King's major success began in the 1960s when she and her first husband, Gerry Goffin, wrote more than two dozen chart hits, many of which have become standards, for numerous artists. She has continued writing for other artists since then. King's success as a performer in her own right did not come until the 1970s, when she sang her own songs, accompanying herself on the piano, in a series of albums and concerts. After experiencing commercial disappointment with her debut album Writer, King scored her breakthrough with the album Tapestry, which topped the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks in 1971 and remained on the charts for more than six years.
King has made 25 solo albums, the most successful being Tapestry, which held the record for most weeks at No. 1 by a female artist for more than 20 years. Her record sales were estimated at more than 75 million copies worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She has been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a performer and songwriter. She is the recipient of the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the first woman to be so honored. She is also a 2015 Kennedy Center Honoree.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carole_King
Studio albums
Writer (1970)
Tapestry (1971)
Music (1971)
Rhymes & Reasons (1972)
Fantasy (1973)
Wrap Around Joy (1974)
Thoroughbred (1976)
Simple Things (1977)
Welcome Home (1978)
Touch the Sky (1979)
Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King (1980)
One to One (1982)
Speeding Time (1983)
City Streets (1989)
Colour of Your Dreams (1993)
Love Makes the World (2001)
A Holiday Carole (2011)
A Night This Side Of Dying
Carole King Lyrics
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Standing on the corner with the afternoon's supply
She spoke of other places, perhaps a better road
Then she asked if I could tell her where they
Kept the mother lode
Like a night this side of dying
Her day's inside the dropper on the shelf
Not a thing you say can stop her
When she just can't stop herself
I remember that July, the panic and the heat
The savage shine of summer, the strychnine in the street
The way they sold each other for a favor in glassine
The best of friends sold brothers for a
Dime of quinine dreams
Like a night this side of dying
Her day's inside the dropper on the shelf
Like the shelter she's been buying
Not a thing I've got can save her
When she just can't save herself
She just can't save herself
In this song, Carole King tells the story of a girl who is caught up in the world of drugs and addiction. The first stanza talks about a young girl who seems to be searching for something better in life, asking the singer where the "mother lode" is. This could refer to a place where she can find happiness or success, but given the context of the song, it may also refer to a source of drugs.
The chorus compares the feeling of being caught up in addiction to a "night this side of dying." It's a feeling of desperation and hopelessness, where the drugs have taken over and it feels like there's no way out. The girl's "day's inside the dropper on the shelf" - her entire existence revolves around the drugs she's taking.
The second stanza describes the drug scene in more detail - the "panic and the heat" of a summer day, the dangerous drugs being sold on the street. The line "The best of friends sold brothers for a dime of quinine dreams" is particularly powerful - it speaks to the way addiction can break down relationships and turn people against each other.
Ultimately, the singer knows that there's nothing they can do to save the girl from her addiction. Despite the "shelter she's been buying," which could refer to attempts at rehab or seeking help, the addiction is too powerful. The final line, "She just can't save herself," is heartbreaking in its resignation.
Overall, this song is a poignant and powerful commentary on the devastating effects of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember one young sister with rainbows in her eyes
Once, I saw a girl who had hope in her heart and dreams in her eyes
Standing on the corner with the afternoon's supply
She was at the street corner waiting for her drugs to arrive
She spoke of other places, perhaps a better road
She talked about how things could have been better if only she was somewhere else
Then she asked if I could tell her where they kept the mother lode
She wanted to know where the most precious and valuable stash of drugs was hidden
Like a night this side of dying
The feeling of being close to death, overwhelmed by the harsh realities of life and drugs
Her day's inside the dropper on the shelf
Her only purpose is to get high and she spends her entire day chasing the next dose
When she hears her lifeline crying
Whenever she hears her name or any reminder of her true identity, it only reminds her of the mistakes she's made and how her life has come to this
Not a thing you say can stop her
There is nothing anyone can say to make her stop doing drugs or change her mind
When she just can't stop herself
The grip of the addiction is so strong, she feels helpless and trapped, unable to break free
I remember that July, the panic and the heat
I recall a specific time in July where the heat was overwhelming, and there was chaos and frenzy all around
The savage shine of summer, the strychnine in the street
The summer season, which is otherwise beautiful and lively, has been tainted with drugs and violence, making everything seem harsh and brutal
The way they sold each other for a favor in glassine
The drug users, who were once friends, have now turned into enemies and would do anything to get their hands on drugs, even selling each other out for a small gain
The best of friends sold brothers for a dime of quinine dreams
Even the closest friendships have been destroyed by drugs, as friends are willing to betray each other for a few moments of the high
Like a night this side of dying
The feeling of being so close to death, that every moment seems like it could be the end
Her day's inside the dropper on the shelf
The only thing that matters in her life is the next fix, and she will do whatever it takes to get it
Like the shelter she's been buying
She is looking for refuge from the struggles of life through the drugs, but will never find a true escape
Not a thing I've got can save her
There is nothing that anyone can do to save her from her addiction - she has to want it for herself
When she just can't save herself
Even if she knows that drugs are damaging her life, it's difficult for her to quit because the addiction is all-consuming
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, DAVID PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind