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)
Wasn't Born To Follow
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the diamond crescent's glowing
And run across the valley
Beneath the sacred mountain
And wander through the forest
Where the trees have leaves of prisms
And break the light in colors
That no one know the names of
And when it's time I'll go and lay
Beside the legendary fountain
'Till I see her form reflected
In its clear and jewelled waters
And if you think I'm ready
You may lead me to the chasm
Where the rivers of our visions
Flow into one another
I will want to dive beneath the white cascading waters
She may beg, she may plead, she may argue with her logic
And mention all the things I'll lose
That really have no value in the end she will surely know
I wasn't born to follow
Carole King's song "Wasn't Born To Follow" is a reflective and introspective piece that delves into individuality, desire for adventure, and the pursuit of dreams. The opening verse highlights a longing for the unconventional and a willingness to explore and discover the beauty in the unknown. The lines "Where the diamond crescent's glowing / And run across the valley / Beneath the sacred mountain" paint a picture of an idyllic and peaceful space, where one can escape the constraints of society and bask in nature's splendor. Similarly, the following lines "And wander through the forest / Where the trees have leaves of prisms / And break the light in colors / That no one know the names of" describe ethereal and otherworldly sights that leave one in awe.
The second verse further elaborates on these sentiments, with the imagery of "the legendary fountain" linking to mythical tales of magical waters. The desire to see one's reflection in its "clear and jewelled waters" could be interpreted as a search for self-discovery or the need to find one's place in the world. The final lines of the verse, "Where the rivers of our visions / Flow into one another", suggest that every individual's journey is unique and that their personal visions may diverge from the conventional paths expected by society.
The concluding lines of the song, "She may beg, she may plead, she may argue with her logic / And mention all the things I'll lose / That really have no value in the end she will surely know / I wasn't born to follow," are a defiant response to those who try to stifle personal expression and limit individual journeys. The singer recognizes the value of following one's heart and intuition and asserts their independence, refusing to be bound by the expectations of others.
Line by Line Meaning
No I'd rather go and journey
I am not content with staying in one place and desire to go on a journey.
Where the diamond crescent's glowing
I want to travel to a place where there is a natural wonder like a glowing diamond crescent.
And run across the valley
During my journey, I want to be free and unconstrained, so I will run across the valley.
Beneath the sacred mountain
I also want to be close to something that is significant and important like a mountain that has religious or spiritual significance.
And wander through the forest
I desire to wander and explore natural forests.
Where the trees have leaves of prisms
I want to see a unique and beautiful occurrence in nature such as trees with leaves of prisms.
And break the light in colors
I want to witness the way that light can be broken into different colors.
That no one know the names of
I am fascinated by things that are not fully understood or known by others.
And when it's time I'll go and lay
When my journey comes to an end, I will rest and reflect.
Beside the legendary fountain
I will choose a symbolic and special place, such as a legendary fountain, to rest beside.
'Till I see her form reflected
I will use this time to reflect on my journey and look for signs of beauty and meaning, such as seeing a reflection of a feminine form in the fountain.
In its clear and jewelled waters
The waters of the fountain will be so clear and pure that they will appear like jewels.
And if you think I'm ready
If someone believes that I am prepared for a certain challenge, I am open to their guidance.
You may lead me to the chasm
I will follow a trusted guide to any place of great depth, such as a chasm.
Where the rivers of our visions
There is a place where our greatest dreams and aspirations converge and flow together.
Flow into one another
This is a place where our paths cross and our future becomes intertwined.
I will want to dive beneath the white cascading waters
I will have a strong desire to plunge into the white, rushing waters of this place of significance.
She may beg, she may plead, she may argue with her logic
Some may try to convince me to avoid taking risks and instead make safe, logical choices.
And mention all the things I'll lose
They may try to scare me by listing all the things I could potentially lose by taking a risk.
That really have no value in the end she will surely know
Deep down, they will realize that many of the things they warned me about do not have true value or importance in the grand scheme of things.
I wasn't born to follow
Ultimately, I understand that I was not meant to follow a pre-determined path and will choose to take risks and follow my own unique journey.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, GERRY GOFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Randy Alberts
wow, always thought this penned by the byrds - adds all the more to Carole's legend, bravo.
chesky baba
The Monkees did it on their last album Good Times, sung by Peter. Fantastic version.
Yaxin Zheng
Sparkling and intricate. I too was a Byrds fan, exclusively. However, I play this song on my guitar and sing. I think Carole's version is more interesting. It will give me some more depth to my interpretation. But back to the Byrds now. The Inimitable Byrds.
Kent Andersson
What a wonderful voice, can listen to it anytime.
Lester Jones
I had to listen to this twice because it was a shock to my senses. Very different arrangement from what I was used to by the Byrds. It took a double shot to realize that I totally love it, Blue Grass spin and all.
Salud (respect) to Carole King, maker of music
Alan Jennings
First time I've heard this all the way through - I had no idea it was written by Goffin and King. And I agree with SunshineInWoods, The Byrds' version is much catchier and better arranged, but boy, I do love that banjo on the original.
Don G
Bluegrass/Country version! Brilliant. I've heard her play it at least 4 very different ways.
Brian Adamson
I am listening to a day of Brill Building Songs on WXPN on line. They played the Byrds version and I could not understand why. I did not think Roger McGuinn was an alumnus. Looked it up and found out Carole King wrote it. Simply amazing. Without a doubt the most prolific songwriter of all time
Michael Hackbarth
Excellent banjo work!!! The instrument of choice in heaven!
Terence Eldridge
+Michael Hackbarth
Amen to that!