Songwriters Hall of FameInducted 1987 | BMI Writer

Lyricist Gerry Goffin was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 11, 1939. Following graduation from Brooklyn Technical High School, Goffin enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve, which later led to his admission to the Annapolis Naval Academy. After his first year in Annapolis, Goffin resigned and enrolled in Queens College with a chemistry major.

At Queens, he met Carole King, a fellow student and education major. A lifetime musical collaboration began almost immediately. Goffin had been writing lyrics since the age of eight but had never been able to find a collaborator with whom he could feel comfortable. As he and King began writing, the combination seemed to work right away and music became their full time careers.

Goffin and King married in 1959 and took daytime jobs, he as an assistant chemist and she as a secretary, to support their music endeavors. At night and on weekends, they pursued their songwriting career, and were signed to Don Kirschner and Al Nevins’ Aldon Music in 1960. Their first big break came that same year with a recording by The Shirrelles of their song, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?".

During the next eight years, the team of Goffin and King enjoyed more than 50 top 40 hits, among them "Take Good Care of My Baby," recorded by Bobby Vee; "Go Away Little Girl," recorded by Steve Lawrence; “Up on the Roof," recorded by The Drifters; and a plethora of others including "Locomotion," "Halfway to Paradise," "Hey Girl," "Natural Woman," "Just Once in My Life," and "Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby.” Goffin also collaborated with another Aldon Music composer, Barry…

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