Long before they became one of the most celebrated songwriting duos in history, John Lennon and Paul McCartney had their sights set on an entirely different musical model—Carole King. Her ability to craft melodies that felt both effortless and deeply moving left a lasting impression on the young songwriters.
For Lennon, admiration for King was never straightforward. He recognized her talent, but his praise often came wrapped in a layer of sarcasm or contradiction. As his artistic ambitions expanded beyond traditional pop structures, he found inspiration elsewhere, gravitating toward artists who pushed music into edgier, more experimental territory.
Yet, despite Lennon’s evolving tastes and occasional jabs, the impact of Carole King’s work remained embedded in The Beatles’ DNA. From their early harmonies to McCartney’s enduring love of melody-driven songwriting, traces of her influence can be found across their discography. The admiration may have been complicated, but it was undeniably real.
The Songwriter Before the Star
Carole King wasn’t always a household name. Before she stepped into the spotlight, she made her mark behind the scenes as one of the biggest pop songwriters of the 1960s. Alongside her husband, Gerry Goffin, she crafted songs that shaped an era.
Their catalog includes timeless hits like Little Eva’s The Loco-Motion, The Shirelles’ Will You Love Me Tomorrow, and Aretha Franklin’s (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. They even penned deeper cuts like The Monkees’ Porpoise Song and The Crystals’ controversial He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss). It wasn’t until 1971’s Tapestry that King truly became a star in her own right.
John Lennon once acknowledged King’s massive influence. In a 1971 interview, he recalled how he and Paul McCartney initially wanted to be “the Goffin and King of England.” Early on, their songwriting followed the blueprint of pop perfection, balancing catchy melodies with relatable lyrics. Lennon would later embrace more experimental approaches, but King’s impact on The Beatles was already set in stone.
A Shift in Songwriting
In their early years, The Beatles followed a familiar formula—melodic ballads and infectious pop tunes, much like the songs Carole King wrote for others. Their music was polished, structured, and designed for mainstream appeal. Whether it was the tender sincerity of If I Fell or the pure pop energy of I Want to Hold Your Hand, their songwriting fit neatly into the conventions of early 1960s pop.
John Lennon’s perspective on songwriting took a dramatic turn when he discovered Bob Dylan. Unlike the polished pop hits Lennon admired, Dylan’s music was unfiltered, poetic, and personal. It wasn’t just about crafting a great melody—it was about saying something that mattered.
For Lennon, this was a revelation. He began to rethink what The Beatles could achieve with their lyrics, moving beyond love songs and teenage anthems into more introspective and socially conscious themes. From that moment on, Lennon pushed The Beatles toward more meaningful storytelling. The transformation was gradual, but its impact was undeniable.
Underestimating Carole King
Lennon’s reflections on Carole King and Bob Dylan highlight his growth as a songwriter. However, in doing so, he seemed to underestimate King’s depth. While she did give us The Loco-Motion, one of the most enduring bubblegum pop songs of all time, much of her early work carried more emotional weight than Lennon gave her credit for.
Take Will You Love Me Tomorrow by The Shirelles and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin—both are deeply sensitive ballads that explore love, vulnerability, and identity. Then there’s Pleasant Valley Sunday by The Monkees, a sharp critique of suburban life wrapped in a catchy melody. Even He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss) by The Crystals, though controversial, tackled dark and unsettling themes rarely heard in pop music at the time. King wasn’t just writing radio-friendly hits—she was shaping narratives with real emotional and social depth.
Lennon once aspired to be like King, yet he didn’t fully recognize the complexity of her early songs. While he admired Dylan for elevating lyrics, King had already been doing the same in her own way.