Day 56: February 25: Here Comes the Sun

"And I say it's all right."

With the exception of Paul McCartney, there may not be anyone more responsible for the success of James Taylor than George Harrison.  It seems fitting then that he cover this song.  This seems to be from the Kennedy Center Honors- and apparently to honor Yo Yo Ma?  It's an interesting arrangement; a little too showy for my tastes as the song itself is beautiful in its simplicity.  I think it's the best song that George ever wrote.

Here Comes the Sun

And here's George's response some ten years later on his very good George Harrison album.  Not close to the caliber of Here Comes the Sun, but not bad at all.

Here Comes the Moon

Day 55: February 24: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

"Can I believe the magic of your sighs?"

I read online that John Lennon and Paul McCartney once said that they wanted to be songwriters like Gerry Goffin and Carole King.  There's not much better praise than that.  This may be my favorite Carole King song.  Seeing her and James sing it at this stage of life gives it a different but no less poignant subtext.  It's not so much an if I fall for you are you going to stick around but more of a can I still count on you after all these years.  It's beautiful, heartwrenching, and genuine.  James does some capable harmonies.

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

I didn't know that Carole wrote this one.  I was tempted to post the montage from The Naked Gun where it's used for great comedic effect but it wasn't the whole song.  It's a catchy tune but Peter might have benefited from an orthodontist.

I'm Into Something Good

Day 54: February 23: Second Star to the Right

"the dreams you plan really can come true"

James does this somewhat boring cover of the song from Peter Pan for the Stay Awake compilation which is a collection of artists remaking Disney songs.  The collection includes the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Ringo Starr.  There's not much special about this recording, or the album in general but James' voice is in fine form and if you have an emotional connection to the original, you might find some beauty here.

Second Star to the Right

If you want to cover a Disney song, Los Lobos is the act to emulate:

Not in Nottingham

Day 53: February 22: Waterfall

"Now I feel like there's too much caffeine in my blood."

James and Carly did some great work together.  Devoted to You, Mockingbird, etc.  This is not one of those times.  It's a harmless enough melody though a bit repetitive but I could do without so much flute.  James' voice is a little easier to pick out in the second half of the track and it's fine.  Not special but fine.

Waterfall

I really do like a handful of Carly songs.  This one really works for me.

Anticipation

Day 52: February 21: Someone

"My heart is a magnet all for you."

Sounds a bit like an unfinished song.  I really like most of the tracks on One Man Dog, but this one doesn't do too much for me.  There's probably a reason you haven't heard it or at least heard it often.

Someone

Similar sentiment.  Less hippyish.  More cheese.  

Somebody

Day 51: February 20: Fire and Rain

"Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground."

The definitive James composition.  I love it- it's not my favorite James original- that title goes to Sweet Baby James- but it's wonderful.  It is also, however, perhaps James' most mythologized recording.  The urban legend I heard growing up is that James was away at college in New England and missed his sweetheart in school on the west coast.  They couldn't afford to visit and as this was pre-cellphone, pre-internet, etc they were really lonely.  Feeling bad for them, James' roommate secretly sprang for a plane ticket for her to surprise him.  The plane, though, went down spiraling James into depression and substance abuse.  Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.

This is all of course totally untrue.  The Flying Machine in question is James' 60's band which didn't take off (and is totally unrelated to the English band of the same name that reached moderate success around the same time).  Even without the urban legend (which in my mind is second in popularity and outrageousness in the world of music to "In the Air Tonight") the song is beautiful, touching, vulnerable, and appropriately made Mr. Taylor a star.

Fire and Rain

Phil's story is even more impractical, unbelievable, and equally untrue, but in the late 80's everyone into pop music at least high school age from anywhere in the country was familiar with it.  Apparently in this fiction, Phil witnessed some major crime, in many tellings a murder.  So somehow, Phil manipulated this killer to show up to one of his concerts and  just before the line in the song when Phil sings "I was there and I saw what you did..." a spotlight hit the guy in the audience revealing his crime to everyone and making Phil a rock n roll superhero.  As unbelievable as this story is, it is amazing to me how universal the story was.  

In the Air Tonight

Day 50: February 19: Ain't That Peculiar

"It's a doggone shame my love for you makes all your lies seem true."

Smokey Robinson turns 76 today.  If he asks you to sing a duet with him, obviously you say yes.  It must have been a thrill for James to get to record with this legend, but sadly the end result is mediocre.  Marvin Gaye's original is far superior.

Ain't That Peculiar

Here's Smokey at his peak:

Tracks of my Tears

Day 49: February 18: You and I Again

"I wish that I could slow the whole thing down."

Today is the 15th anniversary for James and Caroline.  This one is a love song to her.  When they first met, James had the feeling that he already knew her- and developed that feeling into this metaphysical testament of love and devotion.  It's sweet, not the most interesting musically, but it's got to feel good when James Taylor writes you a love song.

You and I Again

Similar title, a little more rock n roll from Tom Petty:

You and I Will Meet Again

Day 48: February 17: Belfast to Boston

"Send no weapons no more money."

A song of peace for Irish emigrants relocating in New England.  It's kind of cool seeing some interesting instruments being played in this video, but the track isn't one of my favorites.  It kind of gets lost behind the many good tracks on October Road.  

Belfast to Boston

Here's a similar track from Elton that suffers from some of the same self-indulgence.  The video is kind of pretty though.

Belfast

Day 47: February 16: Handyman

"Here is the main thing I want to say, I'm busy 24 hours a day."

This might be my favorite of all the James Taylor covers.  Apparently it kind of happened by accident.  They were feeling kind of flat in the sessions for the album JT when James' friend Kooch suggested they goof on this old favorite of James' and it felt so good that they decided to record it.  For a long time I didn't realize it was a cover, and it sure is a good one.

Handyman

Jimmy Jones sang the original Handyman and it's much faster and less sweet sounding.  I don't know much about Jimmy but that seems to have been his biggest hit.  Here's a similar sounding one from him.  Jana says she had heard it before but it was new to me.

Good Timin'

Day 46: February 15: Love Songs

"I reckon I must be just an old softy, cause I still believe in love."

This is my least favorite song off of the wonderful album "Gorilla".  That isn't to say it's bad.  It's not.  It's just ok.  It's a little boring and a little long but James' voice is pleasant enough and there's a nice line or two along the way.

Love Songs

Here's a similarly titled but a-typically mellowish track from the band Tesla.  I saw them open up for Def Leppard my freshman year of high school.  Their catalog doesn't really fit in with the James Taylor collection, but this one isn't too wild, and it's kinda pretty.

Love Song

Day 45: February 14: Valentine's Day

"Love is war. All is fair on Valentine's Day."

Not James' best.  A lesser track from the hit and miss "Never Die Young" album.  The melody never really goes anywhere and the lyrics seem more like snippets than a developed idea.  But it's timely.  Happy Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day

Elton is having none of it.

No Valentines

Day 44: February 13: Bittersweet

"I wish that I could love you the way that you want me to."

This one is a dirty trick.  Released on a greatest hits album with 15 or so songs that you already have but not available to buy separately anywhere.  So if you want this one new song, you gotta fork over $15 or so for the one new track.  However, it's a good one.  The riff is catchy and the vocals hold your interest.  I'm a fan.

Bittersweet

Here's one of the most beautiful bittersweet songs I know from my old friend John:

All the Best 

Day 43: February 12: America the Beautiful

"O beautiful for spacious skies"

I think it's cool that James sang at the inauguration, and I get the need for a flag wavy song at such an occasion, but I'm not a huge fan of this song in general.  I'm not sure if it's a compliment or not, but James clearly makes this song sound like all the rest of his canon and less like the bombastic anthem this usually is.  Happy birthday, Abe.

America the Beautiful

If you want a good America song- I like this one a lot better:

American Tune

Day 42: February 11: Taking it to the Streets

"I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see."

In 1979 James joined a mess of contemporary stars like Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Parker Jr. and the Doobie Brothers for a protest/benefit concert called No Nukes.  A double album followed with a few James tracks including the underrated "Honey Don't Leave LA" from his JT album.  The highlight for me though is this really cool collaboration- one of the now standard everyone on stage together to end the show kind of things that have become commonplace over the years.  What's cool about this one is that they give James his own verse.  There may have been no nukes, but from the looks of James there were plenty narcotics.  Fun video.

Taking it to the Streets

Michael McDonald had several big songs with the Doobie Brothers, perhaps most notably What a Fool Believes.  I've always been more partial to the other Doobie voices though.  Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons will always be the heart of the band for me.  Here's a pretty one.  This performance is a little past their prime, but it's still nice.

South City Midnight Lady

Day 41: February 10: Migration

"It's a slow vibration."

Deep track from the hit and miss "Walking Man" album.  This one is a little too trippy and a little dull.  The strength of James' voice is evident, but it just doesn't really go anywhere.  But, it's not his worst.

Migration

Here's a better song by Jimmy Buffett with the same title:

Migration

Day 40: February 9: Sweet Seasons

"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and most times you choose between the two."

After the bombing at the Boston Marathon, James was part of an all-star fundraiser called "Boston Strong."  This is from his set with Carole King.  He's purely background here, rhythm acoustic guitar and faint backing vocals, but it's a good version and I like his hat.

Sweet Seasons

Carole wrote this one and the Monkees jumped on it.  They're goofy, they're Beatles rip-offs, they're barely musicians, but they sure are fun.

Pleasant Valley Sunday

Day 39; February 8: Jenny Lynn

"The only thing to say to a woman with a gun is 'Whoa, Jenny Lynn, you're my best friend.'"

Sort of a feminist take on Skynyrd's "Gimme Three Steps" Tom Rush's "Jenny Lynn" is lots of fun and really catchy.  I don't know anything about him but James has some nice harmony on the chorus.

Jenny Lynn

Here's a pretty version of a Jackson Browne tune.  I think I need to invest in some Tom Rush:

These Days

Day 38: February 7: L'Air De La Louisiane

"For one minute I'm happy in the Louisiana air."

This is a beautiful song from Jimmy Buffett's Hot Water album.  Essentially straight three part harmony with Jimmy, James and the Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit.  Hot Water is an ok album, but this song is the best thing it has going.  Welcome to Mardis Gras season.

L'Air De La Louisiane

Timothy B had a few solo albums with some really bad album covers and not great music, but you know him best as the lead vocalist on "I Can't Tell You Why."  Before the Eagles he was in the band Poco.  Here's a really pretty one featuring Timmy.  He's the dude with the long voice and the long hair.  Since it's pretty hard to fade out a live recording, I'm guessing they're lip-synching.

Rose of Cimarron

Day 37: February 6: Jesus of Rio

"If everyone opened their hearts they'd see that every human is holy to someone."

Day two of Carnival.  Crosby and Nash may have recorded tons of music together but rarely without Stills and/or Young.  This song has grown on me a little.  I'm not overwhelmed by the melody but the lyrics sung to the huge statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro paints lovely metaphors.  James sings backup on the chorus.  They harmonies aren't the best these three have been a part of, but it's a nice diversion.

Jesus of Rio

This is my favorite song released by the Crosby/Nash duo.  Soothing and beautiful.

Southbound Train

Day 36: February 5: Only a Dream in Rio

"Nothing could be as sweet as it seems."

This seemed like the right choice to celebrate the first day of Carnival.  The first time I saw James live he began to tell the story of how this song came to be.   The amazingly rude Houston crowd were having their own conversations which led James to say something like "Well I can tell you don't care about this story, so here's the song."  It was an odd moment for me.  I remember feeling bad for him on stage realizing his vulnerability and feeling like the crowd had betrayed his trust.  It's a pretty song and one with a melody and rhythm a little more complicated than what we usually get from him.

Only a Dream in Rio

Here's a very different tone in a song about a very different Rio

Rio

Day 35: February 4: New Tune

"She'll be drifting away from me now."

Short and simple track from the One Man Dog album.  Like many songs on this album, it seems like more of a song fragment than an actual completed song.  This could be the influence of the Beatles' Abbey Road album- it could be the influence of the heavy drugs James was likely into at the time.  I really like this album but this is one of the more forgettable tracks from it.  Not bad, not too memorable.

New Tune

And this is what a new tune sounds like in the 80's

New Song

Day 34: February 3: Not Fade Away

"My love is bigger than a Cadillac."

Today is the day the music died.  Buddy, Richie and the Big Bopper took their last ride on American Pie and landed in immortality.  It inspired Don McLean's iconic (though often criticized) metaphoric journey through the evolution of rock and roll and likely forever burdened former Cricket Waylon Jennings who gave up his seat on the airplane at the last minute.  This version of what is maybe my favorite Buddy Holly song is competent enough, but like with most of the songs on the Covers collection, I'd just rather hear the famous version.

Not Fade Away

Here's the real deal.  It's one of his best and beloved enough for John Prine to name his record company after it.  RIP Buddy.

Oh Boy

Day 33: February 2: Down in the Hole

"Gets to feel like home to me though I know it looks like hell."

Heavy-handed metaphor about isolation and wallowing post-breakup.  While it's not his best lyrical creation, I really like the musical contrast between the somber verse and the mournful chorus.  There's also a truth to be found in the idea of learning to feel comfortable in a state of self-pity.  Climb inside and scorn the world.

Happy Groundhog Day

Down in the Hole

I really considered Tom Waits' "Way Down in the Hole" which served as the theme song to the great HBO series "The Wire" to go with this one- but I couldn't resist a Groundhog Day pun instead.  Looks like winter is mostly behind us.  Enjoy some Cat.

Moonshadow

Day 32: February 1: Boatman

"I would forever run free."

This is a pretty one from James' solid Hourglass album.  Catchy chorus, easy to sing along to.  The lyrics are a bit abstract but seem to deal with aging and finding a resurgence within the process.  The metaphor of a river is significant, but the specifics are a bit muddy.  I like this one.

Boatman

Jimmy's take on life on the sea is a little less thoughtful.  And involves a lot more alcohol.

Boat Drinks