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)
Will You Love Me Tomorrow / Some Kind of Wonderful / Up On the Roof
Carole King Lyrics
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He seeks the sheltered nest
Like the sailor's lost horizon,
He needs some place to rest
The songs that he's been singin'
No longer make much sense
And those stranger's cold perceptions
They've killed his confidence
Nightingale, she serenades his lonely, lonely life along
When his tired voice is broken
His golden hope is gone
She makes a lost soul's simple longing
somehow not so wrong
Nightingale, nightingale
He was strong, but he was taken
By the thought of his success
Those spotlights shadows
How they lured him and took him like all the rest
But that old dream don't look good now
No it don't seem quite the same
He needs to hear a tender word
Won't you sing him home again
Nightingale, she sails away up on a sea of song
Nightingale, she serenades his lonely, lonely life along
When his strength is slowly going,
His pride is all but gone
She makes a foolish dreamer listen to one last song
Nightingale ooh sing sweet nightingale
Oh, na, na, na, na
Nightingale ooh sing sweet nightingale
The lyrics of Carole King's song "Nightingale" depict a musician who feels lost and alone. He is seeking refuge and a place to rest from the pressures of the music industry. He feels that the songs he sings have lost their meaning and that he has lost his confidence due to the cold perceptions of strangers. The nightingale in the song represents the healing power of music. She "sails away upon a sea of song" and serenades the musician's "lonely, lonely life along." The nightingale's simple but powerful music helps the musician to not feel so lost and to find a sense of home amid the uncertainty of fame.
The musician in the song also struggles with the fleeting nature of success. He was once strong and successful, but now he has been taken by the spotlight shadows like so many other musicians. He longs to hear a tender word and to be sung home again. The nightingale becomes his comfort and hope, helping him to listen to one last song before his strength and pride are gone.
Overall, "Nightingale" is a poignant song that explores the struggles of fame and the power of music to heal and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
Like some night bird homeward wingin
Just like a bird who flies back to her nest, he needs someone to come back home to.
He seeks the sheltered nest
He is looking for refuge, a place he can call home.
Like the sailor's lost horizon,
Just like a sailor lost at sea, he needs a guiding light.
He needs some place to rest
He is tired and needs to find a place to rest his mind and body.
The songs that he's been singin',
The things he used to love and the music he made no longer bring him joy and fulfillment.
No longer make much sense
He is lost and doesn't understand what his purpose is anymore.
And those stranger's cold perceptions,
The opinions of people who don't really know him have shaken his confidence.
They've killed his confidence
He used to be strong and confident, but now he feels weak and uncertain.
Nightingale, she sails away upon a sea of song
The nightingale represents the music that he loves and how it can set him free from his troubles.
Nightingale, she serenades his lonely, lonely life along
The music of the nightingale fills the emptiness and loneliness he's feeling.
When his tired voice is broken
When he's exhausted and can't carry on, the nightingale's music gives him hope.
His golden hope is gone
All the things that he hoped for have vanished, and he's feeling lost.
She makes a lost soul's simple longing, somehow not so wrong
The nightingale's music makes him feel like it's okay to have simple dreams and aspirations.
He was strong, but he was taken
He was a strong person, but something has taken away his strength and resilience.
By the thought of his success
The idea of being successful has become a burden instead of a motivator for him.
Those spotlights shadows
The attention that comes with success has dark shadows lurking behind it.
How they lured him and took him like all the rest
The allure of fame and fortune seduced him like it does to many others.
But that old dream don't look good now
The dream of being successful doesn't seem as appealing as it once did.
No it don't seem quite the same
He's changed, and the things he used to love no longer hold the same value for him.
He needs to hear a tender word
He just wants someone to show him some kindness and compassion.
Won't you sing him home again
Having someone sing to him can bring him back to a place of comfort and security.
When his strength is slowly going,
When he's running out of energy and losing steam,
His pride is all but gone
He's lost all of his confidence and self-assurance.
She makes a foolish dreamer listen to one last song
The nightingale's music can make even the most foolish dreamer feel inspired one last time.
Nightingale ooh sing sweet nightingale
The nightingale's music is sweet and soothing, and he wants to hear it over and over again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, DAVID PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind