Fantasy (Carole King album)

Fantasy is an album by American singer-songwriter Carole King, released in 1973. At the time of its release, it only reached #6 on the Billboard album chart, but has remained highly regarded by her fans over the ensuing decades. Presented as a sort of song cycle, the album opens and closes with two versions of the title song and the songs on each side segue directly into one another.

Fantasy
Studio album by Carole King
Released	June 1973
Recorded	A&M Studios, Hollywood[1]
Genre	Blue eyed soul, soft rock
Length	40:33
Label	Ode / A&M (Original Issue) Ode / Epic (Re-issue)
Producer	Lou Adler
Carole King chronology
Rhymes and Reasons (1972) Fantasy (1973) Wrap Around Joy (1974)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	B[3]
Rolling Stone	(not favorable)[4]

The Spanish language track "Corazón" (the Spanish word for "heart", also used as a term of endearment, as in this song's lyrics) was a moderate hit single from the album, as was "Believe in Humanity". The flip side of the latter single, "You Light Up My Life" (not the Debby Boone hit), charted separately from its A-side.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Carole King.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Fantasy Beginning"	1:02
2.	"You've Been Around Too Long"	3:42
3.	"Being at War With Each Other"	3:26
4.	"Directions"	3:58
5.	"That's How Things Go Down"	3:01
6.	"Weekdays"	2:44

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Haywood"	4:46
2.	"A Quiet Place to Live"	1:55
3.	"Welfare Symphony"	3:47
4.	"You Light Up My Life"	3:13
5.	"Corazón"	4:05
6.	"Believe in Humanity"	3:19
7.	"Fantasy End"	1:25
Total length:		40:30

Personnel

• Carole King - Vocals, piano, backing vocals
• David T. Walker - guitar
• Charles Larkey - bass guitar
• Susan Ranney - bass guitar
• Harvey Mason - drums
• Bobbye Hall - percussion
• Eddie Kendricks - backing vocals
• Tom Scott, Curtis Amy, Ernie Watts, Mike Altschul - saxophone
• Chuck Findley, Ollie Mitchell, Al Aarons - trumpet
• Charles Loper, George Bohanon, Dick Hyde - trombone
• Ken Yerke, Barry Socher, Sheldon Sanov, Haim Shtrum, Kathleen Lenski, Miwako Watanabe, Glen Dicterow, Polly Sweeney, Robert Lipsett, Gordon Marron Strings - violin
• Denyse Buffum, David Campbell, Alan DeVeritch, Ronald Folsom - viola
• Jeffrey Solow, Judith Perett - cello

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1973) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 24 Canadian RPM Albums Chart[6] 7 Italian Albums Chart[7] 2 Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[8] 2 United States Billboard Pop Albums[9] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1973) Position Italian Albums Chart[7] 73 U.S. Billboard Year-End[10] 66

Certifications

Region	Certification
United States (RIAA)[11]	Gold

References

1. http://aln3.albumlinernotes.com/A_Natural_Woman.html
2. Elias, Jason. Fantasy at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
3. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 28, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
4. Holden, Stephen (1973-08-02). "Carole King: Fantasy: Music Review". Archived from the original on 2008-05-15.
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 166/167. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
6. Library and Archives Canada. Archived 2014-01-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2011-02-02
7. "Hit Parade Italia - Gli album più venduti del 1973" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
8. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
9. Allmusic - Carole King > Fantasy > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
10. "Top Pop Albums of 1973". billboard.biz. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
11. "American album certifications – Carole King – Fantasy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-02-07. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.