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)
Can't You Be Real
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And that was all that we needed
Then all at once we got to see
The cycles we repeated
Baby, can't you be real
I said, baby, can't you be real
And tell you what you're missin'
It's been told to you many times before
But you refuse to listen
Baby, can't you be real
Oh, baby, can't you be real
I said, baby, can't you be real
Carole King’s “Can’t You Be Real” speaks to the experience of a relationship gone wrong. It explores the frustration and disappointment that comes with being with someone who is not authentic, someone who repeats the same patterns and errors that continually cause problems. In the first verse, the song discusses the idealism that we have in the beginning of a relationship, a time when we only see the good in the other person. However, as we get to know them better, we start to see their flaws and their tendencies towards repeating unhealthy or unproductive behavior.
The chorus then touches on the main theme of the song—the longing for authenticity. Carole pleads with her partner to be real, to not hide behind pretense or deception. She believes that he is missing out on something important, and that he has been told this before but refuses to listen. Ultimately, the song is a call for vulnerability and honesty, for the chance to see each other for who we truly are.
Line by Line Meaning
Long ago we had our dreams
In the past, we had ambitions or aspirations for the future that we wanted to achieve in life.
And that was all that we needed
At that time, those dreams were enough to keep us happy and satisfied with our lives.
Then all at once we got to see
Suddenly or unexpectedly, we realized something significant that we were previously unaware of or chosen to ignore.
The cycles we repeated
We were stuck in a pattern of behavior or routine that we kept repeating over and over again, without change or progress.
Baby, can't you be real
Expressing a desire for authenticity or genuineness from another person or situation.
I said, baby, can't you be real
Reiterating the desire for truthfulness and sincerity from someone or something.
Anyone can look into your eyes
Any person can observe your demeanor or behavior by looking into your eyes, which often reveal a lot about what you're thinking and feeling.
And tell you what you're missin'
Others can see what you lack or what you need to improve on, even if you are unable or unwilling to acknowledge it yourself.
It's been told to you many times before
You have heard advice or suggestions about what you need or should do to change your situation or behavior, but you have not acted on them or taken them seriously.
But you refuse to listen
Despite hearing the same message repeatedly, you have intentionally chosen to ignore or reject it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, GERRY GOFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind