In 1971, one of the most celebrated albums of the decade produced another hit when a wistful ballad about distance made its debut on the Billboard Hot 100.
Carole King’s “So Far Away,” from her landmark album Tapestry, entered the chart on Aug. 22, 1971, 55 years ago today.
King may be the unmistakable voice at the center of the song, but another singer-songwriter legend can be heard on the recording: James Taylor plays acoustic guitar, alongside King on piano, Russ Kunkel on drums, Charles Larkey on bass and Curtis Amy on flute.
And when “So Far Away” was released as a single in 1971, one contemporary review had a particularly prescient prediction for the song: “instant gold.”
Carole King’s ‘So Far Away’ Was Predicted to Be ‘Instant Gold’
“So Far Away” originally appeared on Tapestry, which was released in February 1971 and transformed King from an enormously successful behind-the-scenes songwriter into one of the era’s defining singer-songwriters.
The song was subsequently released as the B-side of “Smackwater Jack,” although “So Far Away” became a hit in its own right.
In its 1971 review, Cash Box praised the song as a “magnificent ballad,” singling out King’s melodic phrasing, piano playing and producer Lou Adler’s work before predicting that the track “should turn into instant gold.”
That assessment wasn’t far off.
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“So Far Away” eventually climbed to No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. Decades later, the recording was certified gold by the RIAA.
At its heart, “So Far Away” is a song about longing for someone who isn’t there. But the physical distance separating two people is only part of the story. The lyrics gradually turn toward something less tangible: the emotional distance that can grow between people even when geography isn’t the only thing keeping them apart.
King’s restrained performance allows that loneliness to do most of the work.
James Taylor Quietly Played on ‘So Far Away’
Taylor’s presence on the recording is particularly fitting given his role in King’s emergence as a performer of her own material.
King had already spent years writing hits with her former husband and songwriting partner Gerry Goffin before Tapestry. Her compositions had been recorded by artists ranging from The Shirelles and Little Eva to The Monkees and Aretha Franklin.
But Taylor encouraged King to step into the spotlight herself.
When Rolling Stone ranked Tapestry No. 25 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, the publication recalled King’s explanation that Taylor made performing her own material “look so easy,” inspiring her to approach Tapestry in the same spirit.
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King was candid about what she believed separated her from powerhouse vocalists of the era. Rather than trying to compete with singers such as Franklin or Barbra Streisand on sheer vocal ability, she focused on conveying the emotion of a song through an honest interpretation.
That approach is particularly apparent on “So Far Away,” where Taylor’s acoustic guitar blends with King’s piano rather than demanding attention of its own.
Taylor wasn’t King’s only famous friend to contribute to Tapestry. He and Joni Mitchell also provided backing vocals on King’s new version of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” a song King and Goffin had written for The Shirelles more than a decade earlier.
‘So Far Away’ Remains One of Carole King’s Most Beloved Songs
More than half a century later, “So Far Away” remains one of the most acclaimed songs in King’s catalog.
In 2017, Paste ranked it No. 4 on its list of King’s 12 greatest songs, behind only “It Might as Well Rain Until September,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
The publication described “So Far Away” as both a song about life on the road and a go-to song for long-distance relationships, while highlighting the interplay between King’s keyboard and Taylor’s guitar.
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The ballad has also taken on meaning in the lives of other musicians.
“So Far Away” was one of Amy Winehouse’s favorite songs, and friends and family performed it at the late singer’s funeral in 2011.
Rod Stewart later put his own stamp on the song for the 1995 tribute album Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King. His version reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart and was subsequently included on his 1996 collection If We Fall in Love Tonight.
The original has also endured on screen, appearing in Sofia Coppola’s 1999 film The Virgin Suicides.
‘Tapestry’ Became One of the Biggest Albums of All Time
“So Far Away” was only one piece of an album packed with songs that became inseparable from King’s legacy.
Tapestry also included “It’s Too Late,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “You’ve Got a Friend” and King’s own versions of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
The album became a cultural phenomenon and helped establish the blueprint for the confessional singer-songwriter boom of the 1970s. Decades later, Rolling Stone placed it at No. 25 among its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
For all of Tapestry’s enormous legacy, “So Far Away” remains one of its quieter pleasures: King at the piano, Taylor on guitar and a deceptively simple meditation on how difficult it can be to remain close to the people we love.
Fifty-five years after “So Far Away” first appeared on the Hot 100, Cash Box’s “instant gold” prediction looks remarkably good in hindsight.
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