You may not have heard of Carole King, but she has been responsible for a colossal number of hit songs – songs that you most definitely will have heard of. If you played her chart songs back to back, you would have to listen to around 5 hours of classic tunes. And those are just her hits, not including album songs. Probably the most famous song ever performed about rooftops was composed by King, with lyrics provided by her then husband Gerry Goffin. The Drifters ‘Up on the Roof’ was a major hit of 1962.
Carole King was a prodigy of music, selling tunes to publishing companies in New York whilst still at high school. She met Gerry Goffin in college and although their marriage was not destined to last, their musical work survived the tumultuous sixties and saw them writing a large number of hits for teen pop idols, rock groups, R&B artists and girl groups.
King can be called one of the most influential and significant female songwriters of the 20th century. Would you believe that her other hits include ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ and ‘(You make me feel like) a natural woman’.
“Up on the Roof,” The Drifters
Is there anyone on earth who doesn’t know this melody? We can all relate to the longing to escape the busy, hectic rat race and find a special, secluded place to be yourself and enjoy the view. King came up with the melody whilst in the car and the song was originally titled ‘My Secret Place’ but this didn’t sound quite right.
It is understandable why King would imagine a space up on the roof, to take stock, have a breather and watch the world go by for a while. She was a busy, working mum of two young children, as well as running a hit-making factory. The chance to grab such a peaceful moment would have been a wonderful temptation indeed. You might be tempted to do the same but unfortunately most residential UK rooftops are not designed to be walked on! It would, however, provide an ideal opportunity to check the condition of your roof. For help with your rooftop issues, consider Cheltenham Roofers at http://hempstedroofing.com/gloucester-roofers/
Up on the Roof has always remained a favourite of Gerry Goffin’s, out of all the songs that they penned together, he has stated that it was one of the best he ever wrote. Carole King must also hold the song dear as she included it on her first solo album as the closing track.
So, next time you need to climb a ladder and check your roof, whether it’s a biannual check or an investigation after a storm, why not hum this melody to yourself and cheer yourself up a bit?
