James Taylor

James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

I've seen fire and I've seen rain.
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.
But I always thought that I'd see you again.
~ Fire and Rain

Song lyrics

Yes, I'm goin' to Carolina in my mind.

Goodnight you moonlight ladies.
Rockabye sweet baby James.

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose.
Won't you let me go down in my dreams?

Shower the people you love with love. Show them the way that you feel…

James Taylor (1968)

• In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina.
  Can't you see the sunshine?
  Can't you just feel the moonshine?
  Ain't it just like a friend of mine
  To hit me from behind?
  Yes, I'm goin' to Carolina in my mind.
  • "Carolina in My Mind" · BBC performance

Sweet Baby James (1970)

• And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
  Thinking about women and glasses of beer.
  And closing his eyes as the dogies retire,
  He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear,
  As if maybe someone could hear.

  Goodnight you moonlight ladies.
  Rockabye sweet baby James.
  Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose.
  Won't you let me go down in my dreams?
  And rockabye sweet baby James.

  • "Sweet Baby James"

• Take to the highway, won't you lend me your name?
  Your way and my way seem to be one and the same, child.
  Mamma don't understand it.
  She wants to know where I've been.
  I'd have to be some kind of natural born fool
  To want to pass that way again.
  But I could feel it
  On a country road.
  • "Country Road"

• Just yesterday morning, they let me know that you were gone.
  Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you.
  I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song,
  I just can't remember who to send it to.

  I've seen fire and I've seen rain.
  I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
  I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.
  But I always thought that I'd see you again.

  • "Fire and Rain" · Live performance (1970)

• Won't you look down upon me, Jesus,
  You've got to help me make a stand.
  You've just got to see me through another day.
  My body's aching and my time is at hand
  And I won't make it any other way.
  • "Fire and Rain"

• I’ve been walking my mind to an easy time,
  My back turned towards the sun.
  Lord knows the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around.
  Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line,
  To talk about things to come.
  Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.
  • "Fire and Rain"

Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon (1971)

• Where do those golden rainbows end?
  Why is this song so sad?
  Dreaming the dreams I've dreamed my friend
  Loving the love I love
  To love is just a word I've heard when things are being said
  Stories my poor head has told me cannot stand the cold
  And in between what might have been and what has come to pass
  A misbegotten guess alas and bits of broken glass…
  • "Long Ago and Far Away" · Early performance on Youtube (before he had given it a title)

One Man Dog (1972)

• Do me wrong, do me right,
  Tell me lies but hold me tight,
  Save your goodbyes for the morning light,
  But don't let me be lonely tonight.
  • "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"

Walking Man (1974)

• Most everybody's got seed to sow
  It ain't always easy for a weed to grow, oh no.
  So he don't hoe the row for no one.
  Oh for sure he's always missing.
  And something is never quite right.
  Ah, but who would want to listen to you
  Kissing his existence good night.
  • "Walking Man"

Gorilla (1975)

• Oh, Mexico.
  It sounds so sweet with the sun sinking low.
  Moon's so bright like to light up the night,
  Make everything all right.
  • "Mexico"

In the Pocket (1976)

• You can play the game and you can act out the part.
  Though you know it wasn't written for you.
  But tell me, how can you stand there with your broken heart,
  Ashamed of playing the fool?
  One thing can lead to another; it doesn't take any sacrifice.
  Oh, father and mother,and sister and brother,
  If it feels nice, don't think twice.
  • Shower the People"

• Shower the people you love with love.
  Show them the way that you feel.
  Things are gonna work out fine if you only will (do as I say, yeah).
  Shower the people you love with love.
  Show them the way that you feel.
  Things are gonna be much better if you only will.
  • "Shower the People"

JT (1977)

• Whenever I see your smiling face
  I have to smile myself.
  Because I love you (Yes, I do).
  And when you give me that pretty little pout,
  It turns me inside out.
  There's something about you, baby (I don't know).
  • "Your Smiling Face"

• I thought I was in love
  A couple of times before
  With the girl next door.
  But that was long before I met you.
  Now I'm sure that I won't forget you.
  And I thank my lucky stars
  That you are who you are.
  And not just another lovely lady
  Sent down to break my heart.
  • "Your Smiling Face"

• Now, the smoke fills the air
  In this honky-tonk bar.
  And I'm thinking 'bout where I'd rather be.
  But I burned all my bridges;
  I sank all my ships.
  And I'm stranded at the edge of the sea.
  • "Bartender's Blues"

• The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
  Any fool can do it;
  There ain't nothing to it.
  Nobody knows how we got to
  The top of the hill.
  But since we're on our way down,
  We might as well enjoy the ride.
  • "Secret O' Life"

• The secret of love is in opening up your heart.
  It's okay to feel afraid,
  But don't let that stand in your way, no.
  'Cause anyone knows that love is the only road.
  And since we're only here for a while yeah
  Might as well show some style.
  • "Secret O' Life"

Dad Love His Work (1981)

• Seems like even her old girlfriends
  Might be talking her down.
  She's got her name on the grapevine
  Running up and down
  The telephone line
  Talking 'bout
  Someone said, someone said
  Something 'bout, something else
  Someone might have said about her
  She always figured that they were her friends
  But maybe they can live without her.
  • "Her Town Too", written with J. D. Souther & Waddy Wachtel

• True believer that I am
  I am blind, lead me on (lead me on)
  Blessed receiver of your love
  I own my own time
  And I've been holding on (holding on)
  Leave the word unspoken
  And the spell will not be broken.
  • "I Will Follow"

• When I grow too old and dull to rock 'n roll
  Like to hold on tight to you darling
  And when my fires have all burned out
  I'd like to think I can still think about
  The things I used to sing about
  When I was spending all my time alone
  By myself and on my own
  Seldom seen and quite unknown.
  • "London Town"

• If I had stopped to listen once or twice
  If I had closed my mouth and opened my eyes
  If I had cooled my head and warmed my heart
  I'd not be on this road tonight.
  • "That Lonesome Road", written with Don Grolnick

New Moon Shine (1991)

• First kiss ever I took
  Like a page from a romance book.
  The sky opened and the earth shook.
  • "Copperline", written with Reynolds Price

Hourglass (1997)

• At that time my heart was all broke
  I looked like ashes and smelled like smoke.
  And I turned away from my loving kind
  Try to leave my body and live in my mind.
  But it's much too much emotion
  To hold it in your hand.
  They've got waves out on the ocean
  They're gonna wear away the land.
  • "Line 'Em Up"

• I passed on the cocaine,
  Said bye-bye to my methadone.
  Put down the bottle for one more day.
  Backing off of my Tobacco Jones.
  Still I feel like a hopeless junkie,
  Like a man who can't say no.
  I look back and there's that monkey;
  Rascal won't let go.
  • "Little More Time With You"

External links

• The Official James Taylor website
• BBC studio performances (1970)
• YouTube Channel