Today at work I found myself humming "Pleasant Valley Sunday", which to me in junior high in the '60s seemed to stand out as something different than the usual Monkees sugar high. And low and behold, looking it up I find it was written by Carole King!
Getting right down to the best, I have to say I just love "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (which was written for Aretha Franklin, then later recorded by King herself).
That vote has many a competitor. "Up On The Roof", written for the Drifters, is a lovable family dog. And let's not forget "Chains", that was of course covered by The Beatles.
In my late teens, there was no bigger phenomenon in the musical universe than Carole King. With the breakup of the Beatles in '70 and listeners logically turning to a female voice, her music was simply dominant.
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Each band or performer is graded on four things:
1. Innovation
2. Influence in my life--as a typical American
3. Integrity: the band's approach to music (just making a buck or honing a craft?)
4. Immortality--am I, a typical American--still eager to hear their music
4/5/6/4 = 19 out of a perfect 40
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Hilarious: In high school she formed a band named the Co-Sines. Also, it was about this time that she made demo tapes with schoolmate Paul Simon.
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