On this day in 1971, one of the greatest albums ever recorded was released by the one and only Carole King. I think if I had to pick a desert island record list, this would be on it without a doubt.

It’s the perfect rainy day record. It sounds better when it’s colder outside, I think. I don’t know if I’m the only one who thinks this way, but certain kinds of music lend themselves to different seasons of weather. You have your Beach Boys for summer and obviously your Christmas music for winter. But I also believe there’s a kind of music that fits in with the autumn season.

This record doesn’t really have a weak song on it. Every single track from start to finish is solid and lends itself to a contemplative mood. This is a good album for listening to in the dark with headphones on or for playing in the background with a cat in your lap and rain falling outside.

I think just about everybody knows “It’s Too Late” or “Natural Woman” or “You’ve Got a Friend.” There’s a reason why this album went platinum many times over because it’s just about the closest we’ll ever get to a perfect record.

So I recommend dropping the needle on this one at some point today. Or you could pull it up on Spotify or one of the other newfangled streaming platforms. Just give it a listen, okay? You won’t be disappointed.