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| Just the mere mention of the Brill Building era of the late 50's/early 60's brings to mind a series of classic songwriting teams: Leiber & Stoller, Bacharach & David, Sedaka & Greenfield, Pomus & Shuman and Mann & Weil. Yet one other duo rises virtually to the forefront of that time in history: Goffin & King. Via such milestone pop confections as WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW (the 1961 smash by The Shirelles), THE LOCO-MOTION (initially a 1962 monster hit by teen singer, Little Eva), and UP ON THE ROOF (so perfectly sung by the Ben E.King-led Drifters in 1963), they became one of the prides of the publishing house known as Aldon Music, so named after owners Al Nevins & Don Kirshner.
A decade later, Carole King would startle the world with her sensational singer-songwriter album "Tapestry" on Lou Adler's Ode label, but she actually made her debut chart recording in 1962 under the Nevins-Kirshner Dimension logo with IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER which she and Gerry wrote actually wrote for another artist. Several of the Goffin & King songs have lived countless lives...for instance, WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW also charted for The Four Seasons, Roberta Flack, Dave Mason and Bryan Ferry (amongst others) while THE LOCO-MOTION has been taken back to the Top Ten twice...once by Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 and again by Kylie Minogue in '88.
And if you want to try a less familiar and controversial but nonetheless riveting Goffin & King collaboration, listen to HE HIT ME (AND IT FELT LIKE A KISS) as immortalized by The Crystals on a Phil Spector production in '62 and spectacularly revived by Courtney Love's band Hole in '95.The following is an alphabetical working list of the U.S. and U.K. hit versions of EMI-published songs, both composed by Gerry Goffin & Carole King together, as well as separately, and with other co-writers. The years quoted indicate when the hit record achieved its highest chart status; for example, the original version of GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL by Steve Lawrence was released and first entered the Billboard charts in 1962, tho' we list 1963, because it reached its highest position early the following year.
Following is a list of all the chart songs written by Gerry Goffin & Carole King, either together or together with other writers:
AT THE CLUB (GG/CK)
by The Drifters (Atlantic: 1965) US #43 Pop; #10 R&B; UK #35
by The Drifters (Atlantic: 1972 re-issue) UK #3
CHAINS (GG/CK)
by The Cookies (Dimension: 1962) US #17 Pop, #6 R&B (in '63); UK #50 (in '63)
by Buddy Alan (Capitol: 1975) US #35 Country
by Sarah (Hub: 1988) US #81 Country
DON'T BRING ME DOWN (GG/CK)
by The Animals (MGM: 1966) US #12 Pop; UK #6
DON'T EVER CHANGE (GG/CK)
by The Crickets (Liberty: 1962) UK #5
DON'T SAY NOTHIN' BAD (ABOUT MY BABY) (GG/CK)
by The Cookies (Dimension: 1963) US #3 R&B; #7 Pop
EVERY BREATH I TAKE (GG/CK)
by Gene Pitney (Musicor: 1961) US #42 Pop
GO AWAY LITTLE BOY (GG/CK)
female version of GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL
by Marlena Shaw (Columbia: 1977) US #21 R&B
GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL (GG/CK)
by Steve Lawrence (Columbia: 1963) US #1 Pop; #1 AC; #14 R&B
by Mark Wynter (Pye: 1962) UK #6
by The Happenings (B.T. Puppy: 1966) US #12 Pop
by Donny Osmond (MGM: 1971) US #1 Pop; #14 AC
GOIN' BACK (GG/CK)
by Dusty Springfield (Philips: 1966) UK #10
by The Byrds (Columbia: 1967) US #89 Pop
HALFWAY TO PARADISE (GG/CK)
by Tony Orlando (Epic: 1961) US #39 Pop
by Billy Fury (Decca: 1961) UK #3
by Bobby Vinton (Epic: 1968) US #23 Pop; #8 AC
HE KNOWS I LOVE HIM TOO MUCH (GG/CK)
by The Paris Sisters (Gregmark: 1962) US #34 Pop; #7 AC
HE'S A BAD BOY (GG/CK)
by Carole King (Dimension: 1963) US #94 Pop
HE'S IN TOWN (GG/CK)
by The Rockin' Berries (UK Piccadilly: 1964) UK #3
by The Tokens (B.T. Puppy: 1964) US #43 Pop; #20 AC
HER ROYAL MAJESTY (GG/CK)
by James Darren (Colpix: 1962) US #6 Pop; UK #36
HEY GIRL (GG/CK)
by Freddie Scott (Colpix: 1963) US #10 R&B; #10 Pop
by Bobby Vee (medley with "My Girl") (Liberty: 1968) US #35 Pop
by The Lettermen (Capitol: 1970) US #17 AC
by Donny Osmond (MGM: 1972) US #9 Pop; #21 AC
HI-DE-HO (THAT OLD SWEET ROLL) (GG/CK)
by Blood, Sweat & Tears (Columbia: 1970) US #14 Pop; #14 AC
HIGH OUT OF TIME (GG/CK)
by Carole King (Ode: 1976) US #76 Pop; #40 AC
HOW MANY TEARS (GG/CK)
by Bobby Vee (Liberty: 1961) US #63 Pop; UK #10
HUNG ON YOU (GG/CK/Phil Spector)
by The Righteous Brothers (Philles: 1965) US #47 Pop
I CAN'T HEAR YOU NO MORE (GG/CK)
by Betty Everett (Vee-Jay: 1964) US #66 R&B; #66 Pop
by Helen Reddy (Capitol: 1976) US #29 Pop; #1 AC
I CAN'T MAKE IT ALONE (GG/CK)
by P.J. Proby (Liberty: 1966) UK #37
by Bill Medley (MGM: 1968) US #95 Pop
by Lou Rawls (Capitol: 1969) US #33 R&B; #63 Pop
by Maria McKee (Geffen: 1993) UK #74
I CAN'T STAY MAD AT YOU (GG/CK)
by Skeeter Davis (RCA: 1963) #7 Pop; #14 Country; #2 AC
I WANT TO STAY HERE (GG/CK)
by Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme (Columbia: 1963) #28 Pop;
#8 AC; UK #3
I'D NEVER FIND ANOTHER YOU (GG/CK)
by Billy Fury (UK Decca: 1961) UK #5
I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD (GG/CK)
by Earl-Jean (Colpix: 1964) #38 Pop
by Herman's Hermits (MGM: 1964) #13 Pop; UK #1
by Peter Noone (Cypress: 1989) #19 AC
I'VE GOT BONNIE (GG/CK)
by Bobby Rydell (Cameo: 1962) #18 Pop
IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER (GG/CK)
by Carole King (Dimension: 1962) US #22 Pop; UK #3;
1972 re-issue: UK #43
JUST ONCE IN MY LIFE (GG/CK/Phil Spector)
by The Righteous Brothers (Philles: 1965) US #9 Pop; #26 R&B
by Johnny Mathis (medley w/SOUL & INSPIRATION) (Columbia: 1972) US #37 AC
KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABY (GG/CK)
by Little Eva (Dimension: 1962) US #12 Pop; #6 R&B,
UK #30 (in '63)
THE LOCO-MOTION (GG/CK)
by Little Eva (Dimension: 1962) US #1 R&B; #1 Pop; UK #2
by The Vernons Girls (Decca: 1962) UK #47
by Grand Funk (Capitol: 1974) US #1 Pop
by Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin (Broken: 1986) UK #70
by Kylie Minogue (Geffen: 1988) US #8 Pop; #39 AC; UK #2
OH NO NOT MY BABY (GG/CK)
by Maxine Brown (Wand: 1965) US #24 R&B; #24 Pop
by Manfred Mann (HMV: 1965) UK #11
by Rod Stewart (Mercury: 1973) US #59 Pop; UK #6
by Merry Clayton (Ode: 1973) US #30 R&B; #72 Pop
by Deblanc (Arista: 1976) US #70 R&B
by Cher (Geffen: 1992) UK #33
OLD SMOKEY LOCOMOTION (GG/CK)
by Little Eva (Dimension: 1963) US #48 Pop
ONE FINE DAY (GG/CK)
by The Chiffons (Laurie: 1963) US #6 R&B; #5 Pop; UK #29
by Julie (Tom Cat: 1976) US #34 AC
by Rita Coolidge (A&M: 1979) US #66 Pop; #15 AC
by Carole King (Capitol: 1980) US #12 Pop; #11 AC
PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY (GG/CK)
by The Monkees (Colgems: 1967) US #3 Pop; UK #11
POINT OF NO RETURN (GG/CK)
by Gene McDaniels (Liberty: 1962) US #23 R&B; #21 Pop
THE PORPOISE SONG (GG/CK)
by The Monkees (Colgems: 1968) US #62 Pop
SHARING YOU (GG/CK)
by Bobby Vee (Liberty: 1962) US #15 Pop; UK #10
SMACKWATER JACK(GG/CK)
by Carole King (Ode: 1971) Double A-Side of SO FAR AWAY
SOME KIND-A WONDERFUL (GG/CK)
by The Drifters (Atlantic: 1961) US #32 Pop; #6 R&B
SOME OF YOUR LOVIN' (GG/CK)
by Dusty Springfield (Philips: 1965) UK #8
SWEET SWEETHEART (GG/CK)
by Bobby Vee (Liberty: 1970) US #88 Pop
TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY (GG/CK)
by Bobby Vee (Liberty: 1961) US #1 Pop; UK #3
by Bobby Vinton (Epic: 1968) US #33 Pop; #14 AC
THIS LITTLE GIRL (GG/CK)
by Dion (Columbia: 1963) US #21 Pop
TIME DON'T RUN OUT ON ME (GG/CK)
by Anne Murray (Capitol: 1985) US #2 Country; #11 AC
UP ON THE ROOF (GG/CK)
by The Drifters (Atlantic: 1963) US #5 Pop; #4 R&B
by Kenny Lynch (HMV: 1962) UK #10
by Julie Grant (Pye: 1963) UK #33
by The Cryan' Shames (Columbia: 1968) US #85 Pop
by Laura Nyro (Columbia: 1970) US #92 Pop; #30 AC
by James Taylor (Columbia: 1979) US #28 Pop; #7 AC
by II D Extreme (Gasoline Alley: 1993) US #33 R&B
by Robson & Jerome (RCA: 1995) UK #1
WALKIN' WITH MY ANGEL (GG/CK)
by Bobby Vee (Liberty: 1961) US #53 Pop
WALKING PROUD (GG/CK)
by Steve Lawrence (Columbia: 1963) US #26 Pop
WHAT A SWEET THING THAT WAS (GG/CK)
by The Shirelles (Scepter: 1961) US #54 Pop
WHEN MY LITTLE GIRL IS SMILING (GG/CK)
by The Drifters (Atlantic: 1962) US #28 Pop; UK #31
by Jimmy Justice (Pye: 1962) UK #9
by Craig Douglas (Top Rank: 1962) UK #9
by Steve Alaimo (Entrance: 1971) US #72 Pop
WHERE DOES LOVE GO (GG/CK)
by Freddie Scott (Colpix: 1964) US #82 Pop; #82 R&B
WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW (GG/CK)
by The Shirelles (Scepter: 1961) US #1 Pop; #2 R&B; UK #4
by The Four Seasons (Vee-Jay: 1968) US #24 Pop
by Lynda K. Lance (Royal American: 1971) US #74 Country
by Roberta Flack (Atlantic: 1972) US #76 Pop; #38 R&B; #15 AC
by Melanie (Neighborhood: 1973) US #82 Pop; UK #37,
US #42 AC (in '74)
by Jody Miller (Epic: 1975) US #69 Country
by Dana Valery (Phantom: 1976) US #95 Pop
by Dave Mason (Columbia: 1978) US #39 Pop
by Cheryl Handy (Compleat: 1987) US #56 Country
by Bryan Ferry (Virgin: 1993) UK #23
(YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL MAN (GG/CK/Jerry Wexler)
male version of (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN
by James Ingram (Warner Bros: 1990) US #30 R&B
(YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN
(GG/CK/Jerry Wexler)
by Aretha Franklin (Atlantic: 1967) US #2 R&B; #8 Pop
by Jody Miller (Epic: 1974) US #46 Country
by Mary J. Blige (Uptown/MCA: 1995) US #39 R&B, UK #23
YOU'RE MY GIRL (GG/CK)
by The Rockin' Berries (UK Piccadilly: 1965) UK #40
YOURS UNTIL TOMORROW (GG/CK)
by Vivian Reed (Epic: 1968) US #44 R&B
by Gene Pitney (Stateside: 1968) UK #34
Biography courtesy of Alan Warner |
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