''Simple Things'' is the 8th album by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

singer-songwriter

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...

, released in 1977. It is her first album on the Avatar /

Capitol Capitol, capitols or The Capitol may refer to: Places and buildings Legislative building * United States Capitol, in Washington, D.C. * National Capitol of Colombia, in Bogotá * Palacio Federal Legislativo, in Caracas, Venezuela * National Ca ...

label.

Critical reception

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said of the title song that it "lives up to the philosophy of its title and lyric" and "has a deceptively simple melody that draws the listener in after a few short seconds."

Track listing

All tracks written by Carole King, except as noted below. ;Side one #"Simple Things" (King, Rick Evers)　– 2:41 #"Hold On" (King, Evers)　– 4:37 #"In the Name of Love"　– 3:04 #"Labyrinth"　– 4:03 #"You're the One Who Knows"　– 5:05 ;Side two #

"Hard Rock Cafe"　– 3:44 #"Time Alone"　– 2:37 #"God Only Knows" – 6:19 #"To Know That I Love You" (King, Evers)　– 3:31 #"One"　– 5:04

Personnel

*Carole King – piano, vocals, background vocals *Rick Evers – guitar *Robert McEntee – guitar, keyboards, background vocals *Michael Rivera – percussion *Rob Galloway – bass *

Mark Hallman Mark Hallman (born August 1, 1951) is an American producer, songwriter, engineer and multi-instrumentalist. He has worked with Carole King (appearing on six of her albums as a performer and producer), Ani DiFranco, and Eliza Gilkyson. In the m ...

– guitar, keyboards, background vocals *Michael Wooten – drums *

Louise Goffin Louise Goffin (born March 23, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and producer of the 2011 album '' A Holiday Carole''. Signed by record executive Lenny Waronker to DreamWorks in 1999, Goffin released ''Sometimes a Circle'' in 2002. She w ...

– background vocals *Sherry Goffin – background vocals *

Nolan Smith Nolan Derek Smith (born July 25, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player and assistant coach for Memphis Tigers men's basketball, Memphis. He played college basketball for Duke before being drafted 21st overall by the Portlan ...

– trumpet, flugelhorn *Maurice Spears – bass trombone *Terry Harrington – baritone saxophone *

Oscar Brashear Oscar Brashear (August 18, 1944 – July 7, 2023) was an American jazz trumpeter and session musician from Chicago, Illinois. After studying at DuSable High School and Wright Jr. College (currently known as Wilbur Wright College) under John DeR ...

– trumpet, flugelhorn *

Ernie Watts Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and R&B saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's album '' ...

– tenor saxophone *

George Bohanon George Roland Bohanon Jr. (August 7, 1937 – November 8, 2024) was an American jazz trombonist and session musician from Detroit, Michigan. Biography In the early 1960s, he participated in Detroit's Workshop Jazz ensemble, with Johnny Griffith, ...

– trombone, horn arrangement *Robert Dubow – violin *Charles Veal – violin *Ken Yerke – violin * David Campbell – viola *Dennis Karmazyn – cello Production notes *Produced by Carole King and Norm Kinney *Engineered by Norm Kinney and Milt Calice *Steve Katz – assistant engineer *James Tuttle – sound assistance *Bernie Grundman – mastering *Roy Reynolds – illustrations and photography *Rick Evers – label design *Terry Kruger – label art *Roy Kohara and Roy Reynolds – art direction

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

Carole King discography.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simple Things (Carole King Album) 1977 albums Carole King albums Capitol Records albums Albums recorded at A&M Studios