Something Good From The Goffin & King Songbook [CD]

It's hardly a stretch to say that the song-writing team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin was near the top of any such duo - if, indeed, not the best of the lot - in the 1960s, starting with their first big success, Will You Love Me Tomorrow? Released by The Shirelles on the Scepter label late in 1960, it rose to # 1 R&B/# 2 Pop Hot 100 in the early months of 1961. However, in this volume from the inimitable Ace of London, they chose to give us instead the 1967 uncharted version by Bunny Sigler which came out on Decca 32183, one of a number of recordings over the years of this great song by a varied list of artists, including Carole herself in her seminal album Tapestry, as well as Dusty Springfield, Laura Branigan, Linda Ronstadt, Ben E. King, Roberta Flack, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons , Little Eva and Dionne Warwick, among others.

In fact, they do that with a number of their songs which became the hits for others: I'd Never Find Another You was first released by Paul Anka as I'll Never Find Another You in 1962 on ABC-Paramount 10311 (it didn't chart) before Billy Fury did it in the U.K. on Decca 45-F 11409; Some Kinda Wonderful first became a 1961 hit on Atlantic for The Drifters, but here you get an uncharted 1963 rendition by Little Eva - billed as Idalia Boyd (her real name) - on Dimension 1007; It Might As Well Rain Until September was written specifically for Bobby Vee, but his manager wasn't keen on it so, rather than put it out as a single, it was recorded and released in 1963 on his LP "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (Liberty LRP-3285/LST-7285) - meanwhile, Carole recorded it herself and after first being released on Conqueror 2000 in 1962, it was picked up by Dimension Records, launched that year in New York City by Don Kirshner and Al Nevins, who also owned Aldon Music, which employed Goffin & King. It reached # 22 for her first solo hit single.

The Everly Brothers recorded Chains in 1962 but never had it released as a single, and later that year and early 1963 The Cookies almost identical rendition rendition went to # 6 R&B/# 17 Hot 100. Dee Dee Sharp's cover of The Loco-Motion came out in 1962 on the Cameo LP C-1027 "All the Hits by Dee Dee Sharp" but the huge hit single that October (# 1 Hot 100 and R&B) on Dimension 1000 was by Little Eva with Carole singing background. And in 1961 Bobby Vee had a # 1 with Take Good Care Of My Baby, but here you get an album cut by Dion.

All this is detailed in the copious liner notes, here written by Mick Patrick and Tony Rounce, that have become an Ace hallmark to go along with their always excellent sound reproduction. And you do get these original hit singles: At The Club - The Drifters (Atlantic 2268 - # 10 R&B/# 43 Hot 100 February 1965; One Fine Day - The Chiffons (Laurie 3179 - # 5 Hot 100/# 6 R&B July 1963); I'm Into Something Good - Earl-Jean (Colpix 725 - # 38 Hot 100 July 1964 for Ethel "Earl-Jean" McCrae of The Cookies - covered later that year by Herman's Hermits - # 13 Hot 100); Hey Girl - the first hit for Freddie Scott (Colpix 692 - # 10 Hot 100/R&B in Aug/Sept 1963; Goin' Back - The Byrds (Columbia 44362 - # 89 Hot 100 Nov 1967); Down Home - Rick Nelson (Decca 31533 - # 126 Hot 100 Bubble Under October 1963as the flip of the # 12 Fools Rush In; Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby) - The Cookies (Dimension1008 - # 3 R&B/# 7 Hot 100 April 1963).

The rest were either singles that did not make the charts, or album cuts (see Comments). Indispensable for any fan of the music of that era in general and the efforts of Goffin-King in particular. Hopefully, it will again soon be available new at Amazon.

There are several collections of Goffin/King or Carole King covers. This set from Ace does an excellent job of making these older recordings sound technically fresh. Carole King's music was commercial, but also original. Some of the tunes here stand up with the best pop songs of the 20th century. The Chiffon's "One Fine Day" is a great melody with Goffin's strong powerful lyric tapping into the wish for romance and security, "Though I know you're the kind of boy who only wants to run around, I'll be waiting & someday, darling, you'll come to me when you want to settle down." Some of these versions are less than familiar such as the Herman's Herman's hit "I'm Into Something Good" sung here by Earl-Jean. Carole recently sang a duet of this track with Brian Wilson that was delightful. The booklet is replete with details such as on the lovely "Hey Girl" by Freddie Scott detailing the variations on the song's arrangement until Freddie's 1963 hit record clicked. The Byrds' version of "Goin' Back" continues to sound fresh to this fan's ear. Bobby Goldsboro's recording of "The Time for Us" is a sweet nugget that was an album track and the only recording of this song. Rick Nelson's version of "Down Home" is equally obscure and new to me, bringing Rick's lovely vocals to this sentimental homage to homesickness. The American Breed's "I Don't Think You Know Me" is a lovely track and makes me wonder what else I've missed from this Bend-Me-Shape-Me band! Bunny Sigler's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" is a punchy recording of this classic tune. My favorite covers of this lovely track are by Laura Nyro and The Bee Gees, but it is such a strong song that it remains resilient. The Eccentric's' "What You Got" is another track I'd not heard that even though a bit dated has still captured my attention on this set. The Everly Brothers' version of "Chains" went unreleased, but is delightful. Lesley Gore is one of my favorite singers from the 60s; and "The Old Crowd" is a track that is deliciously new to me. "Something Good" is better than that. Ace's impressive release gives a fresh setting to many of these lesser known recordings. Essential for Carole King fans. Enjoy!

Good presentation of rare songs that many people would not attribute to Goffin & King. Good for the die-hard RNR fans of that time period.