So Far Away (Carole King song)

"So Far Away"
"So Far Away"
Single by Carole King
from the album Tapestry
A-side	"Smackwater Jack"
Released	March 1971; April 22, 2008 (Legacy)
Recorded	January 1971 at A&M Recording Studios
Genre	Folk rock, soft rock
Length	3:55
Label	Ode/A&M Records; Epic/SME Records
Songwriter(s)	Carole King
Producer(s)	Lou Adler
Carole King singles chronology

“So Far Away” is a song written by Carole King, which appeared on her 1971 album Tapestry. The recording features James Taylor on acoustic guitar.

The lyrics express longing for a lover who is far away.^[1] But Allmusic critic Bill Janovitz notes that while the lyrics start by focusing on the physical distance between the lovers, the lyrics use that as a jumping-off point to explore emotional distance between lovers as well.^[2] Rolling Stone stated King's "warm, earnest singing" on the song brought out the song's sadness.^[3]

In addition to Taylor, and King on piano, instruments include Russ Kunkel on drums, on bass guitar and Curtis Amy on flute.^[1]

Personnel[]

Carole King – piano, vocals

Additional musicians

Curtis Amy – flute
Russ Kunkel – drums
Charles "Charlie" Larkey – bass guitar
James Taylor – acoustic guitar

Notable covers[]

In 1995, Rod Stewart's cover of the song was included on the tribute album Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King. In the US, it was released as a single and peaked at #2 on the AC chart.^[4] It reached #4 on the Canadian AC chart.^[5] "So Far Away" was later included on his 1996 ballad compilation album If We Fall in Love Tonight.
In 2015, the song was covered in musical TV series Glee in episode "Jagged Little Tapestry" and the EP Glee: The Music, Jagged Little Tapestry performed by Diana Agron and Jenna Ushkowitz as their characters Quinn Fabray and Tina Cohen-Chang.

Chart history[]

Weekly charts[]

Carole King original

Chart (1971)	Peak position
Canada RPM 100 Singles	17
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary^[6]	12
U.S. Adult Contemporary^[7]	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[7]	14
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[8]	10

Rod Stewart cover

Chart (1996)	Peak position
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary^[5]	4
Germany	74
U.S. Adult Contemporary^[9]	2

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1971)	Rank
U.S. Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[10]	31
U.S. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)^[11]	118

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Perone, J.D. (2006). The Words and Music of Carole King. Greenwood Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 9780275990275.
^ Janovitz, B. "So Far Away". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
^ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Tapestry". Rolling Stone. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
^ "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1996-04-20. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b RPM Magazine. Adult Contemporary - Volume 63, No. 4. Adult Contemporary - Volume 63, No. 4. March 11, 1996.
^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1971-10-09. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Billboard Singles charts for singles from Tapestry on allmusic
^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 2, 1971". Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
^ "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1996-04-20. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
^ Billboard, December 25, 1971.
^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.

External links[]

[words-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Perone, J.D. (2006). The Words and Music of Carole King. Greenwood Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 9780275990275.

[allmusic-2] Janovitz, B. "So Far Away". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-04-17.

[3] "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Tapestry". Rolling Stone. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 2014-04-13.

[4] "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1996-04-20. Retrieved 2016-10-05.

[rpm-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b RPM Magazine. Adult Contemporary - Volume 63, No. 4. Adult Contemporary - Volume 63, No. 4. March 11, 1996.

[6] "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1971-10-09. Retrieved 2019-02-03.

[billboard-7] Jump up to: ^a ^b Billboard Singles charts for singles from Tapestry on allmusic

[8] "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 2, 1971". Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2017.

[9] "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1996-04-20. Retrieved 2016-10-05.

[10] Billboard, December 25, 1971.

[11] Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.

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hide v t Carole King
Studio albums	Writer Tapestry Music Rhymes & Reasons Fantasy Wrap Around Joy Thoroughbred Simple Things Welcome Home Touch the Sky Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King One to One Speeding Time City Streets Colour of Your Dreams Love Makes the World
Compilations	Her Greatest Hits: Songs of Long Ago The Legendary Demos
Live albums	In Concert The Carnegie Hall Concert: June 18, 1971 The Living Room Tour Live at the Troubadour
Other albums	A Holiday Carole
Singles	"It Might as Well Rain Until September" "It's Too Late"/"I Feel the Earth Move" "So Far Away"/"Smackwater Jack" "You've Got a Friend"/"Beautiful" (Scandinavia only) "Sweet Seasons" "Been to Canaan" "Jazzman" "Nightingale" "Only Love Is Real" "One Fine Day" "Now and Forever"
Other songs	"Wasn't Born to Follow" "Goin' Back "I Can't Hear You No More" "Up on the Roof" "Where You Lead" "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" "It's Going to Take Some Time" "No Sad Song" "Some Kind of Wonderful" "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" "Chains"
Related articles	Discography Troubadour Reunion Tour A Natural Woman: A Memoir Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King Marcia Sings Tapestry Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
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