Fantasy

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Fantasy was released in 1973 as Carole King's fifth album. It is conceived as a kind of song cycle: it opens and closes with two versions of the title track, and on each side the songs run straight into one another. It climbed to number six on the Billboard 200 and has been held in high regard by her fans for decades.

The sound is broad. Alongside King on piano, the musicians include guitarist David T. Walker, bassist Charles Larkey, drummer Harvey Mason, saxophonists, trumpeters, trombonists and a string section. Eddie Kendricks sings backing vocals. King wrote the string and horn arrangements herself. Corazón, a Spanish-language song with a Latin flavour, became a modest hit. So did Believe In Humanity, which the AllMusic reviewer called the best song on the album. The B-side You Light Up My Life charted separately.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Fantasy Beginning1:03Apple Music ↗
2. 2You've Been Around Too Long3:42Apple Music ↗
3. 3Being At War With Each Other3:27Apple Music ↗
4. 4Directions3:59Apple Music ↗
5. 5That's How Things Go Down3:01Apple Music ↗
6. 6Weekdays2:45Apple Music ↗
7. 7Haywood4:47Apple Music ↗
8. 8A Quiet Place to Live1:56Apple Music ↗
9. 9Welfare Symphony3:47Apple Music ↗
10. 10You Light Up My Life3:14Apple Music ↗
11. 11Corazón4:06Apple Music ↗
12. 12Believe In Humanity3:19Apple Music ↗
13. 13Fantasy End1:25Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗