Search - Various Artists :: Goin' Back - Songs of Goffin and King

The British Approach to Goffin-King

James R Noblin | Los Alamitos, CA United States | 05/01/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album should appeal primarily to those who are already fans of Goffin-King songs in particular or the Brill Building sound in general. For those of you who aren't familiar with the genre, Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote an amazing string of hits such as "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" "Take Good Care of My Baby" and "Up on the Roof" for a variety of American groups in the early 1960s. Apparently, it was difficult for American groups to get airplay in Britan. So British musicmakers would hear Goffin-King songs on American records and then rush out to record their own versions to get a British hit out of it. This album collects those efforts.I gave the album three stars because it is so uneven. There are some tremendous songs here and some real clunkers. Part of the uneven quality comes from the variety of approaches taken by the various groups. There are those who translate Goffin-King songs into the the Mersey Beat sound that the Beatles would make famous on their own material (The Wolves' classic version of the Drifters' hit, "At the Club"), those who copy the American record pretty faithfully (The Viscounts "Who Put the Bomp") and those who turn even good material into mushy, soft dreck that hurts the ears (Miki & Griff, "I Want to Stay Here."). The album does display Goffin-King's tremendous versatility, as the songs range from '50s teen love poems, to swinging dance numbers, to garage band and psychedelic sounds. The liner notes are excellent and highlight how some of Goffin-King's big hits in the U.S. flopped in England while some of their misses here scored big there. The album features three songs by the Rockin' Berries, showcasing a talented group I had never encountered before. Their version of "He's in Town," is heartbreaking and puts the Tokens' U.S. version to shame.In short, if you love Goffin-King or the Brill Building, there are treasures here that will reward you immensely. Use the best part of CD technology, the ability to fast forward immediately, to zip over the dogs. If you aren't familiar with Goffin-King or the Brill Building, I would suggest looking for an American compilation album first to see if the sound is for you before going for something as esoteric as this offering."

Young Enough to Know the Truth

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 07/20/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Sequel Records compilation of Goffin & King songs is an excellent release. Carole King with her then husband Gerry Goffin were known primarily as songwriters before Carole's amazing "Tapestry" album forever changed that. This recording compiles many of the British artists who recorded their music. While songs like Julie Grant's version of "Up on the Roof" may not eclipse the Drifters in American minds, hearing the different interpretations of the familiar music shows how adaptable and strong the Goffin/King songs are. The Rockin' Berries have such a classic sound with their soaring harmonies on "He's In Town," "You're My Girl," & "I Need You." "Goin' Back" is one of my favorite Carole King's songs from the time it appeared on her Writer record. Here the version by Goldie charms, "I think I'm returning to those days when I was young enough to know the truth." Some of the songs bring to mind other Carole King tunes such as a resemblance between Carole King's "Hard Rock Cafe" from her Simple Things set and this much earlier song by the Wolves singing "At the Club," "For two bits & a dollar, they've got a swinging show for you; and the band won't quit until everybody tells them to." Some tunes shine such as Petula Clark's recording of "Wasn't It You" from her "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love" LP. I also am fascinated by Pet's version of "Beautiful," "Mirrored in their faces, I can see frustration growing; They just don't see it showing, Why do I?" Jackie Trent's brisk recording "So Did I" is a dated but delightful pop nugget. My only criticism is that the booklet is a bit hard to follow along with, although the information is interesting. With 30 tracks and excellent sound restoration, this is a delightful disc for Carole King & Gerry Goffin fans. Enjoy!"

3.5, perhaps?

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 01/14/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Carole King and Gerry Goffin's songwriting success in the Brill Building days is well-known (see above!), but how did their work fare across the Big Puddle? Here's an interesting set of Goffin & King covered by various Brits during the '60s and early '70s. It's a slightly different take, with that good old anemic English version of pop-rock... it doesn't always work out when they try to be the next Little Eva, but there are still plenty of fun moments on here. A nice, different take on some familiar terrain, though certainly not for everyone."