There is no doubt that Carole King King is one of the most successful songwriters of all time, having begun penning hits as a teenager. Of course, back then, most of these songs were written for other artists, such as "Up on the Roof" for the Drifters and "Pleasant Valley Sunday" for the Monkees. However, by 1968, King was ready to take the stage.
As reported by American Songwriter , a young mother split from her husband and songwriter Gerry Goffin and left New York City for Los Angeles. Her first solo album, Writer , was a moderate success… but her second album, Tapestry 1971, became one of the most iconic albums of the decade. (In the years since its release, it has been included on countless "Greatest Albums of All Time" lists; Rolling Stone ranked it 25th in its 2020 rankings).
Lead single from Tapestry album , "I Feel the Earth Move," reached number one on the chart. Billboard Hot 100 in June 1971 and stayed there for five weeks; the flip side, "It's Too Late," also topped the charts, and both songs became among the biggest pop hits of the year.
It is noteworthy that Tapestry album was released the day after the San Fernando earthquake struck Los Angeles, making the song's title unexpectedly relevant.
«To convey the feeling of an earthquake, I ended the performance with a continuous cascade of piano notes, rapidly descending in pitch until the band and I finished the passage together on the final bass note of C,» King wrote in her autobiography.« Natural woman »" In his review of the album, Tapestry For Rolling Stone Jon Landau paid special attention to this composition, writing: "In the opening track, 'I Feel the Earth Move' (one of six songs she wrote entirely on her own), she starts off on a bold note and gradually shifts into a very bluesy mood. Then, as the song reaches the chorus, the melody blossoms into a beautiful pop line, and Carol's tone shifts from sharp to soothing as she sings.".
Joni Mitchell, Carole King. Photo by Jim McCrary, Getty Images.
The song «I Feel the Earth Move» became not only an important milestone in King’s solo career, but also (like the entire album) Tapestry ) marked the beginning of a new era for singer-songwriters. (According to Ultimate Classic Rock, while King was recording Tapestry in Studio B at A&M Studios, Joni Mitchell worked in the neighboring Studio C, recording the cult album Blue .)
It's no surprise that King won four Grammy Awards in 1972, making her the most decorated winner of that year.
See also: The 1974 No. 1 soft rock hit, initially considered a throwaway, has been named one of the "Greatest Songs of All Time.".
This article was originally published by Parade on May 30, 2026, in the Entertainment section. Add Parade to your list of recommended sources by clicking here.