updated June 30, 2025
“You’ve got to get up every morning
With a smile on your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
Then people gonna treat you better
You’re gonna find, yes you will
That you’re beautiful as you feel.”
Beautiful by Carole King
My husband and I enjoyed a date night at the theater watching Beautiful- The Carole King Musical. The play covers the start of Ms. King’s career as a songwriter, including meeting and marrying her songwriting partner Gerry Goffin.
Together they wrote some of the most successful and memorable songs of the 1960s-1970s including
A Natural Woman: A Memoir
Sadly, their marriage was not as successful as their careers due to his infidelity and mental instability, culminating in hospitalization and divorce.
As I watched and heard the story portrayed on stage, I remembered her memoir A Natural Woman which I reviewed here. The memoir included this part of her life as well as subsequent years, which were as turbulent as the ones in the musical.
As she wrote in the book, Carole King insists she never wanted to be a star or diva, and she zealously guarded her privacy. She valued most her family, relationships, writing songs, and sharing her music. I am glad she decided to share this side of her life and the lessons it teaches.
Here is a selection of Carole King’s music
(these are affiliate links)
Tapestry Carole King’s first and most successful album
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical the story of Carole’s life and career
Live at the Troubadour Carole King singing with her friend James Taylor, another favorite artist of ours
The Carnegie Hall Concert (Live) June 1971
Listen to Carole King on Apple Music
Exploring the HEART of Health in Music
Read my review of her memoir at the link below. Be sure you enjoy some music today, whatever makes you feel BEAUTIFUL.
A Natural Woman- Carole King shares a lifetime of music, a season of pain
Carole King’s memoir, “A Natural Woman,” delves into her remarkable life as a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter. Despite her musical success, she faced profound personal challenges, including turbulent marriages and traumatic experiences. King’s resilience and candid account offer a powerful reminder of the complexities behind public personas and the importance of seeking help in times of…
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I love Carole King. I Feel the Earth Move is one of my favorites. I may have to purchase her book now. Thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best.
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That’s one of my favorites too. It’s frequently quoted here in Oklahoma when we have earthquakes, lol. (due to fracking, which has been happening less often now) The book covers many more years and more detail than the play, so they complement each other well.
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I loved Tapestry and I believe the show Beautiful is coming to Australia. I’m hoping to see it. Thanks Aletha for sharing at #BloggersPitStop and bringing back fond memories.
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Sue, I hope you and your husband are able to see it, it was “Wonderful.” We always need reminders of happy times.
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I love Carole King’s music. Tapestry was one of the first albums I owned, and I still listen to the music on my iPod today. Thanks for sharing some of the details of her life. I may have to read her book now. I definitely want to see the musical.
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Christie, we still have the Tapestry album. The musical is a must see for fans of her music. Having read her book helped me understand what was shown in the play. The play definitely is meant to showcase her music, but it also does a nice job portraying her personal and marital struggles.
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I have always loved her voice! And her songs lyrics. Although, I decided long ago to not read about celebrities lives because I was usually disappointed and wouldn’t like them as much as I had. Now, I think though that I’ve matured in my thinking and that we all make mistakes and theirs are no worse than anyone elses, just more public.
🙂 gwingal
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Thank you Nikki, yes her voice is unique. She considered herself a songwriter and had to be coaxed into singing, she was shy about singing in public. I’m glad she overcame that. I appreciate when celebrities are willing to share their problems and mistakes in order to help others, I admire that.
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