Day 117: April 27: Father to Son

"I've got to leave you today."

Carly's older sister Lucy tried her hand at the singer/songwriter genre with a couple of albums in the seventies.  I don't think it worked out too well.  James and Carly harmonize on the chorus here.  It's not too good.  

Father to Son

Turns out that song was pretty good- at least compared to this one.  This was a single and I'm guessing about James and Carly's daughter Sally.  If this is a single...  yikes.

Sally Go Round the Sun

Day 116: April 26: Bartender's Blues

"I need four walls around me to hold my life, to keep me from going astray."

James trying to sound like George Jones.  So much so that George famously covered this one.  Lots of steel guitar and some haunting background vocals from Linda Ronstadt make this a solid track from the JT album. 

Bartender's Blues

Here's George's best.  It's also my dear friend Randy's go to karaoke song.

He Stopped Loving Her Today

Day 115: April 25: Brother Trucker

"I'm back on my wheels again."

Two pretty bad ideas.  First, Studs Terkel wrote a musical called "Working" about the plight of the blue color worker in America.  Second, James wrote this silly song for it and appeared in it.  This version of the song is a little more painful than the version on Flag but I couldn't resist showing off James and his acting chops featuring some convincing pill swallowing..  The song is a juvenile rhyme suggesting hard core attitude but by softening with the pun creating the opposite effect.  It's like yelling at someone and capping it off with a harsh "darn it!"  But the joke is likely intentional, just silly. 

Brother Trucker

However, if you want a serious film exploration of the life of the American truck driver, look no further than Jerry Reed.

Eastbound and Down

Day 114: April 24: Best Little Girl

"Poor little fool."

Another song from the Faust soundtrack.  This is Randy's song- the devil singing the tale of a good girl who makes one bad choice and lives (or actually doesn't) to regret it.   James has a single spoken line as God (watch it, devil).  It's a great album- especially in its entirety.

Best Little Girl

Faust's girlfriend played by Linda Ronstadt gets a pretty song in the middle of the album.  

Gainesville Florida

Day 113: April 23: Little David

"Must make a mighty good road."

Part of the Abbey Road like medley on One Man Dog.  It's a fun 60 seconds though a bit choppy when isolated from the medley.

Little David

And the best song I know that references David is written by Leonard Cohen.  Most people I know prefer the Jeff Buckley version but for my money there's nothing that tops this original.  There is even a concert performance of an older Leonard belting it out that I passed over for the mournful beauty of this recording.  You can't go wrong with a song that rhymes "hallelujah" with "what's it to ya?".

Halleljuah

Day 112: April 22: Wichita Lineman

"and the Wichita lineman is still on the line."

I've ranted a lot about how I feel about most of James' covers.  This one is a bit below average.  There are elements of it that are fine- but part of the problem is the over-orchestration.  This is a song incredibly blue collar yet James has pieces of an orchestra behind him complicating the simple melody.  The cowboy hat with the suit is also an interesting choice.

Wichita Lineman

I've thought of Glen Campbell as a guilty pleasure.  Songs like Rhinestone Cowboy are catchy but overflowing with cheese.  Gentle on My Mind is an exception, but what I know of his catalog seems superficial.  However, this song that came out after his Alzheimer's diagnosis will break your heart.

I Won't Miss You

Day 111: April 21: Traffic Jam

"I used to think that I was cool running around on fossil fuel."

Required singing for when you find yourself stuck in one.  Cool fun from the JT album (this version from the Live album).

Traffic Jam

James wrote that about a jam on the Pacific coast.  Here's another song dealing with traffic in that part of the country from the recently deceased giant of a songwriter Guy Clark.  In the background you can catch a glimpse of a younger John Prine watching on.

LA Freeway

Day 110: April 20: It's Too Late

"Somethin' inside has died and I can't hide."

Carole's studio version stands as one of her best songs and it was surely a staple in their tour together.  However,  I don't think the harmonies work very well in this performance- and there is some dissonance that  is a little off-putting.  Still, I'd have loved to seen it.

It's Too Late

I  didn't know Carole wrote this one.  I had heard that John and Paul once quipped that they wished they were as good songwriters as Goffin and King.

Chains

Day 109: April 19: Prince of Tides

"How can you tell me how it used to be when there's nothin' left to see."

Throwaway Buffett tune that James sings backup on.  It's a bit pretentious and toward the end of the listenable Buffett era.  There's some catchiness to it though and it's worth a listen but it's far from classic Buffett.

Prince of Tides

The end of that last song samples Save the Last Dance For Me.  I heard Smokey Robinson say that that song is about a man in a wheelchair at his wedding.  He sees his new bride dancing with all these men while he sits and waits.  It's beautiful.

Save the Last Dance for Me

Day 108: April 18: Almost Like Being in Love

"There's a smile on my face for the whole human race."

James never released this track commercially but he played it live on the Tonight Show in 1994.  It's fine but feels more like a standard than his folk stuff that he's best suited for. If you like the stuff he recorded for the A League of Their Own soundtrack, you'll like this.  This song was recorded by many including Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.  Gene Kelly sings it in Brigadoon.

Almost Like Being in Love

And speaking of Gene Kelly, these might be the greatest four and a half minutes ever put on film.

Singing in the Rain

Day 107: April 17: One Man Parade

"Do believe I'm gonna clap my hands, think I might tap my feet."

The One Man Dog album seems to often get lost in the shuffle of James' catalog and wrongly so.  It's really underrated with tons of great songs.  This is the great opening track, however this live version predates the release of the album.  The studio version is a little peppier but  this slow groove is interesting too.

One Man Parade

This one man band idea paints pictures of Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins, or perhaps KT Tunstall, or maybe even little Stevie Forbert in his later years.  He sings, plays harmonica, guitar, and percussion with his feet.

Stolen Identity

Day 106: April 16: Brighten Your Night With My Day

"Watch those shadows fade away."

Really early James.  This one came out in 1968 on the eponymous record on the Apple label.  That first album is fairly hit and miss as James is still trying to figure things out.  This one isn't a classic by any means, but there are elements of it that foreshadow things to come.  The lyrics have a sentimentality that will later blossom and there are pieces of sweetness in the melody.  It's not his best or even great- but it's nice and well worth a listen.

Brighten Your Night with My Day

Here's another song about illumination from Styx.  A few notes about this version/song:  Dennis is rocking a great mustache and Cubs jersey, they are apparently lip-synching as it's awful hard to pull of the fade ending in a live performance and I really hope they play this when we see them at the Knoxville Fair this fall.

Lights

Day 105: April 15: Money Machine

"I've seen fives and I've seen tens."

This may be my least favorite James Taylor song. I think it's disco satire.  While I appreciate the attempt to poke at the capitalist mindset, I don't think the shot hit its target. This one is a throwaway.

Money Machine

Randy Newman does it better- helped out by a kicking riff from Mark Knopfler

It's Money That Matters

Day 104: April 14: How I Know You

"I'd know you were a princess in any time and place."

James Taylor singing a song for an Elton John musical should be a homerun and to be fair, for many fans this is musical is a favorite.  I don't hate the song and I've never seen the musical but  seeing my favorite popstars turning to Broadway just makes me feel old.  It's pretty enough though.

How I Know You

I really should give this a fair chance because this song is pretty too.  Enjoy some Elton.

Written in the Stars

Day 103: April 13: Give Me Love

"Give me hope, help me cope with this heavy load."

A concert cover of a George Harrison song with James, Elton John, and Sting.  Sounds like it should be great.  It's not.  First off this is a bad recording from the audience.  But even with a great recording, this is little more than a curiosity.  George's song is a beautiful one but it's not a great choice for the three of these giants.

Give Me Love

Here's one of George's best.  It was going to be a Beatles song, but if you haven't heard. they broke up.

All Things Must Pass

Day 102: April 12: That Lonesome Road

"If I had cooled my head and warmed my heart I'd not be on this road tonight."

Beautiful a capella song that closes out the Dad Loves His Work album.  It expresses regret and the consequences of not giving peace a chance.  I think this is a common last song in the set song at his concerts.

That Lonesome Road

These songs remind me of each other although I suspect they were both inspired by an old folk standard called "The Lonesome Valley" (Wikipedia claims that this one steals it's chorus) which would explain it.  This is a bit cheesy and has that "surprise ending" like Wink Martindale's "Deck of Cards" - ...I know, I was that soldier.  Even so, it makes me happy.

The Reverend Mr. Black

Day 101: April 11: Up Er Mei

"We could never have guessed we were already blessed."

This deep track from the Hourglass album was inspired by mountain climbing in China - in particular a Sacred Buddhist mountain.  James describes this album to the Orlando Sentinel as "Spirituals for agnostics."  There are several tracks that delve into spirituality at least indirectly.  For someone claiming agnosticism (or at least hinting at it) James seems to reference the spiritual fairly consistently.  Refreshingly, instead of hollering answers, he seems to be asking questions.

Up Er Mei

Elton takes his own crack at blessings. These to an unborn child.

Blessed

Day 100: April 10: Let It All Fall Down

"I'm behind in my dues, I just now got the news."

James plays Chicken Little- the world is going to pot... I guess we might as well let it.  A few clever lines and a catchy chorus.  It's not one of his best but it's not bad at all.

Let it All Fall Down

This James is much less cute and his song is much less pretty- but he also thinks the world is going to pot. This may be the best protest song ever written.

We Can't Make it Here Anymore

Day 99: April 9: 12 Gates to the City

"If I could don't you know that I would put my foot on the rock where Moses stood."

An old spiritual that never made it onto an album.  He's broken it out here live though.  It's interesting, not bad, not breathtaking, but definitely interesting.

12 Gates to the City

These boys also have an odd fascination with Moses' old rock.

Hangman Jury

Day 98: April 8: Shower the People

"If it feels nice, don't think twice."

Beautiful sentiment, beautiful song.  This is one of his most well known and one of his best.  Things will be much better if we only will.

Shower the People

The Exciters agree.

Tell Him

Day 97: April 7: Steamroller

"a hefty hunk of steaming junk."

Fake bravado and cool blues make this one a winner.  It's a crowd favorite but early recordings are the best. In later years James sacrifices much of what makes the music work to emphasize the silly.  While the over-improvising is somewhat amusing, when it gets in the way of the cool riff and the chance for the players to do what they do, it's a step in the wrong direction.  This clip is from '79 when the balance between goofy and groovy was just about right.

Elvis Presley covered this- an odd choice but certainly interesting.

Steamroller

ZZ Top goes for the same vibe from this track off of Deguello.  This was a team song for us when I was teaching in Florida.  We were posing as heard as these Texas boys are.  

I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide

Day 96: April 6: London Town

"Seldom seen and quite unknown"

Deep track from Dad Loves His Work sees James at his most pensive.  James has come to the realization that who he is not who he was and not who he wants to be.  For me this album is really James' admission that he is a grown up- and the songs here (and to some extent JT) are a bridge between young hippy James and old folkie James.  This one is nice and not to be missed.

London Town

Paul also has a song with this title and it's beautiful.  I remember discovering this song on a Wings album an older friend had when I was in middle school and it has been a favorite ever since.  I had never seen the music video (that I can recall) before today.  It's a bit silly- and brings out some of the silliness of the lyrics, but the melody is close to perfect.

London Town

Day 95: April 5: In My Reply

"In my reply I lied a bit and said that I did not know."

An early cover of a Livingston song with great lyrics.  Livingston isn't close to the performer that James is but he has moments of brilliance.  Here's one of them.

In My Reply

He sounds a lot like his brother.  Here's one of his good ones:

First Time Love

Day 94: April 4: Colder Weather

"You gotta gypsy soul to blame and you were born for leavin'."

So I never bought into the Zac Brown Band.  I have a couple of friends who swear by them but they seem like generic country cliche to me.  Their lyrics are Jimmy Buffet-lite and their performance lacks the charm of Jimmy's persona (at least his pre-1990 persona).  This song in particular seems like a watered down version of Buffett's Come Monday or Steve Goodman's (covered by Buffett) California Promises.  It's harmless enough and the sense of loneliness isn't any less urgent in this song- but the song (and my take on the band) is an over-earnestness which takes itself too seriously.   Jimmy singing about loss works in part because we're so used to hearing him sing about getting drunk or eating cheeseburgers.  He doesn't take himself too seriously- so when he does get earnest, it works. This synopsis isn't at all fair- I have such limited exposure to Zac Brown that I'm not accurately conveying their canon.  I just haven't found that desire to dig deeper.

This collaboration with James though is special for two reasons.  One- James segues into Sweet Baby James at the end and two- the joy on his face in this clip is as big as I've ever seen.  He was clearly enjoying himself.

Colder Weather

Clearly, Zac sings about less pressing matters too as is evident here.  But while it seems like he's trying to be today's Buffett his quirk is less about being a wild man or a goof ball but more about looking at how country he can be.  Look ma, I'm a redneck, doesn't that make me cool?  

It's catchy enough and clearly there are elements of the south that appeal to me but even here there's an over earnestness and heavy handed flag-waviness that doesn't make me connect.  

Chicken Fried

Day 93: April 3: I Didn't Know What Time it Was

"I wanted love and here it was."

James does a couple of tracks on the "A League of Their Own" soundtrack.  The film, set in the 40's, features songs by middle aged pop singers covering songs written in the film's setting's era.  This one was written in 1939 and recorded many times, perhaps most famously by Frank Sinatra (or maybe Sara Vaughan).  I like it fine, but I think it's the lesser of the two songs he plays on the soundtrack.

I Didn't Know What Time it Was

Here's Art Garfunkel's contribution.  It's a pretty one.

Two Sleepy People


And then I found this:  Reunion

Day 92: April 2: How Sweet it is

"With sweet love and devotion, deeply touching my emotion."

For being thought of as a singer/songwriter, James has recorded quite a few covers- not just songs he played in concert a few times, but songs that are core parts of his canon.  Songs like You've Got a Friend, Handy Man, and Every Day, would not be surprising to find on a setlist- and this one is no exception.  In fact, it's one of his biggest- reaching #5 on the Billboard hot 100 chart.  Marvin Gaye's original recording only hit #6.  It's one of his best.

How Sweet it Is

This may not be Marvin's most important song, but it sure is his grooviest.  The opening guitar lick is iconic and the whole track is hypnotic.  In our early days of cellphones, Jana had this as her ringtone for when I would call which may or may not have made for some awkward moments when I would call her when she was somewhere in public.

Let's Get it On

Day 91: April 1: I Was Only Telling a Lie

"There ain't no need to act like I shot your dog."

Here's James pretending to be a player.  He's in the "it's cool to use women" mode.  Interestingly, this is the same kind of vibe that Steamroller gives off- except on that track his tongue is more firmly planted in his cheek.  There's a playfulness to this one too (along the vein of ZZ Top's "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide") but it also feels a bit more misogynistic.  In high school days I would have listed this among my favorites. If viewed ironically, it's still a smile, but I don't hold it in as high esteem as I used to.

I Was Only Telling a Lie

I really find the comparison of these two songs interesting.  Rod is essentially saying the same thing in his song that James is- those promises I made in the heat of passion were insincere- but somehow Rod plays that admission with vulnerability.  It's really a beautiful song- and it reminds me of what Rod was capable of before he started crooning standards.

I Was Only Joking