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)

What Have You Got to Lose
Carole King Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yes, I know you've led them on
And you've been figuring up the cost
Of your list
Your saddest goodbyes

I'm gonna stay right here with you
So if you're looking for something new
All you have to do is choose

What have you got to lose

Yes, it shows you need a change
And you've been feeling very strange
That the things that made you feel so good before
Have not been feeling good 'cause I'm so much in love with you
All you have to do is try somethin' new
What have you got to lose

And when you're ready let me know
Come to me, I'll let your river flow
When you're ready, aw, give me a sign
It's time you stepped back out in the sunshine

Wouldn't you like to wake up and find
Me, every morning, on your mind
Oh, come on, don't be shy
Come on, you don't have to hide

Come on and get me
What have you got to lose

Come on and get me
Aw, what have you got to lose

Overall Meaning

In "What Have You Got to Lose," Carole King sings to a hesitant lover who has been preoccupied with the costs and consequences of their decisions. The first verse suggests that the person has been thinking about leaving, but is uncertain about the outcome. King acknowledges that they have been leading someone on, and have become overwhelmed by the sadness of goodbyes. Despite all of this, the singer remains committed to the relationship and encourages their partner to choose a new path without fear of failure or loss. King emphasizes that the path to progress requires letting go of the familiar and embracing new opportunities.

In the second verse, King reflects on the partner's experiences, acknowledging that they need a change and have been feeling strange. The singer notes that the things that once made them feel good are now unsatisfying, and suggests that their love for each other may be the root cause. The chorus reiterates the theme of risk-taking, suggesting that there is little to lose by taking a chance on a new adventure. The final lines of the song offer a passionate invitation to the partner to take a leap of faith and pursue a life filled with love and happiness.

Overall, "What Have You Got to Lose" is a song about courage, self-discovery, and the power of love. King uses vivid imagery and gentle, encouraging language to inspire her listeners to step out of their comfort zones and seek new possibilities in their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Yes, I know you've led them on
I am aware that you have been leading others on

And you've been figuring up the cost
You have been calculating the consequences

Of your list
Of the things you want to achieve

Your saddest goodbyes
The farewell that has affected you the most

I'm gonna stay right here with you
I'll be by your side through it all

So if you're looking for something new
If you're searching for change

All you have to do is choose
You only need to decide

What have you got to lose
What are you risking?

Yes, it shows you need a change
I can see that you require something different

And you've been feeling very strange
You have been sensing quite unusual

That the things that made you feel so good before
The activities that formerly caused you happiness