Simply The Best

Went to a concert last night that I think may be one of the most important concerts I’ve ever seen. That sounds strange, I know, but the more I think about it the more the statement seems to describe what I’m trying to say. I went to see Carole King and James Taylor and it was truly one of those “magical” evenings I spend so much of my time searching for.

Let me start by saying, I like James Taylor. I wouldn’t call myself a huge fan but I like him. I’ve never had an album but I don’t change the station if one if his songs comes on the radio. I, however, was there to see someone who could arguably be called the greatest female songwriter in history. I only say female because I believe there can be no argument against it. If I hadn’t qualified gender, well, some may have come up with names like Lennon, McCartney and possibly one or two others.

I don’t believe there is anyone, over the age of 18, that doesn’t know a Carole King song. Even if one has never heard the album “Tapestry”, she’s written so many others that it would really be hard to believe that someone doesn’t know at least one of them. “One Fine Day”, “The Loco-Motion” and “Go Away Little Girl” are but a few of the songs written by her and recorded by others. There are so many more that to list them would take up more space than I’ve got time to deal with right now.

Watching Carole King sing live last night was, to say the least, a very emotional experience. I put seeing her right up there with seeing McCartney back in 1990. I was seeing one of the giants of pop music and about that, there can be no question. Go to the Internet and punch up her catalogue. It’s ridiculous how much music she’s put into our heads over the years.
The show was very well put together as both artists played the entire evening with each other. They’d go back and forth singing their songs, each one a hit, and would compliment each other very well throughout. The highlight of the evening, for me, was when the two combined their contrasting versions of “Up On A Roof”. King’s being a much slower, emotional song to Taylor’s more pop, upbeat tune. It was truly magical and I could have just stayed in that moment for the rest of my life. They also did most of the Tapestry album and hearing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” last night is also a memory I’ll hold in a special place, for a very long time.

I could say that for most of the evening too, I mean it. I don’t think I could name one song, sung by either of the two, that didn’t take me to a place in my mind that I visit far to infrequently. I can’t tell you how many times, throughout the evening, that I had to wipe a tear or two away at the sheer genius of this amazing American treasure. I still can’t believe what I did last night. I saw an amazing songwriter, sing some amazing songs that she created for each and every one of us. For this, I am unbelievably grateful. I will never forget what I saw and heard last night, not one single moment.