“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”

Context

“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” is a song originally performed by Aretha Franklin in 1967. However, the song was written by the famous songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin. The two were married and wrote over 100 hit songs for other performers. Coffin wrote lyrics and King was the composer of the group. The song was released as a single relatively shortly after Franklin gained her initial success. Shortly after, in 1971, King herself recorded the song and it appeared on one of the first vocal albums, Tapestry. Unfortunately, Goffin and King were divorced in 1969. Coffin had written the lyrics to the song. Despite this, “Natural Woman” appeared as the final track on King’s album. King was hesitant about recording the song, but ultimately did it. She offers a much calmer version, unlike Franklin’s upbeat and soulful rendition. Céline Dion also recorded a version in 1995. It, similar to Franklin’s recording, is very upbeat and soulful.  Finally, “Natural Woman” appears on the Beautiful: The Carole King Musical  broadway cast album, released in 2015. Also in 2015, King became a Kennedy Center Honoree. At the awards ceremony, Franklin sang Natural Woman as a tribute to King and her work.

How the Artist Conveys Meaning

The two themes of this song are perfectly connected. The first is self-esteem. At the beginning, the speaker “used to feel so uninspired.” She is not confident and she is becoming lost. But then, she found someone who changes all of that. “Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm living for and if I make you happy I don't need to do more.” The speaker is now confident with her life. She is also trying to do the same for her partner. If she can make them happy, then she is content. A theme that nearly directly relates to that is true love. It may seem cheesy, but it perfectly describes how the speaker feels when she meets her partner. Her partner makes her forget all of her flaws and she know feels like, as the title implies, a natural woman. “Oh, baby, what you done to me? You make me feel so good inside. And I just wanna be close to you. You make me feel so alive.” This is how the speaker feels when she is around her partner. She feels as if she can be herself. She finally has a revelation that she can just be true to herself.

Why I Find it Beautiful

Carole King's Tapestry

I learned about this song in a relatively unconventional way. I saw Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in December of 2015. I had heard the song before this, but this time, it really stuck with me. This is one of the final songs in the show. The scene portrays King in the recording studio while recording Tapestry. King is very nervous about recording the song. Halfway through, the actress playing King started crying. I knew that she was just in character and not actually crying, but this made me really connect to King and her whole story. She had such a rough relationship with her husband and writing partner. For this reason, King’s version of the song on Tapestry is my favorite version. It is a lot more raw and emotional than the other versions. I personally tend to enjoy songs that directly reference the artist’s personal experiences. It really gives a rare glimpse into their lives. I also see beauty in the lyrics. It is really important that a romantic partner makes you feel comfortable and confident. This song really puts this message across in a clear and concise way. Overall, it is a very uplifting and powerful ballad that has affected generations across the board.