Tapestry by Carole King (1971) — a VG+ original pressing is worth £22–£36. The pressing to own, and the case for № 34: Carole King moves from writing other people's hits to writing songs for herself. The whole singer-songwriter decade begins on this piano.
Estimated market value of an original pressing of Tapestry by Carole King, by sleeve and media condition on the Goldmine grading scale.
The pressing to look for: 1971 US, Ode Records SP 77009 (first state, no Joni credit). Catalogue number SP 77009.
Researched market ranges for the original pressing; condition, completeness of inserts and pressing variant all move the figure. The Lead-In values every record against live marketplace data — value your own shelf for a current, condition-matched figure.
Carole King at twenty-nine, after a decade as a Brill Building songwriter for other artists, made her own singer-songwriter LP. The album that defined the early-1970s singer-songwriter era. Released February 10, 1971.
Carole King's second solo album. Recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood in January 1971. The album that became the bestselling LP of 1971 and defined the early-1970s singer-songwriter era.
Carole King had been a Brill Building songwriter since 1958, half of the Goffin-King writing partnership that had produced dozens of hits for other artists ('Will You Love Me Tomorrow' for The Shirelles, 'Up on the Roof' for The Drifters, 'The Loco-Motion' for Little Eva). She had married Gerry Goffin at age 17 and divorced him in 1968. She had moved to Los Angeles in 1969 to begin her solo career.
Recording took place at A&M Studios in Hollywood in January 1971. Lou Adler produced. The band included James Taylor (acoustic guitar), Russ Kunkel (drums), Charles Larkey (bass), Danny Kortchmar (electric guitar).
The album's signature feature is King's vocal performances, direct, unaffected, conversational. She had been writing songs for other singers for thirteen years; the album was the first time she committed to singing her own material.
The album's twelve songs include 'I Feel the Earth Move,' 'So Far Away,' 'It's Too Late,' 'Home Again,' 'Beautiful,' 'Way Over Yonder,' 'You've Got a Friend' (later a #1 for James Taylor), 'Where You Lead,' 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' (the Shirelles 1961 hit, retreaded), 'Smackwater Jack,' 'Tapestry,' '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.'
Tapestry belongs at #34 because it is the album that defined the early-1970s singer-songwriter form. It sold 25 million copies worldwide, held #1 for 15 weeks, won four Grammys.
Original 1971 US pressing on Ode Records (manufactured and distributed by A&M), catalog SP 77009, in a gatefold sleeve with the lyrics printed inside. It is a stereo issue; the genuine first press carries the early 'Ode '70' label logo. The title was pressed simultaneously at several plants (Monarch, Terre Haute, Santa Maria, Pitman, Jacksonville), all legitimate 1971 first-year copies distinguished by their deadwax plant codes, so there is no single 'the' pressing plant.
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