Classic Pop Icons

Legendary lyricist, Gerry Goffin, died Thursday morning (June 19) in Los Angeles at the age of 75. With his then wife, Carole King, Goffin penned some of the finest pop songs of the 1960s, including the Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, Little Eva’s “Loco-Motion” and Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”.

Carole King has paid tribute to Goffin with the following statement:

Gerry Goffin was my first love. He had a profound impact on my life and the rest of the world. Gerry was a good man and a dynamic force, whose words and creative influence will resonate for generations to come. His legacy to me is our two daughters, four grandchildren, and our songs that have touched millions and millions of people, as well as a lifelong friendship. He will be missed by his wonderful wife Michele, his devoted manager, Christine Russell, his five children, and six grandchildren.

His words expressed what so many people were feeling but didn’t know how to say. If you want to join his loved ones in honoring him, look at the names of the songwriters under the titles of songs. Among the titles associated with me, you’ll often find Gerry’s name next to mine.

Goffin and King met and married while students at Queens College in New York. After college they were among the talented songwriters who earned a publishing deal with Aldon Music, led by Don “the man with the golden ear” Kirshner and Al Nevins. Kirshner’s objective was to bridge the gap between the traditional sophistication of Tin Pan Alley pop and the new raw rock and roll sound that had taken the pop world by storm. Goffin-King would prove well up to the challenge.

Don Kirshner, Carole King & Gerry Goffin

The breakthrough for the Goffin-King partnership came when Scepter Records founder, Florence Greenberg, asked them to write a song for the Shirelles. The result was the #1 hit “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” which is one of the Shirelles’ finest recordings and one of the most memorable pop songs of the period.

“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” – The Shirelles

Goffen-King followed up this success with “Take Good Care of My Baby,” which topped the charts for Bobby Vee.

“Take Good Care of My Baby” – Bobby Vee

It was clear that Goffin-King had the magic touch as far as crafting commercial pop hits and this was not lost on Don Kirshner who made the pair his main songwriters and producers when he launched his Dimension record label.

Other popular Goffin-King songs include:

• “Halfway to Paradise” – this was a minor hit for Tony Orlando, but would go on to become Billy Fury’s signature tune
• “Don’t Ever Change” – the Crickets had a UK top five hit with the song in 1961
• “Chains” – the Cookies had a #17 hit with the song in 1962 and it was covered by the Beatles the following year on their album “Please Please Me”
• “Loco-Motion” – the demo that Goffin-King recorded with their babysitter Little Eva Boyd was well received by Kirshner, who decided that it should be released as a Little Eva record, instead of pitching it to another artist. His instincts were right and the song topped the charts
• “It Might As Well Rain Until September” – this was originally written by Goffin-King for Bobby Vee, but King recorded her own version of the song in 1962 and achieved her first success as a solo singer
• “Up on the Roof” – this Drifters classic reached #5 in early 1963
• “One Fine Day” – the Chiffons took this superbly catchy song to #5 in the summer of 1963
• “I’m Into Something Good” – first recorded by “Earl-Jean” McCrea, the song is better known for the great Herman’s Hermits cover which topped the charts in the UK
• “Pleasant Valley Sunday” – the Monkees reached #3 with this song, which also featured in the second series of their television show
• “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” – Aretha Franklin reached #8 with this classic soul recording in 1968. King would record her own version for her hugely successful “Tapestry” album in 1971.

“One Fine Day” – The Chiffons

The Goffin-King songwriting partnership ended in the late 1960s as the pair divorced. By that time, they had left an enduring legacy of songs. They were deservedly inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Goffin also had success when collaborating with other songwriters, including Michael Masser, with whom he wrote the Oscar-nominated Diana Ross hit “Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)”, the Golden-Globe nominated Gladys Knight and the Pips hit “So Sad the Song” from the movie “Pipe Dreams”, and the Whitney Houston #1 “Saving All My Love for You”.

“Saving All My Love For You” – Whitney Houston

Goffin’s own recording career comprised two folk rock albums recorded 23 years apart, namely the double album “It Ain’t Exactly Entertainment” (1973) and “Back Room Blood” (1996). The latter featured two tracks co-written and co-produced by Bob Dylan.

Gerry Goffin is survived by his wife Michele; five children, and six grandchildren.