"Will You Love Me Tomorrow"- The Shirelles

[cking33]

Well, here's my weekly lesson on the songbook of Carole King. This was written by Goffin/King when they were both only 18 years old back in 1961. It was their first #1 hit (2 weeks) and has spawned many covers and has been featured in many movies. As with many of their songs, the beauty of the songwriting comes subtly, in the division between reality (the background singers) and naivity (the lead singer) and culminates in the bridge and final verse when the lead singer starts realizing her lover may not return. King actually plays the tympany in the Shirelles version and the only version that comes close to/if not surpasses the original is King's own version from "Tapestry." When presented with the song, lead singer Shirley Reeves hated the idea of recording it, but their porducer, Luther Dixon, owed Goffin/King a favor, so they recorded it anyway. Lucky they did.

[Deleted]

Gorgeous song. Love The Shirelles' version, but I actually prefer Carole's version.

[HolidayGuy]

Love it. No disputing Carole's immeasurable talent.

[johnnywest]

Excellent! One of the first girl groups to hit #1 I believe.

[Soulsista]

Classic. Nuff said.

[Zeebz]

I recently rediscovered this one and I'm in love with it all over again. It's undeniably a classic.

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

Never heard Carole's version, but I love this version. My mother loved this song. I remember that she used to sing this song all the time when I was little!

[back2blk]

Love this.  

Amy recently put her spin on it as well.  And did a great job, I might say.

[jdanton2]

Dec 12, 2014 9:59:16 GMT -5 johnnywest said:

Excellent! One of the first girl groups to hit #1 I believe.

first after the Hot 100 started and the first by a black female group. in the pre Hot 100 era the list includes The Andrew Sisters in the 1940's and the 50's with The Chordettes, The Fontane Sisters and The McGuire Sisters. it was probably my favorite overall gg song from the 60's.

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

#33 on Billboard's 500 Pop Songs

The Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” brought a barely coded question about teen sex (penned by Gerry Goffin and Carole King) to the top of the Hot 100 years before the sexual revolution. How did they get away with it? Just listen to that seductive bed of acoustic guitar and candy-swirl strings and try to resist. Even so, it’s the bittersweet lead vocal from Shirley Owens that makes this a timeless confection. There’s a knowing weariness to her voice; she’s been here before and knows that those hormonal promises of forever are as temporal as a sub-three-minute pop symphony. But with her rich, resonant tone putting us right in the moment with her — presumably as she stops that wandering hand in the backseat of dad’s car — you can’t help but hope that this time it’s for real. — J. Lynch