[For my birthday, my sons gifted me a subscription to Storyworth.com, an online publishing service designed to help people write their own memoirs. Part of me said “Thank you.” And part of me said “What the fuck?” I written a dozen published books, published 250 books by other people, and have hundreds of publishing credits … and you think I need a canned website service to tell my story, my way? The more I thought of it, however, what my sons are asking for is for me to tell my story, their way. And that’s not such a bad thing. You’ll be finding bits and pieces in future issues of the Digest. I encourage other ‘Backs and ‘Belles to chip in with your own recollections. I love this opening song. I’ve never heard anything better that captures the exuberance of the first exciting breaths of new love. Look past the cheesy production, the absolutely horrible lip-syncing, and the fact that Herman has not yet had his teeth fixed. SB SM]
I was happy to move along from the disintegration of the 60s self-indulgence to the more measured maturity of the 70s, and no one personified the changes more than Carol King. Here are a few reasons why:
1. She was there. She was in the Brill Building chruning out hit after hit in the early 60s.
2. She had written a lot of songs that went beyond the genre of 60s’ pop. When you learned that something like “I’m into Something Good” by Herman’s Hermits was hers you’d think, “Oh, I thought they were just growing up on their own.”
3. In her own interpretation (“Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”) her music took on a new and nuanced depth and meaning. Taylor Swift? Why not? She’s human.
4. Her new material like “It’s Too Late” was subtle beyond what we had come to expect from pop music.
5. She was a terrific performer!
6. The title and packaging of “Tapestry” reflected the sense of maturity we were sensing in our lives. We’re no longer kids, and that’s ok.
Carole King helped an entire generation turn the corner into adulthood. Me? … age 23, just graduated college, recently married … I was turning the page as well.
Stephen, I felt a kinship with you on reading this piece. My children also gave me a subscription to Storyworth, and I had a similar reaction. Writing family tales turned out to be great fun. I realized they wanted stories from my youth and stories about their grandparents–wonderful! Also, Denise and I learned “I’m into Something Good” recently, went to see Beautiful last spring, and… yes, Carole King is the bomb diggity! Alec
The fact that you had successfully completed the process with Storyworth was an inspiration to me. That’s why I’m moving forward with it. Bully for you for making sweet music with Denise, You really ARE into something good.
Del and Greg of Grendel fame could have made I’m Into Something Good a hit too I bet!!
The next YouTube song after the Hermits was Bonnie Raitt singing Angel From Montgomery, a gut wrenchingly beautiful song. Sorry John P but her cover is better than original, high praise actually. Gonna see Bonnie in Boston in June. Love her.
No Storyworth from my boys yet…
Wonder what they’re waiting for.
Your boys want you to complete the Old Rockers Podcast project before moving on to something else. I had an interesting Bonnie experience, plus she had her biggest commercial success with Del’s “Runaway.” She’s the First Lady of Rock ‘n Roll!