Carole King - A Natural Woman: The Ode Collection 1968-1976

It's astonishing how quickly Carole King slipped into relative obscurity. Tapestry has sold in excess of 22 million copies and was the biggest selling album of all time until Frampton Comes Alive surpassed it in 1977, yet while the latter remains at the very least an archetypal cultural kitsch, Tapestry has become a troublesome trivial question: "What's the bestselling album by a woman?" Part of the problem is that the singer-songwriter era she (and James Taylor and Carly Simon) came to represent hasn't aroused a whole lot of critical favor. Still, the restrained soul of King's best stuff (for instance, Tapestry, which is included here in its entirety) has it's own appeal, as do a few of the preblockbuster inclusions. --Steve Stolder Amazon.com essential recording

Classic Carole King

When you get tired of listening to "Tapestry" you can switch to this album for a while. Great nostalgic experience, and I can't get "Up on the Roof" out of my head.

Jane Chihal July 11, 2006

1968 - 1976 song's

I really love this album. I don't own this album, but I borrowed it from the library. I listened to it, before downloading onto my computer, when I did. I really love the way she hit's the piano key's on "Wasn't Born To Follow." "At This Time In My Life," just put's a picture in your head. Disc one inculdes "Tapestry," a classic album , but ties in some earlier song's , too. Oh, did I mention the lovely tune and lyric's Carole King tied into "Child Of Mine," and "Up On The Roof." By the way, nothing's wrong with you if you like Carole King, or if you hate her. Everyone has they're own thought, and your's count's. "Enjoy!" January 10, 2006

Hit-and-miss collection still worth hearing

Completely forgetting about her early Dimension singles(some of which, like "It Might as Well Rain" and "Nobody's Perfect", are gems)and choosing iffy album tracks over songs I've loved for years(like one of my favorites, "You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine", arguably one of King's best songs), this 2-disc set still offers great moments and the entire "Tapestry" album(although the recent "Tapestry" remastering includes a bonus leftover not included here!). Two songs by King's unheralded pre-"Tapestry" band The City were enough to hook me("Wasn't Born to Follow" is gorgeously earnest)and a live track with James Taylor is a lotta fun. B+ July 21, 2005

5 STARS-Anyone who can't see this is a real waste of life !

After reading several negative reviews I was left with no choice but to write my own. I just purchased this set and I already knew it would be "GREAT"! Back in the early 70s when Carol King was pening & singing these songs Modern Rock music was not something that I listened to as I was and still am a true Country and Bluegrass music fan. Western Swing with the likes of the Great Bob Wills and Hank Thompson was the stuff I was into.Many of my friends at that time (30+ years ago)were dope smoking Hippies listening to that Hard Hard Rock Music of the day!During this timeI was wearing Motorcycle Boots with Ducktail short hair as I still am today at 50. The music of that time turned my stomach. I can still remember many folks going to them dope smoking rock concerts and my friends and me were buying tickets to go to the EastWind in Baltimore County to see Earnest Tubb and his Honky Tonk Band from TEXAS. To say the least I was a real hard sell for Hard Rock. A friend of a friend of mine was playing a record one day that I heard while I was back here in the States on leave from the Merchant Marines, it was Carol King's Tapastry. When I heard this music I thought to myself - Boy, this is some really good music ! After that first encounter I was sold and today over 30 years later I still know that Carol King is the Best Female Artist of our time. I have a huge Country Music collection of LPs,cassets and CDs with not much of any 1970s music except for Ms King .I have collected about eight of the Tapastry Album (I want to be able to pass down an original edition of this LP to each of my children and grandchildren as I have already given my oldest daughter who is 26 her copy) All my copys are in mint condition. I have more of Carol King then any other artist, even Johnny Cash ! So don't tell me nothing negative about this 2 CDset as I KNOW this is a real monument in music history ! "ENJOY" July 2, 2004

Excellent Collection All Of Her Greatest Songs Are Here

NATURAL WOMAN:The Ode Collection 1968-1976, is all you really need from this gifted songeriter and talented singer. All of her classic songs are in this fantastic 2CD box set, including her greatest masterpiece "Tapestry" in its entirety. This collection is really fantastic and it also includes her two top ten singles "Jazzman" which I think is one of the best songs that she ever wrote,(excellent saxsophone solo) and "Corazon" which she actually sings in Spanish. There are only two songs that I can think of that should of been included in this collection but sadly were omitted and those are "Hold On" from her LP "Simple Things" this is a beautiful track that she wrote as well and I especially love the soft mellow acoustic guitar that she herself plays on this song. The other is one called "Morning Sun" which she wrote and recorded for the closing credits of the movie "Wanda Nevada" starring Peter Fonda and Brooke Shields from 1979. Overall this is a the best Greatest Hits collection ever assembled on this unique artist who is highly regarded as the most successful and influential female songwriter of her generation. The songs of Carole King are as timeless like the woman who wrote and recorded them. October 25, 2003

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