List of songs with lyrics by Gerry Goffin explained

This is a list of songs co-written by Gerry Goffin. Goffin (1939 - 2014) was an American lyricist, who formed a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Carole King. Their first success was "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", recorded by the Shirelles and a hit in 1961. Goffin later wrote lyrics for songs with several other composers, most notably Michael Masser.

Hits, charted songs and notable album tracks by Goffin and King

YearSong[1] Original artistU.S. Hot 100UK Singles Chart[2] Other versions, chart information (US unless otherwise stated) and album notes
1961"Will You Love Me Tomorrow"The Shirelles14Carole King (in 1971), The Four Seasons (in 1968, #24), Tony Orlando (1961), Cher, Roberta Flack, Amy Winehouse, Melanie (UK #37, 1974), Jackie DeShannon, Len Barry, Bunny Sigler, Cissy Houston, The Platters, Neil Diamond (in 1993), Bryan Ferry (UK #23, 1993), Linda Ronstadt, Michael Stanley Band, Angus Tung (in Mandarin), Shirley Kwan and Alan Tam (in Cantonese), Dusty Springfield, Dave Mason and Debbie Gibson (both under the title "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"), The Rocky Fellers, Lorrie Morgan, and Minnie Driver (performed in the film Beautiful), Françoise Hardy.
"How Many Tears"Bobby Vee6310
"Take Good Care of My Baby"Bobby Vee13Dion and the Belmonts (later in 1961), The Beatles (in 1962 for Decca auditions), Bobby Vinton (in 1968), Smokie (UK #34, 1981), Bobby Vee, Stephen Collins, Dick Brave
"Some Kind of Wonderful"The Drifters32style="text-align:center;"-Tony Orlando - 1961. In album Bless You and Eleven other Great Hits, Epic LN 3808. Marvin Gaye (in 1968), Carole King (in 1971); not the same song as the Grand Funk Railroad hit
"Halfway to Paradise"Tony Orlando39style="text-align:center;"-Billy Fury (UK #3, 1961), Bobby Vinton (1968), Tina Charles (1977), Dobby Dobson's reggae version recorded in the 1970s
"Every Breath I Take"Gene Pitney42style="text-align:center;"-No relation to the Police's "Every Breath You Take"
"I'd Never Find Another You"Tony Orlandostyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-In album Bless You and Eleven other Great Hits, Epic LN 3808, 1961. Billy Fury (UK #5, 1961), Paul Anka (US #106, 1962)
"What A Sweet Thing That Was"The Shirelles54style="text-align:center;"-
"Happy Times (Are Here To Stay)"Tony Orlando82style="text-align:center;"-
"Walkin' with My Angel"Bobby Vee53style="text-align:center;"-Herman's Hermits
"Don't Ever Change"The Cricketsstyle="text-align:center;"-5The Beatles (in 1963, unreleased until 1994), Brinsley Schwarz (1973), Bryan Ferry (in 1973), Mud (in 1982)
"Dear Mr. D.J. Play It Again"Tina Robin95style="text-align:center;"-Written by Goffin and King with Howard Greenfield
1962"Why'd You Wanna Make Me Cry"Connie Stevens52style="text-align:center;"-
"He Knows I Love Him Too Much"The Paris Sisters34style="text-align:center;"-
"I've Got Bonnie"Bobby Rydell18style="text-align:center;"-
"When My Little Girl Is Smiling"The Drifters2831Steve Alaimo #72 in 1971 Hot 100, Craig Douglas (UK #9), Jimmy Justice (UK #9)
"I Can't Say Goodbye"Bobby Vee92style="text-align:center;"-
"Her Royal Majesty"James Darren636
"Chains"The Cookies1750The Beatles (in 1963), Carole King (in 1980), The Del Monas (in 1984)
"Sharing You"Bobby Vee1510
"Keep Your Hands off My Baby"Little Eva1230The Beatles (in 1964, unreleased until 1994), Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders (1964), The Gore Gore Girls (in 2002), Kirsty MacColl (1981)
"Keep Your Love Locked (Deep In Your Heart)"Paul Petersen58style="text-align:center;"-Russ Sainty
"The Loco-Motion"Little Eva12
11 (1972)
The Vernons Girls (UK #47, 1962), The Chiffons (in 1963), Emerson Lake & Powell (instrumental), Grand Funk Railroad (in 1974, #1), Carole King (in 1980), Dave Stewart with Barbara Gaskin (UK #70, 1986), Kylie Minogue (in 1988, #3, UK #2), Tina Turner, Dwight Yoakam. Originally published as "Loco Motion".
"He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)"The Crystalsstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-The Motels (in 1982), Hole (in 1994), Grizzly Bear (in 2007)
"Go Away Little Girl"Steve Lawrence1style="text-align:center;"-Mark Wynter (UK #6, 1962), The Tams, Donny Osmond (in 1971, #1), The Happenings (in 1966, #12)
"Point Of No Return"Gene McDaniels21 style="text-align:center;"-
"It Might As Well Rain Until September"Carole King223Bobby Vee, Helen Shapiro
"Up on the Roof"The Drifters5style="text-align:center;"-Kenny Lynch (UK #10, 1962), Julie Grant (UK #33, 1963), Carole King (in 1970), Laura Nyro (in 1970),Tony Orlando and Dawn (1970) in album Candida, James Taylor (in 1979, #28), Neil Diamond (in 1993), Robson and Jerome (UK #1, 1995), Billy Joe Royal, Peter Cincotti
1963"Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)"The Cookies7style="text-align:center;"-
"Old Smokey Locomotion"Little Eva48style="text-align:center;"-
"Let's Turkey Trot"Little Eva20style="text-align:center;"-
"He's A Bad Boy"Carole King94style="text-align:center;"-
"This Little Girl"Dion21style="text-align:center;"-
"Poor Little Rich Girl"Steve Lawrence27style="text-align:center;"-
"I Can't Stay Mad at You"Skeeter Davis7style="text-align:center;"-
"Will Power"The Cookies72style="text-align:center;"-
"Hey Girl"Freddie Scott10style="text-align:center;"-Duffy Power (1963), Donny Osmond (in 1972, #9), George Benson (1977), Carole King (in 1980), Billy Joel (Greatest Hits Volume III in 1997), Bob James & David Sanborn, Ray Charles & Michael McDonald (duet, from Charles' album Genius Loves Company), Bobby Vee (as part of a medley with The Temptations' hit "My Girl" in 1968, #35), The Righteous Brothers (1966, on their album Soul & Inspiration)
"I Want To Stay Here"Steve and Eydie283Miki & Griff (UK #23, 1963), Cristóbal Briceño (duet with Natalia Molina, 2020)
"One Fine Day"The Chiffons529The Carpenters (in 1973), Rita Coolidge (in 1979, #66), Carole King (in 1980, #12), Aaron Neville (in 1993), Natalie Merchant (in 1996)
"Walking Proud"Steve Lawrence26style="text-align:center;"-
"Everybody Go Home"Eydie Gormé80style="text-align:center;"-
"I Can't Stop Talking About You"Steve and Eydie35style="text-align:center;"-
1964"I Can't Hear You No More"Betty Everett66style="text-align:center;"-Dusty Springfield (in 1965), King (in 1970), Helen Reddy (in 1976, #29)
"I'm into Something Good"Earl-Jean38style="text-align:center;"-Herman's Hermits (later in 1964, #13, UK #1)
"He's in Town"The Tokens43style="text-align:center;"-The Rockin' Berries (UK #3)
"Where Does Love Go"Freddie Scott82style="text-align:center;"-
"I Just Can't Say Goodbye"Bobby Rydell94style="text-align:center;"-
"Oh No Not My Baby"Maxine Brown24style="text-align:center;"-The Shirelles (original recording, not released until later), Manfred Mann (UK #11, 1965), Dusty Springfield (in 1965), Aretha Franklin (in 1970), Rod Stewart (#59, UK #6, 1973), The Partridge Family (Bulletin Board in 1973), Merry Clayton (US #72) in 1973, King (in 1980 and 2001), Cher (in 1992, #33 in the U.K.), Linda Ronstadt (in 1994)
"Show Me Girl"Herman's Hermitsstyle="text-align:center;"-19
1965"At The Club"The Drifters43 35
"Just Once in My Life"The Righteous Brothers9 style="text-align:center;"-Written by Goffin and King with Phil Spector
"Hung on You"The Righteous Brothers47 style="text-align:center;"-Written by Goffin and King with Phil Spector
"Is This What I Get For Loving You"The Ronettesstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-Written by Goffin and King with Phil Spector. Marianne Faithfull (UK #43, 1967)
"Some of Your Lovin'"Dusty Springfieldstyle="text-align:center;"-8Phil Collins (in 2010)
"It's Gonna Be Alright"Maxine Brown56style="text-align:center;"-
"I Need You"Chuck Jackson75style="text-align:center;"-The Walker Brothers (UK #1 EP, 1966)
"Don't Forget About Me"Barbara Lewis91style="text-align:center;"-Dusty Springfield (US #64)
1966"Don't Bring Me Down"The Animals126Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (in 1986)
"I Happen to Love You"The Myddle Class[3] style="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-The Electric Prunes on the 1967 album Underground
"Road to Nowhere"Carole Kingstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-(No relation to the Talking Heads song) White Trash (1969)
"So Much Love"Ben E. King96style="text-align:center;"-Steve Alaimo (#92, 1966)
"Take a Giant Step"The Monkeesstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-From the 1966 US/UK #1 LP The Monkees, plus Taj Mahal (1969)
"Sweet Young Thing"The Monkeesstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-Written by Goffin and King with Michael Nesmith. From the LP The Monkees
"Sometime in the Morning"The Monkeesstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-From the 1967 US/UK #1 LP More of The Monkees
"Goin' Back"Dusty Springfieldstyle="text-align:center;"-10Goldie (recorded in 1966 but unreleased), The Byrds (in 1968, #89), King (in 1970 and in 1980), Larry Lurex (1973) Nils Lofgren, Elkie Brooks, Johnny Logan, Diana Ross, Glen Shorrock & Renee Geyer (Aust. 1983), Phil Collins (2010)
"I Can't Make It Alone"P.J. Probystyle="text-align:center;"-37Dusty Springfield, Maria McKee (UK #74, 1993)
"Yours Until Tomorrow"Dee Dee Warwickstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-Gene Pitney (UK #34, 1968)
"On This Side of Goodbye"The Righteous Brothers47style="text-align:center;"-
1967"Pleasant Valley Sunday"The Monkees311The Weisstronauts (in 2008)
"Star Collector"The Monkees-style="text-align:center;"-From the 1967 US #1 LP Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"Aretha Franklin8style="text-align:center;"-King (in 1971), Laura Nyro (in 1971), Rod Stewart (in 1974), Bonnie Tyler (in 1978), Mary J. Blige (in 1995, #95), Celine Dion (in 1995)
1968"Porpoise Song"The Monkees62style="text-align:center;"-Bongwater (in 1988), The Wondermints (in 1996), Trouble (in 1996), The Church (in 1999)
"I Can't Make It Alone"Bill Medley95style="text-align:center;"-Lou Rawls #63 Hot 100 in 1969
"I Wasn't Born to Follow"The Byrdsstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-The City (Now That Everything's Been Said in 1968) King (in 1980), Tracy Grammer (in 2004), Beth Orton (in 2012). Byrds' single released as "Wasn't Born to Follow".
1970"That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-de-Ho)"style="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-Leslie Uggams, Blood, Sweat & Tears (as "Hi-De-Ho (That Old Sweet Roll)", #14), Dusty Springfield (non-LP B-side in 1969), King (in 1980).
"Sweet Sweetheart"88style="text-align:center;"-
1971"Smackwater Jack"Carole King14style="text-align:center;"-Quincy Jones, The Manhattan Transfer, Buffy Sainte-Marie
1984"Time Don't Run Out on Me"Anne Murraystyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-
  1. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart

Songs by Gerry Goffin with other songwriters

In addition to King, Goffin also collaborated with other songwriters, notably Barry Mann, Jack Keller, Russ Titelman, Wes Farrell, Barry Goldberg and Michael Masser.[1]

YearSongSongwritersPerformerU.S. Hot 100UK Singles ChartCover versions and notes
1959"Oh Neil"Greenfield, Sedaka & GoffinCarole Kingstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-
1960"The Lovin' Touch"Goffin & KellerMark Dinning84style="text-align:center;"-
1961"Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)"Goffin & MannBarry Mann7style="text-align:center;"-The Viscounts (UK #21, 1961), Showaddywaddy (UK #37, 1982)
"I Could Have Loved You So Well"Goffin & MannRay Peterson57style="text-align:center;"-Produced by Phil Spector
"Run to Him"Goffin & KellerBobby Vee23Donny Osmond (in 1972)
1962"A Forever Kind of Love"Goffin & KellerBobby Veestyle="text-align:center;"-13Cliff Richard
"How Can I Meet Her?"Goffin & KellerThe Everly Brothers7512
"It Started All Over Again"Goffin & KellerBrenda Lee2915
"Don't Ask Me to Be Friends"Goffin & KellerThe Everly Brothers48style="text-align:center;"-
1963"Let's Turkey Trot"Goffin & KellerLittle Eva2013Note: Early copies credit the song incorrectly to Goffin and King, rather than Goffin and Keller. The writing credit was later changed to add George Goldner and Herbie Cox, who had written the melodically similar "Little Girl of Mine" for The Cleftones in 1956.[4] [5]
"Don't Try To Fight It, Baby"Goffin & KellerEydie Gormé53style="text-align:center;"-
"Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys"Goffin & KellerThe Cookies33style="text-align:center;"-
1965"Yes I Will"Goffin & TitelmanThe Holliesstyle="text-align:center;"- 9The Monkees (as "I'll Be True To You" in 1966)
1971"I'll Meet You Halfway"The Partridge Family9style="text-align:center;"-
1973"I've Got to Use My Imagination"Goffin & GoldbergGladys Knight & the Pips4style="text-align:center;"-
1975"It's Not the Spotlight"Goffin & GoldbergRod Stewartstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-Beth Orton (in 1996)
"Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)"Goffin & MasserDiana Ross15
1976"So Sad The Song"Goffin & MasserGladys Knight & The Pips 4720
1978"Saving All My Love for You"Goffin & Masserstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-Whitney Houston (US #1 in 1985, UK #1 in 1985)
1980"Someone That I Used to Love"Goffin & MasserNatalie Cole21style="text-align:center;"-
1983"Tonight, I Celebrate My Love"Goffin & MasserRoberta Flack & Peabo Bryson162
1984"Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You"Goffin & MasserGeorge Bensonstyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-Glenn Medeiros (US #12 in 1987, UK #1 in 1988)
1985"A Long and Lasting Love"Goffin & MasserCrystal Gaylestyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-
  1. 5 Country. Covered by Glenn Medeiros, Billy Preston, Jane Olivor, and Syreeta
1989"Miss You Like Crazy"Goffin, Masser and GlassNatalie Cole72
1994"No More Blue Christmas'"Goffin, Masser Natalie Colestyle="text-align:center;"-style="text-align:center;"-

References

__FORCETOC__

Notes and References

  1. http://www.secondhandsongs.com/artist/4774/works#nav-entity Songs written by Gerry Goffin, Secondhand Songs
  2. Book: Betts, Graham. 2004. Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2004. 1st. Collins. London. 0-00-717931-6.
  3. Web site: Richie . Unterberger . I Happen to Love You - The Electric Prunes | Song Info . AllMusic . 13 February 2001 . 4 December 2019.
  4. http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/jack_keller.htm Jack Keller, Black Cat Rockabilly
  5. http://www.discogs.com/Little-Eva-Lets-Turkey-Trot-Down-Home/release/4268117 "Let's Turkey Trot", Discogs.com