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Gerry Goffin (born Gerald Goffin, February 11, 1939, Brooklyn, New York[1]) is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King.[1] As of 2008 he has co-penned six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.
[edit] Career
Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School. After spending a year at the U.S. Naval Academy, he resigned from the Navy to study chemistry at Queens College.
Marrying Carole King in 1960, he and his wife together pursued a successful songwriting career, notably as part of the famous Brill Building songwriting team. Their breakthrough hit was 1961's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", which was recorded by The Shirelles and later, Dusty Springfield. Although they divorced in 1968, the two continued to work together for some years afterwards. They are the parents of singer-songwriter, Louise Goffin.
In addition to King, Goffin also collaborated with other songwriters, notably Barry Mann, Russ Titelman, Barry Goldberg and Michael Masser. Works produced by these collaborations include:
More recent works attributed to Goffin are:
In 1995, Goffin remarried. He was one of the first people to take notice of Kelly Clarkson's talent, and had hired her to do demo work prior to her auditioning for American Idol in 2001.
Today, Goffin lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
[edit] Songs by Goffin
| Year |
Song |
Songwriters |
Performer |
U.S. Hot 100 |
Cover versions |
| 1960 |
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" |
Goffin & King |
The Shirelles |
#1 |
Dusty Springfield (in 1964), Cher (in 1966), The Four Seasons (#24, 1968), Linda Ronstadt (in 1970), Carole King (in 1971, Roberta Flack (#76, 1972), Melanie, (#82, 1973), Dana Valery, (#95, 1976), Dave Mason (#39, 1978), Laura Branigan (in 1984), Joe Walsh (in 1992) |
| 1961 |
"Who Put The Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" |
Goffin & Mann |
Barry Mann |
#7 |
|
| 1961 |
"Every Breath I Take" |
Goffin & King |
The Drifters |
|
|
| 1961 |
"Run To Him" |
Goffin & Keller |
Bobby Vee |
#2 |
Donny Osmond (in 1972) |
| 1961 |
"Take Good Care of My Baby" |
Goffin & King |
Bobby Vee |
#1 |
Dion and the Belmonts (later in 1961), Smokie (in 1981), Bobby Vinton, Stephen Collins, Dick Brave |
| 1961 |
"Halfway To Paradise" |
Goffin & King |
Tony Orlando |
#39 |
| 1961 |
"Some Kind of Wonderful" |
Goffin & King |
The Drifters |
#32 |
Marvin Gaye (in 1968), King (in 1971); not the same song as the Grand Funk Railroad hit |
| 1962 |
"Chains" |
Goffin & King |
The Cookies |
#17 |
The Beatles (in 1963), King (in 1980) |
| 1962 |
"Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" |
Goffin & King |
Little Eva |
#12 |
The Beatles (in 1964) |
| 1962 |
"The Loco-Motion" |
Goffin & King |
Little Eva |
#1 |
The Chiffons (in 1963), Grand Funk Railroad (in 1974, #1), King (in 1980), Kylie Minogue (in 1988, #3), Tina Turner, Dwight Yoakam |
| 1962 |
"He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)" |
Goffin & King |
The Crystals |
- |
The Motels (in 1982) |
| 1962 |
"When My Little Girl Is Smiling" |
Goffin & King |
The Drifters |
#28 |
|
| 1962 |
"Point Of No Return" |
Goffin & King |
Gene McDaniels |
#21 |
| 1962 |
"Go Away Little Girl" |
Goffin & King |
Steve Lawrence |
#1 |
Donny Osmond (in 1971, #1) |
| 1963 |
"Don't Say Nothing Bad (About My Baby)" |
Goffin & King |
The Cookies |
#7 |
|
| 1963 |
"Hey Girl" |
Goffin & King |
Freddie Scott |
#10 |
Donny Osmond (in 1972, #9), King (in 1980), Billy Joel (in 1997) |
| 1963 |
"One Fine Day" |
Goffin & King |
The Chiffons |
#5 |
Rita Coolidge (in 1979, #66), King (in 1980, #12), Aaron Neville (in 1993), Natalie Merchant (in 1996) |
| 1963 |
"Up on the Roof" |
Goffin & King |
The Drifters |
- |
King (in 1970), Laura Nyro (in 1970), James Taylor (in 1979 (#28)), Neil Diamond (in 1993), Billy Joe Royal, Peter Cincotti |
| 1964 |
"I Can't Hear You No More" |
Goffin & King |
Betty Everett |
#66 |
Dusty Springfield (in 1965), King (in 1970), Helen Reddy (in 1976, #29) |
| 1964 |
"I'm into Something Good" |
Goffin & King |
"Earl-Jean" McCrea |
#38 |
Herman's Hermits (later in 1964, #13) |
| 1964 |
"Oh No Not My Baby" |
Goffin & King |
Maxine Brown |
#24 |
Manfred Mann (in 1965), Dusty Springfield (in 1965), Aretha Franklin (in 1970), Rod Stewart (in 1973, #59), King (in 1980), Cher (in 1992), Linda Ronstadt (in 1994) |
| 1965 |
"Just Once in My Life" |
Goffin & King & Spector |
The Righteous Brothers |
#9 |
|
| 1966 |
"Don't Bring Me Down" |
Goffin & King |
The Animals |
#12 |
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (in 1986) |
| 1966 |
"Goin' Back" |
Goffin & King |
Dusty Springfield |
- |
The Byrds (in 1968, #86), King (in 1980) |
| 1967 |
"Pleasant Valley Sunday" |
Goffin & King |
The Monkees |
#3 |
|
| 1967 |
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" |
Goffin & King |
Aretha Franklin |
#8 |
King (in 1971), Laura Nyro (in 1971), Rod Stewart (in 1974), Mary J. Blige (in 1995), Celine Dion (in 1995) |
| 1968 |
"Porpoise Song" |
Goffin & King |
The Monkees |
#62 |
|
| 1968 |
"Wasn't Born to Follow" |
Goffin & King |
The Byrds |
|
The Lemon Pipers (in 1968), King (in 1980) |
| 1969 |
"Don't Forget About Me" |
Goffin & King |
Dusty Springfield |
#64 |
|
| 1969 |
"I Can't Make It Alone" |
Goffin & King |
Dusty Springfield |
- |
Maria McKee (in 1993) |
| 1970 |
"Hi-De-Ho (That Old Sweet Roll)" |
Goffin & King |
Blood, Sweat and Tears |
#14 |
Dusty Springfield (in 1969, unreleased until 1999), King (in 1980) |
| 1971 |
"Smackwater Jack" |
Goffin & King |
Carole King |
|
|
| 1973 |
"I've Got to Use My Imagination" |
Goffin & Goldberg |
Gladys Knight and The Pips |
#4 |
|
| 1975 |
"Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" |
Goffin & Masser |
Diana Ross |
#1 |
|
| 1975 |
"It's Not The Spotlight" |
Goffin & Goldberg |
Rod Stewart |
|
|
| 1980 |
"Someone That I Used To Love" |
Goffin & Masser |
Natalie Cole |
#21 |
|
| 1983 |
"Tonight I Celebrate My Love" |
Goffin |
Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson |
#16 |
|
| 1985 |
"Saving All My Love for You" |
Goffin |
Whitney Houston |
#1 |
|
| 1987 |
"Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" |
Goffin & Masser |
Glenn Medeiros |
#12 |
George Benson (in 1984) |
| 1989 |
"Miss You Like Crazy" |
Goffin & Masser |
Natalie Cole |
#7 |
|
[edit] Discography
- It Ain't Exactly Entertainment (1973)
- Back Room Blood (1995)
[1]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
