Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American … Read Full Bio ↴Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of all time, King is the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century in the US, having written or co-written 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100. King also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts between 1962 and 2005.

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)

Every Breath I Take
Carole King Lyrics

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I hardly ever thank the stars above
For sending me your very precious love
You never hear me say a prayer
Of thanks to someone 'way up there
Who gave me such a lucky break

Oh, no, darling
Only with ev'ry breath I take

And every time we have to be apart
I hardly ever find you in my heart
And when it comes to thinking of
The thought of losing all your love
I never worry how my heart would ache

Oh, no, darling
Only with ev'ry breath I take
Only with ev'ry little step I make
Only with ev'ry little beat of my heart
And ev'ry single minute I'm awake

Oh, no, darling
Only with ev'ry breath I take
Only with ev'ry little step I make
Only with ev'ry little beat of my heart
And ev'ry single minute I'm awake

Oh ah, ev'ry little breath I take
Ev'ry little step I make
Ah, ah, ah, ah, uh, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ev'ry breath I take

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Overall Meaning

In Carole King's "Every Breath I Take," the singer expresses profound appreciation for her significant other. She begins by acknowledging that she rarely thanks the stars above for sending her such precious love, nor does she pray to anyone for giving her the lucky break of meeting her special someone. The singer makes it clear that it is only with every breath she takes that she appreciates her partner.

The singer then touches on the fear of losing her love when they are separated. She notes that when they are apart, she hardly ever finds her partner in her heart. The thought of losing her love rarely crosses her mind, and when it does, she never worries about the heartache it might bring her. The singer then reaffirms that it is only with every breath, every little step, every little beat of her heart, and every single minute she is awake, that she truly values her relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

I hardly ever thank the stars above
I rarely express my gratitude to the universe for sending me your precious love.

For sending me your very precious love
I received your love gratefully, knowing how valuable it is.

You never hear me say a prayer
I do not typically express my thanks to a higher power.

Of thanks to someone 'way up there
I do not thank any divine being for my blessings.

Who gave me such a lucky break
I recognize that I am lucky to have found your love.

Oh, no, darling Only with ev'ry breath I take
I show my appreciation and love for you by expressing it with every breath I take.

And every time we have to be apart
When we cannot be together, I struggle to keep you in my heart.

I hardly ever find you in my heart
I do not feel your presence in my heart as strongly when we are apart.

And when it comes to thinking of The thought of losing all your love
The idea of losing your love is scary and painful for me to contemplate.

I never worry how my heart would ache
I never want to experience the heartache of losing you.

Only with ev'ry breath I take
I express my love for you with every breath I take.

Only with ev'ry little step I make
I am mindful of your love with every step I take.

Only with ev'ry little beat of my heart
My love for you is present in every beat of my heart.

And ev'ry single minute I'm awake
I think of you every moment I am awake.

Oh, ah, ev'ry little breath I take Ev'ry little step I make Ah, ah, ah, ah, uh, ah Ah, ah, ah, ev'ry breath I take
My love for you permeates every aspect of my being, from my breath to my steps to my waking moments.

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These lines are a playful interlude between the more serious lyrics about the singer's love and devotion.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GERRY GOFFIN, CAROLE KING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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