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)

Just Once In My Life
Carole King Lyrics

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There's alot of things I want, a lot of things that I'd like to be.
But girl, I don't forsee a rags-to-riches story for me.
There's just one little dream I've got to come true;
There's just one round I've gotta win,
I can't be a loser with you.

Baby, baby, Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Girl, don't let me down! Just Once In My Life,

let me hold on to one good thing I found!
Don't let me down! Baby, say that you'll be stayin',

Cause I couldn't face a day if you weren't here by my side.
If you went away then I'd be left without any pride.
I've given up on schemes, 'Cause all of them fell through,
I've given up so many things, Don't ask me to give up on you.

Baby, baby, Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Girl, don't let me down! Just Once In My Life,
let me hold on to one good thing I found!
Don't let me down! Baby, say that you'll be stayin',

That old pot of gold ain't so easy to find,
But if you stand by me, I'll keep my peace of mind.
I can't give you the world, But I I'll work hard for you, girl.
I'll work hard, ev'ryday, all my life.
So baby, please don't leave me, just do this for me.

Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Girl, don't let me down! Just Once In My Life,
let me hold on to one good thing I found!

Don't let me down! Baby, say that you'll be stayin'.
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Overall Meaning

In Carole King's song "Just Once In My Life," the singer is expressing their intense desire for one thing: to be with the person they love. They acknowledge that they may not be destined for greatness or riches, but all they want is to hold on to this one good thing. The singer pleads with their lover to stay by their side, saying that they couldn't face a day without them. The singer has given up on schemes and dreams that didn't come true, but they refuse to give up on this person.

The lyrics are powerful in their simplicity and speak to the universal experience of wanting to hold on to love. The line "I can't give you the world, But I'll work hard for you, girl" encapsulates the singer's determination to make their relationship work, even if they can't provide all the material things in the world. The repeated plea of "don't let me down" underscores the raw emotion of the song and the fear of losing the person they love.

Overall, "Just Once In My Life" is a timeless ode to the power of love and the lengths people will go to hold on to it.

Line by Line Meaning

There's alot of things I want, a lot of things that I'd like to be.
I have many desires and aspirations.

But girl, I don't forsee a rags-to-riches story for me.
I don't believe I will achieve great wealth or fame.

There's just one little dream I've got to come true;
I have one particular dream that is very important to me.

There's just one round I've gotta win,
I only need to succeed in one specific endeavor.

I can't be a loser with you.
I feel like a winner when I am with you.

Baby, baby, Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Please allow me to achieve my one important goal.

Girl, don't let me down! Just Once In My Life,
I am counting on you to not disappoint me.

let me hold on to one good thing I found!
I want to keep the good thing that I have discovered, which is you.

Don't let me down! Baby, say that you'll be stayin',
Please promise me that you will remain by my side.

Cause I couldn't face a day if you weren't here by my side.
I cannot imagine going through life without you.

If you went away then I'd be left without any pride.
I would feel very ashamed and miserable if you were to leave me.

I've given up on schemes, 'Cause all of them fell through,
I have stopped trying to pursue various plans because they have all failed.

I've given up so many things, Don't ask me to give up on you.
I have sacrificed many things, but I am unwilling to let go of you.

That old pot of gold ain't so easy to find,
It is difficult to obtain great wealth and success.

But if you stand by me, I'll keep my peace of mind.
If you support and stay with me, I will be content and at ease.

I can't give you the world, But I I'll work hard for you, girl.
I cannot provide everything, but I am willing to put in effort for you.

I'll work hard, ev'ryday, all my life. So baby, please don't leave me
I will continue to work hard every day for the rest of my life, so please stay with me.

just do this for me. Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Allow me to achieve my one important goal, just this one time.

Girl, don't let me down! Just Once In My Life,
Please don't disappoint me, just this one time.

let me hold on to one good thing I found!
Let me keep the good thing that I have discovered, which is you.

Don't let me down! Baby, say that you'll be stayin'.
Promise me that you will remain by my side.

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: FREDRICK MCGREGOR, ERNEST WILSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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