On yesterday’s classic song of the day, James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain,” his friend and fellow songwriter Carole King played piano. That leads us directly to today’s classic song of the day, “Been to Canaan,” on which Ms. King also played piano, in addition to singing and writing it. Released in November of 1972, this one went to #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and all the way to #1 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart.
“Been to Canaan” was the lead single from Ms. King’s Rhymes & Reasons album, her second after 1971’s groundbreaking Tapestry. (The album in-between was titled Music.) I really liked Rhymes & Reasons, even though it only generated this one decent-sized hit. I was a particular fan of well-crafted tunes like “Come Down Easy,” “My My She Cries,” “The First Day in August,” and “Ferguson Road.”
Most of the tracks on Rhymes & Reasons were co-written with Toni Stern, who had previously supplied the lyrics for Carole King’s “Sweet Seasons,” “It’s Going to Take Some Time,” “Where You Lead,” and “It’s Too Late.” “Been to Canaan” was unusual in that Carole King wrote both the music and the words, which she had done only infrequently at this stage in her career.
There is some debate over exactly what or where “Been to Canaan” is about. Some read it Biblically, presuming that the Canaan in the song is that area in the Middle East that today comprises Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine. That reasoning appears sound, as the lyrics do refer to needing a “promised land.”
On the other hand, the lyrics also refer to “green fields and rolling hills” and wanting “to be there in the wintertime, with a fireplace burning to warm me.” That doesn’t seem to describe a mainly arid land in the middle of a desert—although it could very well describe Canaan, Connecticut, where Ms. King (and her friend James Taylor) lived for a time.
Here’s a thought: maybe “Been to Canaan” is about both Canaans. That is, perhaps Ms. King is longing to get back to the country comforts of Canaan, Connecticut, but also looking metaphorically towards a more Biblical home in the promised land. Words can mean more than one thing, you know.
Musically, this one is vintage ’70s Carole King. It’s all seventh chords with lots of patented tension and release. The verse actually starts on a tension chord, going iim7/V – IMaj7 – IV/I – IMaj7. The chorus picks up that pattern, going IVMaj9 – IMaj7 – iim7/V – IMaj7 – IV/I – I Maj7. It definitely sounds like a Carole King tune.
Look at those changes and you see multiple instances of what I call the “Carole King Chord,” which is a iim7/V used as a replacement for the more-typical dominant V chord. It’s a very pleasant sound that builds tension without all the hard edges.
And, for your daily bonus treat, here’s Carole King singing “Been to Canaan” live in 1982 during her “One to One” concert. It’s a treat.
