (Neighborhood: 1973) US #82 Pop & UK #37 in ’73, #42 AC in ‘74
by Jody Miller/Strings Arr: Bergen White
Pro: Billy Sherrill (Epic: 1975) US #69 Country
by Dana Valery
Arr & Pro: John D’Andrea (Phantom: 1976) US #95 Pop
by Dave Mason
Strings & Horns Arr & Cond: Allan Macmillan
Pro: Dave Mason & Ron Nevison (Columbia: 1978) US #39 Pop
by Cheryl Handy
Pro & Eng: Mike Daniel (Compleat: 1987) US #56 Country
by Bryan Ferry
Pro: Bryan Ferry & Robin Trower
(Virgin: 1993) UK #23
YES I WILL (Gerry Goffin/Russ Titelman)
by The Hollies (UK Parlophone: 1965) UK #9
(You Make Me Feel Like) A NATURAL MAN (
Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Jerry Wexler)
(Male version of (You Make Me Feel Like) A NATURAL WOMAN)
by James Ingram
(Warner Bros: 1989) US #30 R&B in ‘90
(You Make Me Feel Like) A NATURAL WOMAN
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Jerry Wexler)
by Aretha Franklin
Engineer: Tom Dowd/Strings Cond: Ralph Burns
Pro: Jerry Wexler
(Atlantic: 1967) #2 R&B; #8 Pop
by Jody Miller (Epic: 1974) #46 Country
by Mary J. Blige (Uptown/MCA: 1995) #39 R&B
YOU’RE MY GIRL
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Rockin’ Berries
(UK Piccadilly: 1965) UK #40
YOURS UNTIL TOMORROW (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by Vivian Reed/Arr & Cond: Jimmy Wisner/Pro: Ted Cooper (Epic: 1968) US #44 R&B
by Gene Pitney/Pro: Stanley Kahan & Gene Pitney (Musicor: 1968) UK #34
Finally, a mention of three important Gerry Goffin/Carole King songs which didn’t chart:
SMACKWATER JACK which Carole sang on her landmark album “Tapestry” in ‘71,
TAKE A GIANT STEP released by The Monkees as the flipside of their first million-seller
LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE in ‘66 and later recorded by Taj Mahal and
WASN’T BORN TO FOLLOW recorded by The Byrds on their ’68 album
“The Notorious Byrd Brothers”.
All song lyric extracts quoted above are © Sony/ATV Music.
US Chart positions quoted are as published originally in Billboard magazines;
researched and compiled by Joel Whitburn in his series of Chart Books published
by Record Research Inc. His books are available thru their website
Rock on.
Alan Warner
Additional songwriter lists appear in the following previous editions of "The Door To Yesterday":
Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson: Vol.3, No.3
Dave Bartholomew: Vol.2, No.19
Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil: Vol.2, No.6
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