I hate "Mexico" fwiw
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 20:38 (six years ago) link
I officially despise this song!
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 02:17 (six years ago) link
I still only know that one from National Lampoon's Vacation.
― iCloudius (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 02:19 (six years ago) link
You're in for a treat.
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 02:21 (six years ago) link
TBF "You've Got a Friend" is a Carole King song, not JT. Having grown up with a family who played a lot of JT I have to admit I have a liking for quite a few of his songs - "Carolina In My Mind" (quite a dark song as mentioned upthread), "Sweet Baby James", "Millworker" et al. When he's anodyne he grates, but there's something more there.
― startled macropod (MatthewK), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 02:35 (six years ago) link
as was noted somewhere upthread, he's a first-rate guitarist
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 02:48 (six years ago) link
he's seen rain
― trife's rich padgett (rip van wanko), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 02:55 (six years ago) link
what is that "something more"? i feel like he is that guy who is given the benefit of the doubt for being smarter and better and more skilled than he really is when he doesn't do anything I can directly identify to show he deserves this generosity.
if it's nostalgia motivating most people's affection for him, that's valid and ok -- but it's subjective and personal and not related to his actual musical output (which has yet to distinguish itself to me)
apols about "you've got a friend" -- the version we had to sing along with was the JT version
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 04:59 (six years ago) link
I never knew James Taylor was the Outer Banks Jimmy Buffett! my family only ever went vacationing in east central Florida when I was growing up & I don't think they fuck w/Sweet Baby James as much down there
I don't know much of his music aside from the biggest hits; I can't even remember how "You've Got A Friend" goes. His version of "How Sweet It Is" is p decent imo
― vicious almond beliefs (crüt), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 05:12 (six years ago) link
xp the "something more" is a darkness I perceive in his otherwise-sweet music. I'm occasionally moved by his songs in a way that, say, Billy Joel never does for me, an artist with whom I have the same or even greater familial nostalgia connection.
― startled macropod (MatthewK), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 06:05 (six years ago) link
Adding to what I said five years ago: "Fire and Rain," by itself, is worth more to me than Billy Joel's entire recorded output (it's that perfect, and he's that mediocre).
― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 February 2018 06:12 (six years ago) link
Yeah I'll never change my mind about Billy Joel. All his attempts at dark just read as butthurt.
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 15:26 (six years ago) link
I guess I'm also a sucker for that sort of "beneath the surface" stuff, where a song that ostensibly sounds like vanilla lovemaking by the fireplace has some demons lurking in it.
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 15:28 (six years ago) link
Fire and Rain is the only James Taylor song I know. I think I've mentioned that to people before, and their response was usually something like "surely you know ..." And then they play a song and maybe I recognize it and maybe I don't, but months later, regardless, Fire and Remain remains the only James Taylor song I know. And I only know the chorus, come to think of it! If it came on the radio I don't think I would even recognize it as Fire and Rain. I have a similar problem retaining Jackson Browne, but even with him I know (and can recall) several songs.
I know lots of Billy Joel, I guess. Probably not a single cut not on the hits collection, though. I only know (the) one Jimmy Buffett song. I had a friend back when I was maybe in my very early '20s who was into Buffett, and I asked him, if you're listening to Jimmy Buffett now, what are you going to listen to when you're 50? His answer (duh) was Jimmy Buffett.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 7 February 2018 15:33 (six years ago) link
Jackson Browne is someone whose voice I can never remember but I know a few of his songs due to Nico and others covering them
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 16:09 (six years ago) link
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, February 6, 2018 9:48 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
that's him on joni's "california" and he really makes the song
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 7 February 2018 16:35 (six years ago) link
― startled macropod (MatthewK), Thursday, 8 February 2018 02:40 (six years ago) link
yeah I've listened to that song a million times and not really noticed his partsHis banjo parts on "Old Man" by Neil Young are pretty iconic
― It's not delivery, it's Adorno! (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 8 February 2018 02:55 (six years ago) link
xp obv Joni is the the most important thing about the song, lyrics, vocal, etc. When I say he "makes the song," I don't mean to say "he's the reason the song is good," but just he helps the song stand out among the dulcimer-only songs like "a case of you" or "all I want." He adds a little California sunshine, with the little counter melodies between the verses
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Thursday, 8 February 2018 03:34 (six years ago) link
No need for sass, matt k
hadn't really paid attention before but I'm listening now and it's cool how they have the dulcimer panned right and hard left and they kind of duel with each other
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Thursday, 8 February 2018 03:39 (six years ago) link
dulcimer panned right and guitar panned left
apologies for sass, I just have an intense love for that song and specifically the vocal melody
― startled macropod (MatthewK), Thursday, 8 February 2018 04:57 (six years ago) link
me too! i love everything about the song and i think Taylor's playing adds a lot.
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Thursday, 8 February 2018 05:23 (six years ago) link
The whole sweet baby James is solid
― brimstead, Thursday, 8 February 2018 06:14 (six years ago) link
sweet baby James album, I mean
2 things1) if he was such an amazing instrumentalist (I believe those of you who say he is), I guess what I don't like about him are a) his songs and b) his voice. I applaud his instrumental prowess and can only wish he had quietly gone about his musical business wordlessly
2) last night i was watching some of those "what's in your bag" amoeba videos and one of the guys from red kross had a james taylor album. the clip they played didn't sound as repulsive as i expected, kind of like heavily produced sunshine pop. so much more palatable than his usual sack of singles. i will admit that i did not hate it. i didn't like it, but i didn't recoil in disgust.
this was the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oAInzTXu_Y
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Thursday, 8 February 2018 14:26 (six years ago) link
Ha - I watched TWO-LANE BLACKTOP for the first time last night and nearly fell over when I saw the lead actor. He's pretty affectless and not much of a presence, but the disc includes his screen test with what I'm fairly sure is Joaquin Phoenix pretending to be James, performing the newly-written Riding on a Railroad which is bittersweet brilliant, fuiudhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgg0ym7O6Rc#t=4m32s
― startled macropod (MatthewK), Monday, 12 February 2018 05:10 (six years ago) link
Oh - time link failed to work, jump to 4:32 for the song.
― startled macropod (MatthewK), Monday, 12 February 2018 05:14 (six years ago) link
just watched Two-Lane Blacktop for the first time. it was OK, but I liked James Taylor a lot in it. my man's pupils were pinned throughout
― flappy bird, Monday, 12 February 2018 05:38 (six years ago) link
James Taylor will win over the grouches eventually. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uQa4dvrg1E
― Leaghaidh am brón an t-anam bochd (dowd), Monday, 12 February 2018 05:44 (six years ago) link
Also a fan of "Carolina in My Mind."
― timellison, Monday, 12 February 2018 05:59 (six years ago) link
is james taylor the guitar player sitting on the stage in this video? if so, i revise my assessment of james taylor. i don't like his singing or his songs, but now i have enjoyed his guitar playinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBI669Ac3cg
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 16 April 2018 20:57 (six years ago) link
yes
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Monday, 16 April 2018 21:03 (six years ago) link
James Taylor rules and this thread is absolute insanity.
― lbi's life of limitless european glamour (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 16 April 2018 21:04 (six years ago) link
pshaw
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 01:59 (six years ago) link
That's a beautiful performance
(also, james taylor wrote some great songs)
― niels, Wednesday, 18 April 2018 10:13 (six years ago) link
Terra Nova , come now
― calstars, Sunday, 22 April 2018 03:42 (six years ago) link
Never saw the gatefold art for Flag before--James and his gang look like a bar band that was forced to go 'New Wave'.
https://recordsalbums.com/11430-thickbox_default/james-taylor-flag-vinyl-lp-record-for-sale.jpg
― a bevy of supermodels, musicians and Lena Dunham (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 30 November 2019 02:07 (four years ago) link
What a douche
― calstars, Saturday, 30 November 2019 02:21 (four years ago) link
He's like 80% on the way to David Byrne in that pic.
― a bevy of supermodels, musicians and Lena Dunham (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 30 November 2019 02:25 (four years ago) link
he has a full substitute teacher sneergod i hate him
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 30 November 2019 05:19 (four years ago) link
I've never even really liked this song, but goddamn what a brilliant guitaristhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws5kp1_iksw
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Saturday, 21 November 2020 05:12 (three years ago) link
Yup
― Indieland Phil and Indieland Don (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 21 November 2020 05:19 (three years ago) link
https://images.45worlds.com/f/ab/james-taylor-flag-3-ab.jpg
https://images.45worlds.com/f/ab/james-taylor-flag-2-ab.jpg
Flag inners of New Wave of JT & band from upthread
― "what are you DOING to fleetwood mac??" (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 21 November 2020 05:47 (three years ago) link
hearing this to the tune of "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson"
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Saturday, 21 November 2020 05:50 (three years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/H5pLovP.png
― calstars, Sunday, 29 August 2021 22:26 (two years ago) link
still hate him
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 29 August 2021 22:27 (two years ago) link
Not really a fan, although I did recently enjoy reading how he was jealous of Mick Jagger, at least partially because of “You’re So Vain,” which humanized him a bit for me, and he did write this, which I never tire of posting:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vAuXP4hIoo
― Gwar ina Babyon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 29 August 2021 23:18 (two years ago) link
seen fuckin fire and seen fuckin rain
― Duke Detain (Neanderthal), Monday, 30 August 2021 00:49 (two years ago) link