Master Index of Archived Threads


Stranded on JT Island

Carolina in my Mind

3 votes

Fire & Rain

3 votes

You've Got a Friend

1 votes

How Sweet it Is

1 votes

Handy Man

0 votes

Mexico

1 votes

Your Smiling Face

0 votes

Shower the People

0 votes

Sweet Baby James

5 votes

Other (write in)

1 votes

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 12 2013 08:31 AM

James Taylor was the son of an alcoholic doctor who grew up in comfortable means in Chapel Hill, NC and Martha's Vineyard. Became the first artist signed to the Beatles' Apple label in the late 60s but bouts with depression and heroin addiction and Apple's own troubles got his career off to a sputtering start. Re-signed to Reprise in the US, he became one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of the 1970s before his career veered into adult-contemporism, more sporadic releases and a knack for dreadful covers. For awhile there, though, he was the whole package: Good singer and guitar picker, wrote some good songs, banged a lotta chicks. Before banishing you to a lifetime in solitude on a desert island, the Fates have allowed you to bring along a mix-tape that MUST include one James Taylor selection. Which of these will you take? (sorry, Voting is required) Listen! Discuss ! Defend! Argue! Carolina in My Mind [youtube:8k9ixq8n]Gic6B-B6rpg[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] Fire & Rain [youtube:8k9ixq8n]cwugjyeSKx4[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] You've Got A Friend [youtube:8k9ixq8n]xEkIou3WFnM[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] How Sweet It Is [youtube:8k9ixq8n]kSQdRz-HlJw[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] Handy Man [youtube:8k9ixq8n]kGdWA93e-Ls[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] Mexico [youtube:8k9ixq8n]VQnHAb_6sOs[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] Your Smiling Face [youtube:8k9ixq8n]77G9VZSm5ZA[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] Shower the People [youtube:8k9ixq8n]I_etU9MED4k[/youtube:8k9ixq8n] Sweet Baby James [youtube:8k9ixq8n]iSkaEP2ZqbY[/youtube:8k9ixq8n]

TransMonk Apr 12 2013 08:34 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

Thank goodness this isn't Justin Timberlake Island. "Fire and Rain" for me.

The Second Spitter Apr 12 2013 08:35 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

"Carolina on my Mind" ftw! I love that song, like "Sailing" by CC I can be in the foulest of foul moods, and it would make me smile!

sharpie Apr 12 2013 08:37 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

Went with Carolina in My Mind though I could have gone with Sweet Baby James or Fire and Rain. After that, I liked him progressively less. His "How Sweet It Is" is so much lamer than Jr. Walker's original.

metirish Apr 12 2013 08:38 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

I'm surprised Taylor wasn't playing at the opening of this thread! How Sweet it is I guess.

Edgy MD Apr 12 2013 08:54 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

There's a lot of goodness left out of the polling options, but I decided not to mine them, and went for "Mexico." I saw JT on Letterman promoting a greatest hits or retrospective package, and as Letterman introduced him, he looked down at his notes and said something like, "Wow, he's going to that one?" and it was "Mexico," and it was really nice to hear it again like I was hearing it for the first time. A Taylor classic that didn't get killed by soft rock playlists. I like most of his soul/R&B covers. It's funny, as long before the grungers got lost between not knowing when they were being ironic or earnest, JT did. He wrote "Steamroller" as a parody of white boys from privleged backgrounds who play the blues in folk clubs, but it became a minor hit and got covered by a lot of folks who didn't know it was a joke, and treated it like real blues, including Elbus. JT, for his part, ended up covering more black music than three other white folk artists put together: "Up on the Roof" "On Broadway" (that's two Drifters songs already) "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" "Handyman" "Everyday" (white cover) "Mockingbird" etc. He did this album called Dad Loves His Work, with J.D. Souther all over it, but Souther didn't get co-billing, even though he makes duet magic out of the hit single "Her Town Too." Why didn't J.D. Souther ever stand up for himself, always providing great harmonies and do-writes to soft rock legends without getting his name on the package? I get the feeling that, for all his mellow sweetness, he was a more than a little bit of a jerk. I read an interview with Carly in which she mentions offhandedly her ongoing friendship with Taylor's brother. The interviewer saw an opening, and asked, "Oh, so are you still somewhat close to James?" She answered something like, "Oh, no. It's probably 20 years since I talked to him." Played a lot of Clinton fundraisers if I recall.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 12 2013 09:05 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

I get the impression Taylor isn't so much as a jerk but just prone to an innate aloofness that got him continually mixed up in drugs and institutionalized. He can't take care of himself much less others. The title "Dad Loves His Work" was supposed to be a knock on Carly's having giving him too many ultimatums. When I wrote of dreadful covers I was thinking of his recent Christmas album. Puh-yook. But yeah, to me, he's sort of Billy Joel-ish in that his bad or boring stuff has sort of obscured all but his most popular work, which you're already sick of, leaving lots of perfectly good early stuff just sitting there underdiscovered. I think I will vote for Carolina but haven't yet.

Mets – Willets Point Apr 12 2013 09:08 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

[youtube:1fifqsmi]2uQa4dvrg1E[/youtube:1fifqsmi]

RealityChuck Apr 12 2013 10:01 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

"Sweet Baby James" is his best melody. I was an early adopter, getting his first album when it came out (did George Harrison get "Something" from the first line of "Something in the Way She Moves"?). Never saw him concert, but I've seen Livingston and Kate live (not together).

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 12 2013 10:33 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

I like "Carolina" and "Fire," but the projected nostalgia of the first and the heavyhanded symbolism of the second relegate 'em to near-miss selections for my affection. "Something In The Way She Moves" is a close second-- folk works best when it's straightforward, I think-- but "Sweet Baby James" (the prettiest melody he ever wrote and well-turned lyrics, to boot) noses it out.

Frayed Knot Apr 12 2013 11:17 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

SBJ

Edgy MD Apr 12 2013 11:34 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

That puts "Sweet Baby" into the lead. But come on. Who sings a love song to themselves?

Frayed Knot Apr 12 2013 11:39 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

'Baby James' was a newly born nephew if I recall the story correctly.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 12 2013 11:40 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

Edgy MD wrote: That puts "Sweet Baby" into the lead. But come on. Who sings a love song to themselves? A championship-level-aloof fella who hasn't talked to his son's mother in 20 years? (The baby was his namesake.)

Edgy MD Apr 12 2013 11:55 AM Re: Stranded on JT Island

Oh, yeah, whatevs. The title of song was immediately turned on him. He got himself dubbed with a tender nickname that's lasted decades. It'll be on his tombstone. Score.

G-Fafif Apr 12 2013 05:26 PM Re: Stranded on JT Island

[youtube:1dcf67fi]rSSqnBfgBsQ[/youtube:1dcf67fi] My choice. Something so warm and wistful about this 1991 release.

Edgy MD Apr 13 2013 03:10 PM Re: Stranded on JT Island

Copperline sounds like a Bruce Hornsby song that Taylor somehow got his hands on. Is that crazy?