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)
Back to California
Carole King Lyrics
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Immobile in Alabama
I'd rather be in traction
Than to be here where I am
Oh, you Georgia red clay
And green Virginia pines
I've got to make it home somehow
Before I lose my mind
So won't you carry me back to California
I've been on the road too long
Take me to the West Coast, daddy
And let me be where I belong
Hey now, Philly, you street city
Been down by the railroad track
I know you can be a sweet city
But I won't soon be back
Haystack towns and smokestack cities
Are nothin' I want to see
My own house on high ground
Is the only place I want to be
So won't you carry me back to California
I've been on the road too long
Take me to the West Coast, daddy
And let me be where I belong
In Carole King's song Back to California, the lyrics describe the singer's feeling of being in a state of discontent and discomfort while being away from her home state of California. She expresses her feelings regarding different places she has visited and lived in outside of California and how she cannot relate, connect or feel at home there. The use of phrases such as "Immobile in Alabama" and "Before I lose my mind" highlights her claustrophobic experience and desire to escape her current circumstances. She also expresses her dissatisfaction with cities like Philly, describing them as Haystack and smokestack towns which evoke imagery of limited living conditions and low living conditions.
The chorus of the song "So won't you carry me back to California / I've been on the road too long / Take me to the West Coast, daddy / And let me be where I belong" repeated twice, highlights the singer's desperation to escape her current situation and how the only way to regain her sense of belonging is to return to California. This suggests the idea that the singer's sense of identity is deeply rooted in her home state, and being away from it is causing her to feel lost and disconnected.
Overall, the lyrics of Back to California echo the universal feeling of homesickness and the desire to be around familiar places, people and surroundings. Carole King's powerful voice and the repetitive structure of the chorus add to the emotional impact of the song, making it relatable to anyone who has experienced a deep longing for their home.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been feelin' down in Atlanta
I have been feeling depressed while in Atlanta.
Immobile in Alabama
I feel stuck and unproductive while in Alabama.
I'd rather be in traction
I would prefer to be in a medical cast than stay in my current location.
Than to be here where I am
I dislike my current location so much that I would rather be undergoing medical treatment.
Oh, you Georgia red clay
Referring to the red, iron-rich soil of Georgia
And green Virginia pines
Referring to the trees and vegetation of Virginia
I've got to make it home somehow
I need to find a way to return to my home in California.
Before I lose my mind
I am fearful that if I don't return to my preferred living situation I will become mentally unstable.
So won't you carry me back to California
Please assist me in traveling back to California.
I've been on the road too long
I have been traveling for an extended period and feel the effects of fatigue and longing for home.
Take me to the West Coast, daddy
Take me to California, the state located on the West Coast of America, father.
And let me be where I belong
Let me be in my preferred location, California.
Hey now, Philly, you street city
Refers to Philadelphia as an urban, street-centric environment.
Been down by the railroad track
Having spent time near the train transportation system.
I know you can be a sweet city
Philadelphia can have characteristics of hospitality and charm.
But I won't soon be back
I do not intend to return to Philadelphia in the near future or at all.
Haystack towns and smokestack cities
Haystack towns, meaning small rural locations and smokestack cities, meaning larger, industrial locations.
Are nothin' I want to see
I have no desire to visit or live in these types of locations.
My own house on high ground
Refers to the performer's own home in California located in an elevated area.
Is the only place I want to be
Being in her own home in California is the only situation she wants to experience.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind