Gerry Goffin
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Gerald "Gerry" Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was 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. During his career Goffin penned seven Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers, and a total of 59 Top 40 hits, among which are "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "The Loco-Motion", "Go Away Little Girl" and "Take Good Care of My Baby".
Biography
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Goffin enlisted in 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.
He married Carole King in August 1959 (he was 20; she was 17), and the husband-wife team pursued a successful songwriting career, notably as part of the famous Brill Building songwriting collective. Their breakthrough hit was "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", which was recorded by the Shirelles and went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1961. His other number ones with King were "Take Good Care of My Baby" by Bobby Vee, "Go Away Little Girl" by Steve Lawrence (later a number one hit for Donny Osmond), and "The Loco-Motion" by Little Eva (later a number one hit for Grand Funk Railroad and a number three hit for Kylie Minogue).
The duo wrote "Pleasant Valley Sunday", which was recorded by the Monkees and which reached the number three spot on the Billboard chart in the U.S. Although they divorced in 1968, the two continued to work together for some years afterward. They are the parents of singer-songwriter Louise Goffin and Sherry Goffin Kondor. According to King's memoir, Goffin suffered from mental illness following ingestion of LSD, eventually undergoing treatment with lithium and electroshock therapy, and was diagnosed with manic depression. 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:
- "It's Not the Spotlight" with Barry Goldberg, recorded by Manhattan Transfer, Bobby Bland, Rod Stewart and Kim Carnes
- "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" with Michael Masser, recorded by Diana Ross (nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song)
- "So Sad the Song" with Michael Masser, recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips (nominated for a Golden Globe Award)
- "Saving All My Love for You" with Michael Masser, recorded by Whitney Houston (Grammy Award winner for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance 1986)
- "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" with Michael Masser, recorded by George Benson and Glenn Medeiros.
- "Yes I Will" with Russ Titelman, recorded by the Hollies, the Monkees (as "I'll Be True to You") and others
- "What Am I Gonna Do With You (Hey Baby)" with Russ Titelman, recorded by the Chiffons and Lesley Gore
- "Something Better" with Barry Mann, recorded by Marianne Faithfull (appears in The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus).
More recent works attributed to Goffin are:
- "Time, Don't Run Out On Me", recorded by Anne Murray
- "A Long and Lasting Love", recorded by Glenn Medeiros
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 2002.
Goffin died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 75.
See also
Discography
- It Ain't Exactly Entertainment (1973)
- Back Room Blood (1995)
