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)
Believe In Humanity
Carole King Lyrics
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History in the making
You'll read what they say life is all about
They say it's there for the taking
Yeah, but you should rally check it out
If you want to know what's shaking
But don't tell me about the things you've heard
Maybe I'm wrong, but I want to believe in humanity
I know it's often true - sad to say
We have been unkind to one another
Tell me how many times has the golden rule
Been applied by man to his brother
I believe if I realll looked at what's going on
I would lose faith I never could recover
So don't tell me about the things you've heard
Maybe I'm wrong, but I want to believe in humanity.
In Carole King's song "Believe in Humanity," the lyrics encourage listeners to question what they read in the news and to not rely solely on what is being reported. The lyrics suggest that the media can be biased and only present part of the story. The phrase "If you want to know what's shaking" suggests that there may be more to the story than what is being presented to the public.
The lyrics then delve into the theme of humans being unkind to each other despite the existence of the "golden rule," which is a principle that encourages people to treat others as they would like to be treated. The lyric "Tell me how many times has the golden rule been applied by man to his brother" suggests that humans have a history of not following this rule, which can lead to a lack of faith in humanity. The phrase "So don't tell me about the things you've heard, maybe I'm wrong, but I want to believe in humanity" suggests that despite the negativity seen in the world, the singer still wants to believe in the innate goodness of people.
Overall, the song encourages listeners to think critically and to not lose faith in humanity despite the challenges faced by individuals and society as a whole.
Line by Line Meaning
If you read the papers you may see
If you keep yourself informed with newspapers' current events, you'll notice
History in the making
Historical events are unfolding
You'll read what they say life is all about
You'll come across opinions on what is essential in life
They say it's there for the taking
They believe that everything in life is available for anyone to achieve
Yeah, but you should rally check it out
However, you should investigate it closely
If you want to know what's shaking
If you wish to know the truth about the situation
But don't tell me about the things you've heard
However, don't claim that you know everything based on what you've heard from others
Maybe I'm wrong, but I want to believe in humanity
Although I may be mistaken, I still want to keep faith in the goodness that humanity can bring
I know it's often true - sad to say
It's a melancholic fact that is frequently true
We have been unkind to one another
Humans are often ungenerous and cruel to one another
Tell me how many times has the golden rule
Enlighten me on how often the golden rule
Been applied by man to his brother
Has been put into practice by one person towards another
I believe if I really looked at what's going on
I think that if I deeply examine what's happening in the world
I would lose faith I never could recover
I would become pessimistic, a faith that I could never retrieve
So don't tell me about the things you've heard
Therefore, do not narrate to me stories that you have no personal experience in
Maybe I'm wrong, but I want to believe in humanity
Even though there's a chance that I'm incorrect, I still want to hold onto the hope that humanity is ultimately kind and compassionate
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind