That’s a fantastic choice. “Beautiful” is a quintessential Carole King song that captures the spirit of self-reflection and positivity found on her landmark album, Tapestry.
🎹 Song Overview: “Beautiful”
- Artist: Carole King
- Album: Tapestry (1971)
- Genre: Pop, Singer-Songwriter
- Key Theme: Inner beauty and the power of positive self-perception.
The Message
The song’s central message is that true beauty comes from within, and that one’s outlook on the world directly reflects their internal state. It encourages listeners to cultivate self-esteem and a positive attitude. The most famous lines of the chorus encapsulate this idea:
“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.”
The Inspiration
Carole King credits the inspiration for “Beautiful” to an observation she made while riding the New York City subway. She realized that how she perceived the people around her was a reflection of how she was feeling about herself at that moment. The song’s composition reflects this thematic contrast:
- The verses, which often describe unhappy people, are set in a minor key with a straightforward rhythm.
- The chorus, which is optimistic and uplifting, shifts to a major key with a more syncopated, high-spirited rhythm.
🎶 Connection to the Musical
The song is so significant that it gives its name to the hit biographical show:
- Title: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
- Plot: The Broadway and West End musical tells the inspiring true story of Carole King’s rise to stardom, from being a young songwriter in the Brill Building with her husband Gerry Goffin to her eventual solo success with Tapestry.
- Use in the Show: The song “Beautiful” is performed in the musical to highlight King’s personal journey toward independence and self-discovery.
Tapestry is considered one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time, selling over 25 million copies worldwide.
Would you like to hear about another famous song from the Tapestry album, like “It’s Too Late” or “You’ve Got a Friend”?