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)
Anyone At All
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Than anybody else that I ever knew
I hear it in your voice, see it in your face
You've become the memory I can't erase
You could have been anyone at all
A stranger falling out of the blue
I'm so glad it was you
It wasn't in the plan, not that I could see
Suddenly a miracle came to me
Safe within your arms I can say what's true
Nothing in the world I would keep from you
You could have been anyone at all
An old friend falling out of the blue
I'm so glad it was you
Words can hurt you if you let them
People say them and forget them
Words can promise
Words can lie
But your words make me feel like I can fly
You could have been anyone at all
A net that catches me when I fall
I'm so glad it was you
You could have been anyone at all
An old friend calling out of the blue
I'm so glad it was you
Anyone at all
You could have been anyone at all
Anyone at all
I'm so glad it was you
In the song "Anyone At All," Carole King speaks about the feeling of being comfortable and at ease with someone. She compares this sense of intimacy and security to other relationships she has known throughout her life. The singer acknowledges that the person could have been anyone, but the fact that they are together is all that matters.
King employs a number of different metaphors throughout the song. She refers to the person as a "net that catches me when I fall," highlighting the sense of safety that the singer feels around them. King also speaks about the power of words, noting that words can be deceitful and hurtful. But the words of the person in question make the singer "feel like I can fly," emphasizing the uplifting nature of their relationship.
In the end, however, the point of the song seems to be about gratitude. The fact that the person could have been anyone at all reminds the singer of the role that chance and circumstance play in our lives. The fact that they are together is something to be thankful for, regardless of how they came to be in each other's lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Funny how I feel more myself with you
Being with you makes me feel like I can truly be myself, more so than with anyone else I've known
Than anybody else that I ever knew
Even compared to people I've known for a long time, being with you makes me feel more comfortable and true to myself
I hear it in your voice, see it in your face
I can sense your understanding and support of me through your tone of voice and facial expressions
You've become the memory I can't erase
You've impacted my life in such a way that I'll always remember and cherish the moments we've shared
You could have been anyone at all
Out of all the people in the world, fate could have led me to meet anyone else, but it was you who ended up being important to me
A stranger falling out of the blue
It could have been a completely random person, someone I had no prior connection to
I'm so glad it was you
But instead, it was you, and I'm so grateful for that
It wasn't in the plan, not that I could see
I wasn't expecting to meet someone like you or to have a connection like this
Suddenly a miracle came to me
But somehow it happened, and it feels like a miracle
Safe within your arms I can say what's true
I feel so safe and comfortable with you that I can be completely honest and open about how I feel
Nothing in the world I would keep from you
I trust you completely and am willing to share anything with you
Words can hurt you if you let them
I've been hurt before by words, and I know that they can be powerful if you allow them to be
People say them and forget them
But many people say things without truly thinking about the impact they'll have on someone else
Words can promise
Words can also make commitments and convey hope for the future
Words can lie
But they can also be deceitful and misleading
But your words make me feel like I can fly
Your words have a positive impact on me and make me feel uplifted and encouraged
A net that catches me when I fall
You're like a safety net for me, always there to catch me if I stumble or fall
Anyone at all
Out of anyone in the world that I could have met, it was you who has become so important to me
An old friend calling out of the blue
It could have been someone I had lost touch with, but who reached out to me unexpectedly
I'm so glad it was you
But instead, it was you, and I'm overjoyed and grateful for that
Lyrics © FRANAM PUB ADMINISTRATION, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CAROLE KING, CAROLE BAYER SAGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind