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)
Pierre
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who only would say, I don't care!
Read his story, my friend, for you'll find
At the end that a suitable
Moral lies there
One day his mother said
When Pierre climbed out of bed
Pierre said I don't care!
What would you like to eat?
I don't care!
Some lovely cream of wheat?
I don't care!
Don't sit backwards in your chair
I don't care!
Or pour syrup on your hair
I don't care!
You are acting like a clown
I don't care!
And we have to go to town
I don't care!
Don't you want to come, my dear?
I don't care!
Would you rather stay right here?
I don't care!
So his mother left him there
His father said get off your head
Or I will march you up to bed!
Pierre said I don't care!
I would think that you could see
I don't care!
Your head is where your feet should be!
I don't care!
If you keep standing upside down
I don't care!
We'll never get to town
I don't care!
If only you would say, I care
I don't care!
I'd let you fold the folding chair
I don't care!
So his parents left him there
They didn't take him anywhere
Now as the night began to fall
A hungry lion paid a call
He looked Pierre right in the eye
And asked him if he'd like to die
Pierre said I don't care!
I can eat you, don't you see?
I don't care!
And you will be inside of me
I don't care!
Then you will never have to bother
I don't care!
With a mother and a father
I don't care!
Is that all you have to say?
I don't care!
Then I'll eat you, if I may
I don't care!
So the lion ate Pierre
Arriving home at six o'clock
His parents had a dreadful shock!
They found the lion sick in bed and cried
Pierre is surely dead!
They pulled the lion by the hair
They hit him with the folding chair
His mother asked, where is Pierre?
The lion answered, I don't care!
His father said, Pierre's in there!
They rushed the lion into town
The doctor shook him up and down
And when the lion gave a roar
Pierre fell out upon the floor
He rubbed his eyes and scratched his head
And laughed because he wasn't dead
His mother cried and held him tight
His father asked, are you alright?
Pierre said I am feeling fine
Please take me home, it's half past nine
The lion said, if you would care
To climb on me, I'll take you there
Then everyone looked at Pierre
Who shouted yes, indeed, I care!
The lion took them home to rest
And stayed on as a weekend guest
The moral of Pierre is, care!
The song "Pierre" by Carole King tells the story of a boy named Pierre who constantly responds to everything with the phrase "I don't care." He stubbornly refuses to care about anything his parents say or do, and ultimately faces a life-threatening situation when confronted by a hungry lion. Instead of showing fear or concern, he continues to repeat his catchphrase, which prompts the lion to eat him. However, Pierre miraculously survives and returns home, where he finally realizes the importance of caring.
The overall message of the song is simple: caring matters, and those who refuse to care will face the consequences. The song is an allegory for stubbornness and the importance of listening to others. Despite its lighthearted tone, "Pierre" has a deep, meaningful message that resonates with both children and adults.
One notable feature of "Pierre" is its catchy, repetitive lyrics. The phrase "I don't care" is repeated numerous times throughout the song, making it easy to sing along with and memorize. Additionally, the story's moral is told through playful and imaginative storytelling, making it a memorable and effective teaching tool.
Line by Line Meaning
There was once a boy named Pierre
Introduces the main character
Who only would say, I don't care!
Describes the boy's characteristic apathy
Read his story, my friend, for you'll find
Invites the listener to gain insight from the story
At the end that a suitable Moral lies there
Suggests that there is a lesson to be learned from the story
One day his mother said
Initiates a conversation between Pierre and his mother
When Pierre climbed out of bed
Sets the scene for this conversation
Good morning, darling boy, you are my only joy
Expresses the mother's love for Pierre
Pierre said I don't care!
Demonstrates Pierre's apathy towards his mother
What would you like to eat?
Questions Pierre about his breakfast preference
I don't care!
Pierre's response suggesting he's unconcerned with the choice of breakfast meal
Some lovely cream of wheat?
Mother's suggestion for breakfast
I don't care!
Pierre's indifferent response to his mother's suggestion
Don't sit backwards in your chair
Mother's instruction to Chair etiquette
I don't care!
Pierre's unconcerned response to his mother's advice
Or pour syrup on your hair
Mother's warning against making a mess during breakfast
I don't care!
Pierre's inconsiderate response to his mother's advice
You are acting like a clown
Mother's chastisement against Pierre's behavior
I don't care!
Pierre's aloof response to his mother's criticism
And we have to go to town
Mother's information about their imminent trip
I don't care!
Pierre's unbothered response to the news of their trip
Don't you want to come, my dear?
Mother's question to Pierre about the trip plan
I don't care!
Pierre's indifference towards going on the trip with his mother
Would you rather stay right here?
Mother's giving Pierre the choice to stay at home
I don't care!
Pierre's response showing he's not interested in choosing between the trip and staying home
So his mother left him there
Mother abandons Pierre at home since he's indifferent about the trip
His father said get off your head
Father reprimands Pierre for standing on his head
Or I will march you up to bed!
Father threatens to punish Pierre
Pierre said I don't care!
Pierre's dismissive response to his father's warning
I would think that you could see
Father's comment about Pierre's reversed position
I don't care!
Pierre's disregard for his father's opinion
Your head is where your feet should be!
Father's observation of Pierre's upside-down body
I don't care!
Pierre's disinterest towards his father's remark
If you keep standing upside down
Father's warning against Pierre's posture
I don't care!
Pierre's unbothered response to his father's warning
We'll never get to town
Father's comment on the implications of Pierre's posture on their trip
I don't care!
Pierre's lack of concern about what his father said
If only you would say, I care
Father's remark on what he would prefer to hear from Pierre
I don't care! I'd let you fold the folding chair
Pierre remains indifferent even to his father's offer for something he likes
So his parents left him there
His parents reiterate their displeasure and leave Pierre behind
They didn't take him anywhere
His parents leave without Pierre during their trip
Now as the night began to fall
Setting of the second event in Pierre's story
A hungry lion paid a call
Establishes a new character in the story
He looked Pierre right in the eye
Narrates the lion's eye contact with Pierre
And asked him if he'd like to die
The lion's sinister proposal to kill Pierre
Pierre said I don't care!
Pierre's indifferent reaction towards the lion's invitation to die
I can eat you, don't you see?
The lion tries to convince Pierre by presenting himself as food
And you will be inside of me
The lion tries to persuade Pierre that being a part of him is better
I don't care! Then, you will never have to bother with a mother and a father
Pierre's lack of interest in human relationships pushes him towards succumbing to the lion's proposal of becoming food
Is that all you have to say?
The lion's surprise at Pierre's indifference about his proposal
I don't care!
Pierre's remaining indifferent
Then I'll eat you if I may
The lion takes advantage of Pierre's lack of care and opts to eat him
So, the lion ate Pierre
The climax of the story, where Pierre's indifference has let him be eaten by a hungry lion
Arriving home at six o'clock
The beginning of the resolution
His parents had a dreadful shock!
The sight of the lion provokes a fearful response from Pierre's parents
They found the lion sick in bed and cried
Pierre's parents express their sorrow through weeping upon seeing the lion's state
Pierre is surely dead!
Pierre's parents accept an unfortunate fate for their son
They pulled the lion by the hair
Pierre's parents try to approach the lion despite their fear
They hit him with the folding chair
Pierre's parents try to fend off the lion
His mother asked, where is Pierre?
His mother seeks Pierre's presence
The lion answered, I don't care!
The lion expresses the same attitude towards Pierre's whereabouts
His father said, Pierre's in there!
Pierre's father reveals Pierre is still alive
They rushed the lion into town
The lion is taken to the hospital
The doctor shook him up and down
The doctor examines the lion intensively
And when the lion gave a roar
The climax of the second event and resolution's turning point
Pierre fell out upon the floor
Pierre comes out of the lion's body alive
He rubbed his eyes and scratched his head
Pierre is surprised to be alive and is figuring out what happened
And laughed because he wasn't dead
Pierre is relieved that he's alive despite the strange experience
His mother cried and held him tight
Pierre's mother is relieved that her son is safe and holds him tightly
His father asked, are you alright?
Pierre's father confirms if Pierre is healthy
Pierre said I am feeling fine
Pierre indicates that he's perfectly okay
Please take me home, it's half past nine
Pierre reveals his desire to go back home
The lion said, if you would care to climb on me, I'll take you there
The lion now suggests taking Pierre home safely on his back
Then everyone looked at Pierre
Pierre's decision-making is under scrutiny
Who shouted yes, indeed, I care!
Pierre realizes that caring is paramount to his safety and those of others
The lion took them home to rest
The lion safely takes Pierre back home as promised
And stayed on as a weekend guest
The lion gets to stay with Pierre's family after helping them
The moral of Pierre is, care!
Final statement, a message to care for other people's safety and happiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, MAURICE SENDAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind