Download Instrumental    Sometimes, feeling sad isn’t such a bad thing. Especially if that sadness brings out a song in you that never fades away.  Carole King knows this to be true.

She recorded “So Far Away”  in 1971 for her iconic album Tapestry.  There’s not been a more emotional and personal compilation of songs ever recorded.  In each and every piece, you can look straight into her soul and see what most of us try to hide – raw emotion.  She leans heavily on piano in all her arrangements, which suits me just fine.  She’s written so many songs for so many people it’s just ridiculous:  “Take Good Care of My Baby” (Bobby Vee), “Chains” (The Beatles), “A Natural Woman” (Aretha Franklin), “Up On the Roof” (Drifters), “One Fine Day” (The Chiffons), “Halfway to Paradise” (Tony Orlando), and “I’m Into Something Good” (Herman’s Hermits) are just a few of the artists who owe their careers to Ms. King.

This one, though, was personal.  Just for her.  You can feel the loneliness in her voice and the pain she must have been feeling.  The arrangement is very laid-back with almost no rhythm instruments.  Mostly, just her and the piano and her heartache.  She used a flute at the end to further set the mood, but I opted for a saxophone ’cause there’s nothing more forlorn than a lonely sax playing somewhere in the middle of the night.  If you lady singers out there decide to use these backups, pour your heart out for this one and let the tenor sax take over at the end… slowly lower your head and let the lights fade.  Your audience will love it.  I’ll bet you can make ’em cry if you try…

“Holding you again could only do me good – Oh, how I wish I could – but you’re so far away”