Carole King “Fantasy”

I’d never heard (or remembered I had heard) any of this record, from my favorite (for music) year of 1973. Carole King is such an amazing songwriter, and singer—I could probably hang out on her most boringest day and have one of my most memorable (my fantasy, being a teenager and invited in the studio, where she’s writing and recording, and I’m just taking it in). But, for some reason, back in the early Seventies, I avoided her like homework—I knew no better. This is a somewhat odd record in that there’s a little intro at the beginning (“Fantasy Beginning”), and at the end, “Fantasy End” (outro)—that are intended to tie the whole thing together, I suppose. And there is no space between songs—they just bump into each other—so it’s like one big song (though you have to turn the record over—did I need to say that). Glad the inner sleeve is intact, because there’s lyrics on one side. The other side is sepia version of the album cover—which is like a muted, colorized sepia (really, just blues added). It’s an odd style of photo collage, using a grand piano from the top as a frame in which there’s a street scene—people coming and going—and then a portrait of Carole King superimposed, looking over it all like an angel. From what you can make out of the street, I’m guessing it’s NYC Times Square area, because there’s the Horn & Hardart Automat—which is a cool detail—as well, as some other businesses—and the people appear to be tourists. The back is an even more stylized photo collage—that resembles the educational magazine and book illustrations I’d see in grade school, back around this time. The back is all musicians—likely ones featured on this record—including three versions of Carole King.

I’ve got to say, I kind of got obsessed with this record over the last days, weeks, or so I’ve been trying to figure out what I think. At first it bugged me a little—for no good reason—but with repeat listenings, it’s really grown on me. I guess you could say, lyric-wise, she’s asking a lot of questions. Trying to figure things out—and through melodies and lyrics—that’s as good a way as any. I really like how it all flows together, rather than isolating songs—even though there are some very good songs. Listening to it now, it’s reminding me of different things—soul music from this era, certainly. Oddly, the end of side one (the song “Weekdays”) made me think of my favorite Frank Sinatra album—Watertown (from 1970). This has got me questioning how I listen to music lately—picking these records randomly, and then sometimes I listen to them once—and write about them. But this is one that really benefits from being treated like when I used to buy records as a teenager—when each new one would be a new journey, and I’d really live with it for a while. I guess from now on, I’m going to try to recognize when that kind of listening works better. I’m sure there are people out there who love Carole King more than anyone—who might think it’s odd that it’s taken me so long to love her as much as they do. Well, you know.

3.3.23