"Where You Lead" is a song written in 1970 by Carole King with lyricist Toni Stern, introduced on King's iconic 1971 album ''

Tapestry Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven by hand on a loom. Tapestry is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike most woven textiles, where both the warp and the weft threads ma ...

''. A

Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...

hit for

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

in both a studio and a live version — the latter in a medley entitled "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead'" — the song has also served as the main

theme song Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...

for

The WB The WB Television Network (for Warner Bros., or the "Frog Network", for its former mascot, Michigan J. Frog) was an American television network launched on terrestrial television, broadcast television on January 11, 1995, as a joint venture be ...

dramedy series ''

Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American Comedy drama, comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). The show debuted on October 5, 2000, on The WB and beca ...

'' in a lyrically revised version recorded by King and

Louise Goffin Louise Goffin (born March 23, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and producer of the 2011 album ''A Holiday Carole''. Signed by record executive Lenny Waronker to DreamWorks in 1999, Goffin released ''Sometimes a Circle'' in 2002. She wen ...

Original version

"Where You Lead" is one of two Carole King/ Toni Stern collaborations featured on ''Tapestry'', the other being the #1 single " It's Too Late". King had written the music and the majority of the lyric for "Where You Lead" when she solicited the assistance of Stern, saying: "I can't write the bridge to this: if you can figure out the bridge you can get o-writingcredit for the song." Disliking the arguably servile stance of the song as written by King so far, Stern swiftly conceived lyrics for its bridge which she felt expressed a more empowered narrative voice. The lyrics Stern submitted to King included the lines: "...if you want to live in fucking New York City / Honey you know I will": King herself deleted "fucking", then sought ''Tapestry'' producer

Lou Adler Lester Louis Adler (born December 13, 1933) is an American record and film producer and the co-owner of the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California. Adler has produced and developed a number of iconic musical artists, including The Grass R ...

's approval of the "New York City" reference; Adler's approval was forthcoming and the lyrics for "Where You Lead" were thus complete. Inspired by the Book of Ruth, where it says: "Where you go, I will go", "Where You Lead" was described by ''

Rolling Stone Magazine ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its cove ...

'' critic

Jon Landau Jon Landau (born May 14, 1947) is an American music critic, manager, and record producer. He has worked with Bruce Springsteen in all three capacities. He is the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and re ...

as an "ingratiatingly witty song that seems to parody the romantic extremes of some of Carole's earlier work." Landau also praises the power of

Russ Kunkel Russell Kunkel (born September 27, 1948) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician with many popular artists, including Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Chapin, Rita Coolidge, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Dan F ...

's drumming on the song. Author James Perone states that a superficial reading of the lyrics could suggest that the song reinforces stereotypes that a woman should not put her desire for a career ahead of pleasing her husband. But he goes on to say that the singer has actually made "an informed and empowered decision" to follow her man "because of the life changing impact" the relationship has had on her. The 2008 "Legacy Edition" release of ''Tapestry'' coupled a remastered version of the ''Tapestry'' album with a second disc which featured live performances by King - from concerts in 1973 and 1976 - of all of the songs from ''Tapestry'' except for "Where You Lead", reflecting the fact that soon after the release of ''Tapestry'' King came to the realization that "Where You Lead" was somewhat politically incorrect and as a result stopped performing it live, only reinstating the song in her concert setlists following its 2000 lyrical revision (see Section 3 below).

Personnel

*Carole King –

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

Additional musicians *

Merry Clayton Merry Clayton (born December 25, 1948) is an American soul and gospel singer. She provided a number of backing vocal tracks for major performing artists in the 1960s, most notably in her duet with Mick Jagger on the Rolling Stones song " Gimme S ...

– background vocals * Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar –

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

– drums *Charles "Charlie" Larkey –

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

Ralph Schuckett Ralph Schuckett (March 2, 1948 – April 4, 2021) was an American keyboardist, composer and songwriter known as one of the founding members of Todd Rundgren's band Utopia. He composed for film and television, including Pokémon, Sonic X, and A ...

– electric piano *Julia Tillman – background vocals

Barbra Streisand versions

''Barbra Joan Streisand'' album track

recorded "Where You Lead" in a 21 April 1971 session which would yield seven tracks featured on the August 1971 album release '' Barbra Joan Streisand'', which album would include a total of three

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

s of ''Tapestry'' tracks: "Where You Lead", "

Beautiful Beautiful, an adjective used to describe things as possessing beauty, may refer to: Film and theater * ''Beautiful'' (2000 film), an American film directed by Sally Field * ''Beautiful'' (2008 film), a South Korean film directed by Juhn Jai-h ...

", and "

You've Got a Friend "You've Got a Friend" is a 1971 song written by American singer, songwriter, and musician Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, ''Tapestry'' (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor f ...

". On "Where You Lead" Streisand had the backing of the all-female band Fanny augmented by Billy Preston on organ and disc producer

Richard Perry Richard Van Perry (born June 18, 1942) is an American record producer. He began as a performer in his adolescence while attending Poly Prep, his high school in Brooklyn. After graduating from college he rose through the late 1960s and early 1970 ...

on tambourine: Fanny - who arranged the track - also served as chorale, augmented by

Clydie King Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019) was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness ( ...

Venetta Fields Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-born singer, musical theater actress and vocal coach. She was a backing vocalist for American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pi ...

, and Oma Drake. Issued as advance single in June 1971, "Where You Lead" just reached

hit status, #40 being its peak on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The 1979 compilation '' Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'' included "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead", while Streisand's studio version of "Where You Lead" was the singer's only Top 40 hit of the relevant time period to be excluded.

''Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead'' live medley

The 1972 concert album release ''

Live Concert at the Forum ''Live Concert at the Forum'' (retitled ''Barbra Streisand Live'' in Canada) is the second live album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released physically on October 1, 1972 by Columbia Records. Produced by long-time collaborator Richard Perr ...

'' - a recording of Streisand's 15 April 1972

Four for McGovern Four for McGovern, also known as McGovern, was a benefit concert held on April 15, 1972, produced by actor Warren Beatty to assist the 1972 presidential campaign of George McGovern, running as the anti-war candidate. The concert, held at The F ...

concert at The Forum (Inglewood CA) - featured "Where You Lead" in a medley entitled "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead", Streisand's Forum concert having featured her performance of "Where You Lead" in tandem with " Sweet Inspiration", the latter being a

Dan Penn Dan Penn (born Wallace Daniel Pennington, November 16, 1941) is an American songwriter, singer, musician, and record producer, who co-wrote many soul hits of the 1960s, including " The Dark End of the Street" and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" w ...

Spooner Oldham Dewey Lindon "Spooner" Oldham (born June 14, 1943) is an American songwriter and session musician. An organist, he recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, at FAME Studios as part of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section on such hit R&B songs as Percy S ...

composition written for and first recorded in 1967 by

the Sweet Inspirations The Sweet Inspirations were an American R&B girl group mostly known for their work as backup singers on studio recordings for other R&B and rock artists. A founding member of the group was Dionne Warwick, who was later replaced by her aunt, Ciss ...

for whom it had afforded a Top 20 hit reaching #18 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the spring of 1968. Streisand had premiered the "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead" medley during her 24 December 1971 — 14 January 1972

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

engagement at the International Hotel, the number having been designed by the hotel's musical director Joe Guercio: Guercio had an especial awareness of the song "Sweet Inspiration" as he had begun his seven year tenure as bandleader for

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

in January 1970, and as Presley's bandleader Guercio worked closely with the Sweet Inspirations who served as Presley's concert chorale and also his opening act. "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead" was released 25 May 1972 as the first advance single from the ''Live Concert at the Forum'' (the album would be released October 1972): a left-field choice for single release due to its six minute playing time - also in that Streisand's studio take on "Where You Lead" had been her last-but-two single release with neither interim single proving high-profile - , "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead" would approximate the chart impact of the "Where You Lead" single off ''Barbra Joan Streisand'', as the "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead" single peaked at #37 on the Top 40. Streisand would perform "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead" on her ''Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments'' television special which was taped at

Elstree Studios Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...

in the summer of 1973 and broadcast that 2 November: with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

on piano and

the Raelettes The Raelettes (or occasionally The Raelets or The Raeletts) were an American girl group formed in 1958 to provide backing vocals for Ray Charles. They were reformed from the group The Cookies. Between 1966 and 1973, the Raelettes recorded on ...

as chorale, Streisand performed an abbreviated version of the medley which ran roughly half the time of the single edit of the ''Live Concert at the Forum'' version. The 1979 compilation '' Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'' included "Sweet Inspiration/ Where You Lead", while Streisand's studio version of "Where You Lead" was the singer's only Top 40 hit of the relevant time period to be excluded.

Charts

Carole King/Louise Goffin duet version

Asked by series creator

Amy Sherman-Palladino Amy Sherman-Palladino (born January 17, 1966) is an American television writer, director, and producer. She is the creator of the comedy-drama series ''Gilmore Girls'', ''Bunheads'', and ''The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel''. Sherman-Palladino has rece ...

for permission to use the original ''Tapestry'' track as the ''Gilmore Girls'' theme, King had responded that she'd rather re-record the song for Sherman-Palladino's purpose, with lyrics abridged to reflect the series' theme of a mother-daughter relationship and with King's own daughter Louise Goffin dueting with King. King contacted Toni Stern, co-writer of the song's original version, and Stern tweaked the song's original romantic lyrics so as to be applicable to a mother-daughter relationship, and King and Goffin recorded this new version of "Where You Lead" at the home studio in the

Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles, California. The main thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon Boulevard connects the neighb ...

residence of Goffin and Goffin's then-husband

Greg Wells Greg Wells is a Canadian musician, record producer, songwriter and audio engineer. Wells has songs on over 130 million albums sold. He has worked with John Legend, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ariana Grande, Jazmine Sullivan, Kid Cudi, Adele, Rufus Wai ...

with Wells producing the track. The full version of the King/ Goffin duet of "Where You Lead" had its debut release on the 2002 album '' Our Little Corner of the World: Music from Gilmore Girls'' and would be a bonus track on the 2007 deluxe edition release of King's album '' Love Makes the World'', while King and Goffin could be heard singing the song live on King's 2005 concert album '' The Living Room Tour'': in its album appearances the track's title shows as "Where You Lead I Will Follow" although the ''Gilmore Girls'' credits identified the song as "Where You Lead". During the 2010 Troubadour Reunion Tour King performed the revised version of "Where You Lead" at some tour venues, singing lead while the tour's co-headliner

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

played guitar and sang background vocals. King and Goffin also dueted on the revised version of "Where You Lead" at King's 3 July 2016 Hyde Park concert which marked the first time King had performed all the songs from ''Tapestry'' in a single concert. King addressed her choice to sing the latterday version of "Where You Lead" at Hyde Park with the introductory comments: "The next song I don’t perform very much. It came out just before women’s lib, and it’s got kind of a ' Stand by Your Man' lyric so I oondidn't exactly feel comfortable performing it", with King then explaining how the song came to be the ''Gilmore Girls'' theme. That version was sung by the title character on the penultimate episode of the NBC show '' Ordinary Joe'', accompanied by his son, a children's choir, and his mother.

Other versions

"Where You Lead" was also recorded by Kate Taylor being featured on her 1971 album '' Sister Kate.'' The track featured Carole King on piano (King's husband Charles Larkey also played bass) while the chorale included King and Oma Drake, who was a chorale member on the ''Barbra Joan Streisand'' version. Despite these shared elements,

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

critic Joe Viglione credited Taylor's version with a "totally different flavor" from those of both King and Streisand. The

Sonny and Cher Sonny & Cher were an American pop and entertainment duo in the 1960s and 1970s, made up of husband and wife Sonny Bono and Cher. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector. The pair f ...

concert album ''Live in Las Vegas Vol 2'' (1973) featured "Where You Lead" in a medley with " I Can See Clearly Now" and "

". Versions of "Where You Lead" have also been recorded by Liz Damon's Orient Express (album ''Try a Little Tenderness''/ 1971),

Iris Williams Iris Williams OBE (born 20 April 1944) is a Welsh singer. Williams reached the peak of her popularity during the 1980s. Early life and education Williams was born in Rhydyfelin. Brought up in a children's home in Tonyrefail, and later adopted ...

(album ''The Many Moods of Iris Williams''/ 1976),

Faith Hill Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Hill' ...

(multi-artist album ''Tapestry Revisited: a tribute to Carole King''/ 1995),

Barbara Higbie Barbara Higbie (born 1958) is an American Grammy nominated, Bammy award winning pianist, composer, violinist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has played on over 100 CDs including songs with Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt. Th ...

(album ''Barbara Higbie's Interpretation of Carole King''/ 1999), and

Marcia Hines Marcia Elaine Hines, AM (born July 20, 1953), is an American-Australian vocalist and TV personality. Hines made her debut, at the age of 16, in the Australian production of the stage musical '' Hair'' and followed with the role of Mary Magdale ...

(album ''Marcia Sings Tapestry and the Songs of Carole King''/ 2010).

References

{{Authority control 1970 songs Songs written by Carole King Carole King songs Barbra Streisand songs Austin Roberts (singer) songs Song recordings produced by Lou Adler Songs written by Toni Stern Song recordings produced by Richard Perry Gilmore Girls Comedy television theme songs