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)
Lay Down My Life
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My world comes tumbling down
That's all right
You'll go home again without me
Where will I go tomorrow
It doesn't matter if you want me to stay
Should I turn around
Come back to you
It feels so good with you
It feels so right with you
But I will bring you sorrow if I stay
I would lay down my life for you
I would lay down my life for you
I would lay down my life for you
I would lay down my life for you
I kept going on
When going on made no real sense at all
But it's no good now
It's all clear to me
Now that my back is against the wall
How will you get through tomorrow
It doesn't matter, I know you will
And we'll be together forever
Bound by the way we made each other feel
And I will lay down my life for you
I will lay down my life for you
'Cause it feels so good with you
Yes it feels so right with you
I will lay down my life for you
I will lay down my life for you
I will lay down my life
I will lay down my life for you
The lyrics of "Lay Down My Life" by Carole King explore the conflicting emotions of the singer, who is torn between staying in a romantic relationship that feels so good and right and walking away to avoid bringing sorrow to the one they love. The opening lines suggest a sense of despair and loss as the singer walks away and acknowledges that their world is tumbling down. However, they also find some solace in the fact that the other person will go home without them, perhaps indicating that they will be better off without the singer's presence.
As the song progresses, the singer wrestles with the decision to turn around and come back or to keep on walking away. They express a willingness to lay down their life for the other person, which can be interpreted in different ways - as a declaration of love and devotion, or as a metaphorical death to their own desires and needs to prioritize the other person's happiness. The repetition of this line throughout the song emphasizes its importance and reinforces the intensity of the emotions involved.
Despite the uncertainty and fear of bringing sorrow to the other person, the singer also recognizes the deep connection they share that makes them want to stay together forever. They feel bound by the way they make each other feel, and this bond prompts them to be willing to sacrifice themselves for the other person. Ultimately, the song leaves the question unanswered about what the singer will choose to do, but it highlights the complexities of love and the difficult decisions that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
As I walk away
I am leaving your life and everything behind.
My world comes tumbling down
My entire world seems to be falling apart.
That's all right
It's fine because I know what I must do.
You'll go home again without me
You will return to your life, but I won't be with you.
Where will I go tomorrow
I'm uncertain about where I'll be in the future.
It doesn't matter if you want me to stay
Even if you want me to stay, I have to leave.
Should I turn around
Should I change my mind and come back to you.
Come back to you
Return to you, even though I have to leave you now.
Or should I keep on walking away
Or should I continue walking away from you.
It feels so good with you
Being with you feels wonderful and fulfilling.
It feels so right with you
Being with you feels like the right thing to do.
But I will bring you sorrow if I stay
If I stay, it will only bring you sadness and heartbreak.
I would lay down my life for you
I would sacrifice everything for you, including my life.
I kept going on
I continued with life even though things didn't make sense.
When going on made no real sense at all
Despite the confusion, I still moved on with life.
But it's no good now
But it doesn't matter now because everything is clear.
It's all clear to me
Now everything is clear and I know what I must do.
Now that my back is against the wall
Now that I have nowhere else to go, I have to make a decision.
How will you get through tomorrow
I am concerned about how you'll handle things without me.
It doesn't matter, I know you will
But I know you'll find a way to keep going without me.
And we'll be together forever
We will always be connected by the love we shared.
Bound by the way we made each other feel
Our love for each other binds us together forever.
I will lay down my life for you
I will always be there for you, and even die for you if needed.
I will lay down my life for you
I will do anything for you because I love you.
'Cause it feels so good with you
Being with you brings me immense joy and happiness.
Yes it feels so right with you
Being with you feels like the perfect thing for me.
I will lay down my life for you
I will always be by your side, no matter what.
I will lay down my life for you
I will always love you more than anything else in this world.
I will lay down my life
I will do anything for you, no matter the cost.
I will lay down my life for you
I will love you forever and always, no matter what happens.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CAROLE KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Edward DeVita
A truly pure voice that still tugs at the moment
CARL SKILLERN
Carole King is a complete artist.She is so powerful and her voice is amazing.
azurskyz
Carole King is in a league of her own, the singer songwriter's singer songwriter. Like so many other admirers of her enormous talent, all I can say is "Thank you" Ms. King. There's none other like you.
José Antonio Negrón Hinojosa
Beautiful song !!! It touched me deeply the first time I listened ..even now do it !!!! Thx, Carole !!!!
PAULO ROBERTO DOS SANTOS OLIVEIRA
Inesquecível!!!... Lembro-me de momentos de minhas férias em Maceió (Alagoas) em 1994
Linda Belfort
Thank you Ms. King. First EVER Hearfelt gift (CD) I received from my brother and I cherish!
tomee doretti
This Song touches me so deeply, for I have put others before me so many times, but now I do not.~~~~~~
Jeffrey Booth
There's more to carol than tapestry, this is a wonderful album,must go out and get a copy
Matthew Mayes
Carole is an awesome performer.. she also has Slash from Guns and Roses on one of her cds.. i think it is City Streets from 1988 or maybe this one
Miguel Angel Pollo Gamer
por favor alguien subtitulos en español