This was a beautiful album when I first heard it in 1971. It is a beautiful CD when I listen to it today. Tapestry marked Carole King's transition from remarkable "Tin-Pan Alley' pop song-writer for the likes of Neil Sedaka, the Shirelles (who I think originally recorded Will You Love Me Tomorrow) and others to a singer/performer of the first rank. The album exploded in 1971, no small feat when you consider that 1971 may have seen the culmination in the evolution of the album from a compilation of inidvidual hits into a set-piece that was best served whole. The evolution began with Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds and went on from there. The growth of FM radio was fueled in part by the ability of those stations to play entire albums at a time. Similarly, the fact that FM stations would play whole sides of album encouraged musicians to create albums that were more than just a series of unrelated songs. But I digress . . .

There is a two-fold beauty gained from listening to Tapestry today. The first is the nostalgic pleasure gained from listening again to beautiful words set perfectly to music. This pleasure is probably limited to those of us, of a certain age, who cut their musical teeth on the music of the 60s and early 70s. The second is the pleasure anyone, no matter their age, can get from listening to the combination of lyrics and music that is Tapestry.

If the definition of a classic is a piece of work that survives and propsers over time, then Tapestry is a classic.

Why has Carol King's 1971 recording Tapestry stood the test of time?

Two words: sincerity and emotion.

The CD I bought from Amazon came with a sticker announcing: "4X Grammy Winner! Over 11 Million Sold! Every song's a classic!" But that really doesn't explain why, whether you're an "old timer" who got the original on vinyl or a young person experiencing King for the first time, Tapestry is so fresh, vital and appealing from start to finish.

It's not just King's superb white-soul sing-along melodies, or her music's wonderful rhythms, or the incredible variety of songs on this beautifully remastered CD. King wrote for a LOT of other artists who recorded her music and became very famous doing so doing the songs on this CD.

Indeed, when she recorded this in 1971 she was not as well-known to the general public as her music -- but that quickly changed when this became one of the great-selling

Example: James Taylor grew increasingly famous (and rich) with his smash recording of You've Got a Friend. But his does not contain one-millionth the sincerity of King's rendition. Anyone who's ever "down" should listen to her sing the song -- and you'll feel like you do have a friend. And gift this to a beloved friend or relative and tell them THAT SONG is for them and when they listen they will completely get the message, a message King delivers right from the heart.

When the concert-challenged (she did not like to perform in public) King sings her songs the more famous versions of her music performed by more famous artists seem like

She also does unparalleled work with the more upbeat songs such as "Where You Lead' and (my favorite) `I Feel the Earth Move" (our unofficial theme song here in California).

If you've heard King, get, listen to and savor this remastered CD. If you love someone, gift it. If you're a young musician or singer listen to and EMULATE a master writer and

Everyone had a "Tapestry" album in the early 70's.Almost all the songs were played on the radio.If it wasen't Carole singing one of them ,it was James Taylor or Aretha Franklin,who had huge hits.I love Carole's voice,its so layed back and natural.I remember hearing"Its Too Late," played over and over again on the radio when I was in school.I fell in love with it.When you think about it,there's not much production on this record.Its just piano,bass,and drums.The main thing is the words and music from one of the greatest songwriters ever."So Far Away"is another favorite.Carole goes from Ballads,to rock and roll with "I fill the Earth Move." I bought alot of Carole King records after "Tapestry." I've enjoyed all of them,but this one will be played forever in everyone's CD players.

Just picked up a Sony Super Audio CD player yesterday and they have come down in price significantly. I got mine from a major retailer for (dollar amount). The first CD I got was "Tapestry" and it was worth it. You can hear all of the subtle nuances of Carole's voice and you really feel the emotion she exudes. The remastering for the SACD is superb and this new stlye lends itself to Carole's singing.

Only drawback is that this SACD is not multi-channel and ,unlike what the previous reviewer said, only hybrid SACDs can be used in regualar CD players, and they are few and far between right now.

Go buy this disc!

With the current state of pop radio at an all-time low, it leaves me a little bit sad to think that a smart, savvy and soulful album such as "Tapestry" dominated the airwaves at one time. Personal yet universal themes weave through the material, as Carole delivers hook after timeless hook.

Many of today's songwriters simply have no appreciation of the giants who came before them. Songwriting is rapidly becoming a dying art, and with the proliferation of click-and-drag music software, digital recording and samplers, fewer and fewer people are learning how to properly write a song. Carole King never needed drum loops, remixes or computerized recording to get her message across. The emotion and feeling is in the melody, the chord changes and the lyrics. A true master of the craft. Carole King's songs will live on forever.