Day 187: July 6: Letter in the Mail

"They say you never go home again.  That's no lie."

James waxes nostalgic about a time that's passed.  The song both seems to lament a culture that's long gone and to celebrate (or at least acknowledge) the drive of young folks to get out.  It seems to be almost a combination of the themes from the Randy Newman song "My Town" he recorded for Cars and Billy Joel's "Allentown".  It's not vintage James but it's thoughtful and pleasant.

Letter in the Mail

"The Letter" is one of the few songs I recall my dad singing when I was a kid.  His phrasing suggested he preferred The Box Tops but I've always been partial to Joe Cocker's version.  Two observations about this video:  Leon Russell looks beyond chill (read: stoned) and John Belushi's Cocker impression was truly a thing of beauty.

The Letter

Day 186: July 5: Angry Blues

"I can't help it if I don't feel so good."

James in pouty mode.  I actually really like this track from Gorilla.  It's got a nice groove and this is a good era for James.  I prefer the studio version to the live one in this video- but it's cool to see the footage- and nice to hear him lead into Chubby Checker.

Angry Blues

Chubby Checker pretty much had one song that he liked to repackage.

Let's Twist Again

Day 185: July 4: On the 4th of July

"Would you care to come down for fireworks time?"

Fairly generic James tune where Independence Day serves as a metaphor for love- or maybe more specifically a synecdoche for a relationship.  It's album filler but it's not terrible. 

On the 4th of July

This Robert Earl Keen is almost the opposite.  The Fourth of July stands for the end of a relationship.  Less happy but a little more interesting.

4th of July

Day 184: July 3: It's in His Kiss

"If you wanna know if he loves you so"

James sings backup on daughter Kate's cover of a song made famous by Betty Everett .   It's more of a duet than just backing vocals but while James' voice is the highlight it's a fairly lackluster version.  I'm not very familiar with Kate's work but it's not close to the standard of her daddy's.

 It's in His Kiss 

I'm not very familiar with Betty Everett either except for It's in His Kiss.  I really like the horns on this one though which made it to #2 on the R&B charts.

There'll Come a Time 

Day 183: July 2: Devoted to You

"It can't die because I'm so devoted to you."

This cover of the Everly Brothers song is one of James' best covers and the best collaboration he ever had with Carly.  This version lacks a little precision in the harmony when compared to the studio version but it's still a sweet time capsule of a golden era for James.

Devoted to You

The Everly Brothers were huge.  Until Hall and Oates came along they were the most successful duo in American pop history, Here's a classic from them (although truth be told I prefer Linda Ronstadt's version).  

When Will I Be Loved

Day 182: July 1: Perfect Love

"Dreaming as the years roll by"

Marc Cohn wrote this song about his brother in an idealistic period in American history.  I saw Marc Cohn in concert not long after this album was released - and right after Walking in Memphis made him a star.  He said from the stage that James Taylor left a message on his answering machine saying he liked the album and would love to work with him on it.  Marc refused to erase the message and would play it back over and over.  

I met Mark after the show (which was at a Holiday Inn in Beaumont, Texas).  I asked for his autograph and asked him to write "To Chip, my best friend whose house I always eat dinner at when I'm in town." He wrote, "To Chip, not my best friend, but not bad."

James sings back up on this beautiful track from Marc's amazing eponymous album.

Perfect Love

Several years later (and after a carjacking scare where Marc was shot in the head yet still survived), Marc released the beautiful tribute to The Band's drummer Levon Helm.  I think it's the best thing he's done since Walking in Memphis.

I saw a version of him singing this post Levon's death where he adds some to the refrain about Levon being in a better place and remembering the smile on Levon's face.  Beautiful.

Listening to Levon

Day 181: June 30: Soul Companion

"Love finds its own way in."

James duets with Mary Chapin Carpenter.  It's a pretty song and the voices work well with it especially in the verses.  I'm not crazy about the lack of harmony in the chorus but it's still a nice few minutes.

Soul Companion

We've seen Mary Chapin Carpenter in concert a couple of times about a decade apart and loved both experiences.  She is genuine and folksy. There is no pretense- she is very much herself and that sincerity is much of the cause of the appeal I have for her.

Here's an old one- it's one of her best.

This Shirt