50th Anniversary of Really Rosie
Carole King’s Beloved Really Rosie Returns on Vinyl for Its 50th Anniversary, February 28th on Legacy Recordings
Carole King’s beloved, whimsical collaboration with Maurice Sendak, Really Rosie, celebrates its 50th anniversary with a vinyl reissue from Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment. Available February 28th on vinyl for the first time since 1975, the release features 11 original soundtrack recordings composed and performed by Carole King, with story and lyrics by the legendary Sendak. The album was produced by King's longtime collaborator Lou Adler, the man behind the board on her 1971 smash-hit album Tapestry.
First premiered as a CBS animated special in February 1975, Really Rosie tells the story of an ambitious and imaginative girl from Brooklyn who decides to stage a musical about her life and her quirky neighborhood friends. Set to the vibrant and poignant music of Carole King, paired with Sendak’s delightfully subversive lyrics, the songs explore themes of childhood whimsy, creativity, and self-discovery.
King had a deep connection to the material. Recognizing echoes of her own Brooklyn childhood in Sendak’s work, she brought her signature style and warmth to Really Rosie, voicing the title character and infusing each track with her unmistakable charm. Songs like the cheeky “Pierre” and the bittersweet “The Ballad of Chicken Soup” highlight Sendak’s mix of playfulness and darker humor, all buoyed by King’s effervescent music and performance.
Over the past five decades, Really Rosie has remained a treasured classic, a staple for children’s theater groups, and a gateway to musical discovery for families. Its educational and entertaining elements have transcended generations, cementing its status as a cultural touchstone.
The 50th-anniversary edition of Really Rosie will be reissued worldwide on 1-LP standard-weight black vinyl in a gatefold sleeve through Legacy Recordings and is available for pre-order now.
Pre-order the vinyl here.
Really Rosie Track List
- Really Rosie
- One Was Johnny
- Alligators All Around
- Pierre
- Screaming and Yelling
- The Ballad of Chicken Coup
- Chicken Soup with Rice
- Avenue P
- My Simple Humble Neighborhood
- The Awful Truth
- Such Sufferin
- Really Rosie (Reprise)