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)
Lookin' Out for Number One
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To believe you really give a damn
You're just lookin' out for number one
You want to win, no way you're gonna lose
Between me and you, which one will you choose
I know you're lookin' out for number one
You will find you're just the same as anybody else
And that's allright
What kind of fool are you gonna be
There's a locked-up soul and you hold the key
But you're too busy lookin' out for number one
What will you do, will you go through the day
Only half alive, who are you anyway
Just lookin' out for number one
What kind of chance are you willing to take
Are you willing to give just a little bit for your own sake
That's really lookin' out for number one
Really lookin' out for number one
Lookin' out for number one
In Carole King's "Lookin' Out for Number One," the singer calls out a particular individual for their selfish actions. She questions the person's motives for pretending to care and suggests that they are only interested in advancing their own interests. She asks what kind of fool she would be to believe that this person genuinely cares about her, when in reality they are only concerned with putting themselves first.
The lyrics carry a deeper message about the damaging effects of self-centered behavior. The person being addressed may believe that they are winning by focusing solely on their own needs, but the reality is that they are missing out on meaningful relationships and experiences. Carole King sings that this person is not fully alive because of their self-centeredness, and that they are too preoccupied with their own desires to notice the pain and suffering of others. She encourages the person not to pass up the opportunity to care for the deeper parts of themselves and others - in other words, not to just look out for number one.
The silver screen referenced in the second verse may symbolize a facade that the person puts up in order to protect themselves from vulnerability or to appear stronger than they really are. Carole suggests that if the person were to take a closer look at themselves, they would see the flaws and insecurities that they share with everyone else. Ultimately, the song is a plea to put others' needs ahead of one's own in order to live a fuller life.
Line by Line Meaning
What kind of fool do you think I am
You underestimate my intelligence
To believe you really give a damn
To believe you truly care
You're just lookin' out for number one
You are only concerned with your own interests
You want to win, no way you're gonna lose
You desire victory and refuse to accept defeat
Between me and you, which one will you choose
You must decide between me and yourself
I know you're lookin' out for number one
I am aware you prioritize your own needs
Just look behind the silver screen you've built around yourself
Examine the facade you have created to conceal your true self
You will find you're just the same as anybody else
You will realize you are no different than others
And that's allright
And that reality is acceptable
What kind of fool are you gonna be
What kind of decisions will you make
There's a locked-up soul and you hold the key
You possess the means to unlock your inner potential
But you're too busy lookin' out for number one
But you are too preoccupied with your own needs
What will you do, will you go through the day
How will you spend your time? Will you merely exist?
Only half alive, who are you anyway
Living a half-hearted life, who are you truly?
Just lookin' out for number one
Merely prioritizing your own needs
What kind of chance are you willing to take
What risks are you prepared to assume
Are you willing to give just a little bit for your own sake
Are you willing to make a small sacrifice for your own benefit
That's really lookin' out for number one
That is genuinely prioritizing your own needs
Really lookin' out for number one
Truly prioritizing your own needs
Lookin' out for number one
Prioritizing your own needs
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CAROLE KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
poetgb
This is a really good high energy song. Carole King always wrote great melodies.
lwc2009
I saw her do this on a live recording with James Taylor on a video long ago... can't find it now... anybody else???
りいり
lwc2009 me too...