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)
I Can't Stop Thinking About You
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's burning just for you
I had some big plans for tomorrow
But you had something else to do
You came to me right out of nowhere
You gave me shelter in your eyes
And though you let the walls come caving in
When the cold wind blew
You let me walk into your dream world
You gave me things I couldn't steal
And in the wee hours of the morning
I still believe the dream was real
Why did you show me all your colors
When you knew that I was blind
Still I keep looking for the reasons
That'll see me through
I can't stop thinking about you
I can't stop thinking about you
I can't stop thinking about you
The night is dark, indeed
Ah, but I can't hide
There are voices in my house
But nobody's inside
I'll hit the town tonight
But even if I do
The party lights won't shine tonight
'Cause I can't stop thinking about you
In Carole King's song "I Can't Stop Thinking About You," the lyrics describe the aftermath of a relationship. The singer of the song is coming to terms with the end of a relationship and trying to move on. The candle burning in her window symbolizes the hope she had for the relationship, but now she is left with nothing but her thoughts of the person who she couldn't make it work with. She had plans for the future with this person, but they obviously had other ideas. When this person came into her life, they gave her a sense of comfort and security, but in the end, they let her down. Though there was no one else around, she still feels their presence, and it's like they're in the house with her. She's going to try to go out and enjoy herself, but the party lights won't shine because she can't stop thinking about this person.
The lyrics of the song are open to interpretation but thematically deal with moving on from a failed relationship. The idea of a candle burning in the window could be seen as a sign of hope, but it quickly dissipates as the reality of the situation sets in. The candle represents a light in the darkness, something that is guiding the singer through the difficult event of a relationship ending. The night is dark, and she feels isolated, but she can't hide from her thoughts. This person had a profound effect on her, and she can't seem to shake the memory of them. The idea of the "wee hours of the morning" suggests that she is up late, unable to sleep, and this person is still on her mind. In the end, she is left to dance without the "party lights" shining for her because she can't stop thinking about the person who once meant everything to her.
Line by Line Meaning
A candle's burning in my window
I have a candle burning in my window, a symbol of my longing and waiting for you.
And it's burning just for you
This candle is lit for you, a reminder that I am still thinking of you.
I had some big plans for tomorrow
I had made plans for tomorrow, but they no longer hold any significance without you.
But you had something else to do
You had other things to attend to, and I understand that, but it doesn't change how I feel.
You came to me right out of nowhere
You appeared in my life unexpectedly, as if from nowhere.
You gave me shelter in your eyes
You made me feel safe and secure with your gaze.
And though you let the walls come caving in
You allowed yourself to be vulnerable with me, and let down the walls around your heart.
When the cold wind blew
Even when things got tough and times were hard, you still remained open with me.
I can't stop thinking about you
Despite everything, I can't seem to shake you from my thoughts and feelings.
You let me walk into your dream world
You allowed me to enter your inner world, your dreams and desires.
You gave me things I couldn't steal
You gifted me things that couldn't be taken away, like love and affection.
And in the wee hours of the morning
Even in the early hours of the morning, when everything else is quiet and still, I am still thinking of you.
I still believe the dream was real
I still hold on to the belief that our dream together was real, and that it can still come true.
Why did you show me all your colors
Why did you reveal all your facets and complexities to me, knowing that I wouldn't be able to resist you?
When you knew that I was blind
You knew that I wouldn't be able to fully comprehend or appreciate all that you shared with me.
Still I keep looking for the reasons
Despite my lack of understanding, I continue searching for answers and insights that will make sense of it all.
That'll see me through
I am looking for something that will help me move forward and find closure.
I can't stop thinking about you
No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to forget about you or let go of my feelings.
The night is dark, indeed
The darkness of the night reflects the darkness I feel inside without you.
Ah, but I can't hide
I can't run from my feelings or pretend that they don't exist.
There are voices in my house
My mind is filled with thoughts and memories of you, echoing through my house.
But nobody's inside
Despite the voices, there is no physical presence of you in my life anymore.
I'll hit the town tonight
I'll try to distract myself by going out into the world tonight.
But even if I do
But no matter where I go or what I do, I can't escape my thoughts of you.
The party lights won't shine tonight
Even the bright and flashy lights of a party won't be able to dispel the darkness I feel inside without you.
'Cause I can't stop thinking about you
My thoughts and feelings for you are overpowering, and I can't seem to shake them off.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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