One of the most influential and groundbreaking albums of the seventies was “Tapestry” by Carole King. Virtually every song on that record is memorable and stands the test of time, but one in particular stuck with people and continues to affect generations today. “So Far Away” is one of those songs that most people know and can sing along to at any time. The song's subject matter is relatively simple but it resonates with so many people of all ages because it discusses the idea of separation between loved ones and the struggles that come with it. Critically speaking, the song charted number 17 on Canada RPM 100 Singles, number 3 in U.S. Adult Contemporary, and 14 on U.S. Pop Singles all in 1971.
The lyrics of the song are what make it most special, in my opinion. King sings of longing for a lover who is “so far away” perhaps physically and emotionally. “Doesn’t anybody stay in one place anymore?” King talks about how life seems to move so much quicker as we age and acquire more responsibilities. When we’re kids it seems like the only things to worry about are having fun and loving someone. “Holding you again could only do me good, oh, how I wish I could, but you’re so far away.” The song isn’t even exclusive to romantic relationships, it could be any relationship with anyone and that’s one of the reasons why many people can relate to this song. “It would be so fine to see your face at my door, doesn’t help to know you’re so far away.”
The instrumentation on the song is minimal, mostly melodically driven by piano and voice. One of the most unique aspects to this song is the addition of flute played by Curtis Amy. A good friend of Carole King, James Taylor, is featured on this song playing acoustic guitar and that makes it just that much more personal. It seems as if music like this isn’t found anymore in the realms of popularity. The music on the radio is all about partying, having a good time, or fast love and the people of our generation obviously need a lot of healing. The music of Carole King and other songwriters during the 70’s era were all about love and closeness and I believe art as a whole needs to implement these ideas once again.
