AMAZING!| FIRST TIME HEARING James Taylor - Fire and Rain REACTION

AMAZING!| FIRST TIME HEARING James Taylor - Fire and Rain REACTION
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Welcome to Rob Squad Reactions This is a music reaction channel. My passion is being a content creator, and providing my audience with unique, funny, and never before seen reaction videos. I have come to grow a love for all types of music from my beloved rap to heavy metal and I want to share that love with all of you. Being a content creator is my passion and it brings me so much joy and being able to share my passion and joy with all of you and grow as a community is an amazing feeling. In addition to reacting to all different types of music, I am also a a husband to my amazing wife Amber and a dad to 3 amazing kids Bria, Kiya and Luca.We here to try and make a change in this world starting with something that brings us all together MUSIC!!
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[@TheBigdawg928]

One of the greatest songs written. After 9/11, they held a concert in Madison Sq Garden, attended by firemen, police, responders, and their families and James Taylor wanted to perform. The organisers were worried about having him perform because while an OUTSTANDING singer/songwriter, he wasn't as popular as he once was. Well, James came out, all disheveled, sat on stage with his guitar in hand, and sang this song, and another one. When he was done, there wasn't a dry eye in the house, including the organisers. James Taylor is an American treasure.

[@pattyestrada6]

As many have stated, this song was written about a friend of his who committed suicide, and about his struggles with heroin addiction. Love that you mentioned the song “You’ve Got A Friend” because Carole King wrote that song in response to this song, to let her good friend James know that he always had a friend.

[@heavenlysonshine]

Heroin, really?

[@nikolatesla5553]

@@heavenlysonshine Yes really. James Taylor had some serious problems with H. But he was without question, one of the great singer songwriters of the 70s.

[@heavenlysonshine]

@@nikolatesla5553 Ok. If you say so. I had never heard that about him. And, thanks for inventing AC.

[@51Dss]

Carole King wrote this song as well! LOL

[@pattyestrada6]

@@51Dss No, she played the piano on it, but Taylor wrote the song.

[@JamesJoyce12]

this is a song about a female friend of his who committed suicide - if you have someone close to you that you have not spoken to for a while - call them - tell them you love them and are thinking of them

[@bradarch5357]

Yes this song is about this. So sad. It's a all time classic.

[@PaulJoeTX]

Amen! ❤

[@jmolony31]

The second verse was written several months later about his struggles in rehab.

[@holydado]

Great advice James, too bad more people don’t do this. Do you know how many call me to just say their thinking of me…….none, I usually only get calls when I’m needed.

[@lethiapage4767]

I know a lot about a lot. Music has been my jam for 53 years and I'm a walking encyclopedia and jukebox. so I know a million bands and love them all but James Taylor is on a very short list of my very very fav artists. He is a master and a humble servant of the guitar. I have seen him 3 times in concert and it was beautiful... Your next stop might oughtta be Sweet Baby James or Carolina in my mind. There are eras of James Taylor music too and he has covered different genres from blues and funk to country and bluegrass and he even does jazz. If you wanna get weird check out sun on the moon. He has friends and has collab with a bunch of different artists! Sting. YoYo. Mark knopfler. Simon and Garfunkel. Carole king. Joni Mitchell. Amy grant. Carly Simon.

[@1dkappe]

From NPR: “The song has three verses. One is about a friend who committed suicide, another is about Taylor's addiction to heroin, the third refers to a mental hospital and a band Taylor started called The Flying Machine.”

[@locomotivebreath2831]

I bumped into James Taylor near the Martha Vineyard Ferry years ago [at first I didn't realize who he was]. By the time I realized who he was I regret not asking him what the pieces on the ground line meant. Thanks for explaining it. [still wished I had asked him] FYI - it was freezing cold out and I was bringing coffee and muffins back to the Ferry and that's why he stopped to talk to me.

[@lesliesterling826]

i don't know how much of it is true, but lore says that he wrote this while he was in a mental hospital near here, so the three verses are connected: yes the first verse is about a friend he used to confide in--when she killed herself he felt he didn't have anyone to share his music with any more. her death also made him reflect on how the rest of his life was falling apart: his drug addiction in the second verse, and the poor performance of his debut band and debut album which made him feel like he was a "failure", right before his wrote this, basically his biggest and most emotionally powerful hit. it's a masterpiece all around.

[@kathimoore6527]

@@lesliesterling826 It's my understanding that his FRIEND was committed to a mental institution by her family, she committed suicide; and the other verses are about his heroin addiction......"my body's aching and my time is at hand"

[@olanaowen7320]

@@kathimoore6527 he was in a mental hospital. He recently was very open about dealing with depression.

[@jefferytheis4157]

@@locomotivebreath2831 cool story. It reminded me of an almost forgotten experience - years ago my wife and I were on the MV ferry and I joked that maybe we would see James, or Carly. And there was Carly Simon. We said hello and had a nice little chat, tried not to be typical "fans". She was gracious and pleasant.

[@inkoinfinity2]

"Won't you look down upon me Jesus,you got to help me make a stand" I get chills from that line every time. You won't regret diving into his catalog, many peaceful and relaxing songs with high level of musicianship.

[@karengoodenough827]

Those of us who grew up listening to his songs, you don’t even realize but you know all the words to every James Taylor song you hear, as if these songs have burrowed into your soul

[@rickwiese3233]

Carol King, a friend of JT, wrote “You’ve Got a Friend” as kind of a reply to this song. Give a listen to come full circle.

[@glenjohnson9302]

I actually remember this song on playing after a combat patrol. I was singing it and everyone stopped to listen. I used to sing real well. Some of them had never heard it and it was a moving thing. I was team leader and it was a side of me they had never seen before.

[@mikec5309]

Thanks for your service!

[@ronaldstokes4841]

Welcome Home Brother.

[@kevinmcconnell9426]

I too had a Sinatra quality baritone until I had a stroke, it was goodbye to the baritone, Crosby quality whistle, access to the stored Oxford dictionary, ability to rant incessantly without getting tongue tied, but all my extremities work, and I can still walk without assistance/cane. So in the great scheme of things my stroke had minimal negative affects, if their is such a thing;)

[@carpediem4887]

Were you like the Fergie of your generation?

[@glenjohnson9302]

@@kevinmcconnell9426 I actually just had a stroke in January but I had some medical training and I knew within 5 minutes of it starting. It was so bad it took me over 20 minutes to remember how to dial 911 but within 45 minutes I was receiving the optimal treatment. With all the things I had going wrong they did not have good expectations. But because I knew I was having it and got the best treatment all I still have from it is a small bit of numbness in my right middle finger. I'm so glad I'm such a geek and I'm always learning and studying beyond my training. I hope things go well for you.

[@KeithHuylebroeck]

To answer your question - some insight from Noah Adams who spoke with Taylor: -- Taylor wrote "Fire and Rain" in 1968. The song has three verses. One is about a friend who committed suicide, another is about Taylor's addiction to heroin, the third refers to a mental hospital and a band Taylor started called The Flying Machine. Each verse is followed by the same chorus, `I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end. I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd see you again.' --- Each of "Fire and Rain"'s verses deals with an adversity Taylor has dealt with in his life. The first is about a friend, Susanne, who he found had died, "At the time, I was recording in England with The Beatles, and my friends had sort of kept the information about this death from me because they thought, you know, `This is a crucial time for him, he's doing his work, and we don't want to upset him or bring him down.' So my friend Richard Corey told me about it, but he had known about it for a month or so before he mentioned it to me. So that's where `they let me know you were gone' comes in." The second verse is when you're still struggling to get off hard drugs, "That was in New York, and that was when I came back to this country from London and was surprised that I'd picked up a habit. So I was physically very uncomfortable and having a rough time." And the third verse in the mental hospital at Stockbridge. "Up at Austin Riggs in Stockbridge. Yeah. It was--that is not a very--that's not so much a specific one, it's just sort of--I don't know what--kind of generally introspective kind of verse, I guess."

[@DianaJG8]

Thank you so much, Keith! Here I am almost 66 years old and I've LOVED this song for more years than I remember, but I've NEVER known all this priceless info. 😘💯

[@KevinHirst664]

James is my all time favorite. It’s just simple, heartfelt perfection. He’s a genius.

[@richardcastleman7487]

hes one of the purest voices

[@kperry2504]

Your both right about his accent! 🙂 James was raise in North Carolina! He wrote another hit "Carolina In My Mind" about his longing to go back to North Carolina! 😊

[@deelawson4551]

Yes, I was going to recommend that song because living in North Carolina myself,this is played a lot and one of my favorites :) ;

[@kperry2504]

@@deelawson4551 Me too! :)

[@garrettelliott6623]

I would request it when I lived in Georgia, we would go the the local and they had live music! Carolina is my home now and forever!

[@juliannrose5919]

In an interview Carol King said she wrote You've got a friend for him in response to the line I've seen lonely times when I couldn't find a friend .

[@augustingarnier4625]

When James played this song live at the 9/11 families/first responders' concert he helped heal a nation. i watched it on TV and I was sobbing, even though I already knew the song. Thank you, James.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

During the decade they were married, Taylor and Carly Simon recorded a great duet, Mockingbird. It proved to be one of both these singers' biggest hits. I think you'd love it. BTW, Taylor is still touring and has a nine-country, four-month tour in Europe later this year.

[@ianmitnick8245]

A friend of James Taylor's was Suzanne who very sadly took her own life - he knew her , and also James Taylor has struggled with heroin and drug addiction or did when younger and depression and mental health issues and being hospitalized for them - he wrote about pieces of flying machines on the ground regarding the incident of a plane crash I believe - but without a doubt James Taylor is one of the greatest musical genius songwriters of modern music in my opinion.

[@neilschroeder7854]

The Flying Machine was actually a band he belonged to that broke up causing more mental stress for James.

[@thomastimlin1724]

@@neilschroeder7854 Where did he get this idea of a plane crash? Read history, not listen to rumors.

[@neilschroeder7854]

@@thomastimlin1724 I think when the song first came out, a lot of people thought that his friend died in a plane crash. Without internet and instant access to interviews or other information source, they had no way to verify how the friend died. I didn’t know until a few years ago that he was in a band called Flying Machine, so I never understood the reference. I have known for a couple decades at least that Suzanne committed suicide.

[@theengagedfew]

"You've Got A Friend" was written(and originally recorded) by Carole King, on her incredible album, "Tapestry." She said it was a direct response to that line about not being able to find a friend.

[@cullyford3689]

Need Carol King

[@kevinwallis2194]

james and carol together live is great

[@mstewart109]

Carole King was an amazing songwriter singer same era. Please do some of her songs from her tapestry album.

[@jimrupe9991]

Tapestry...one of the greatest albums in music history. Carol King and female Friday, match made in heaven my friends.

[@kevinwallis2194]

@@jimrupe9991 Every time i think or hear a couple of her songs it makes my heart flutter and brings back good and bad memories of when i was young and in love, or so i thought.

[@dougstevens6257]

To me, James Taylor is a major talent. You might also want to check out "Shower the People", "Mexico" and "Country Roads". Just beautiful soft rock!

[@MrHunterbuchanan]

His voice and playing are beautiful, but his songwriting is what's most special to me. I absolutely adore the song "Copperline" (which he co-wrote with an excellent poet, Reynolds Price)

[@andrew348]

Mexico is such a great song that no one seems to react to...its a pity really.

[@debbiechang5781]

Yes! “Shower the People” is my favorite!

[@serasmile6026]

@@andrew348 so very true. I love Mexico

[@LarryFleetwood8675]

@@MrHunterbuchanan It's great yes, also good is the 1986 Christmas single with Ricky Skaggs "New Star Shining".

[@annb8296]

Fire and Rain has multiple meanings regarding different struggles Taylor has faced in his life. The first verse of the song was written for a close friend, Suzanne Schnerr, who committed suicide while Taylor was working with the Beatles in London in 1968. His friends kept the news from him for several weeks until eventually "my friend Richard Corey told me about it, but he had known about it for a month or so before he mentioned it to me. So that's where `they let me know you were gone' comes in" Taylor told NPR. The second verse is about Taylor's anxieties, particularly the discomfort he felt over his heroin addiction. He would struggle with it for 18 years. The third verse is a nod to Taylor's time at an in-patient center. "It's just ... kind of a generally introspective kind of verse" said Taylor. Despite the sad nature of the song, Taylor describes the experience of writing it as "a great relief" as he said to NPR. "That song relieved a lot of sort of tension ... There was things that I needed to get rid of or at least get out of me ... either by telling somebody else or by just putting them out in a form in front of me so that I could say, `There they are.'

[@Nitro1970]

I thought the third verse was in reference to his band that broke up?

[@annb8296]

@@Nitro1970 Not according to his own words.

[@johnsexton2200]

Sweet dreams and Flying Machines, in pieces on the ground. His old group that didn't make it was Flying Machine.

[@fionnmaccumhaill3257]

Carol King's song "You've Got A Friend" was written for James Taylor after she heard this song on the radio! That was her response to him and this song. Very touching actually!

[@salbuda6957]

She is a sweetheart, real genuine! Never saw her in concert, but in appearances on Letterman, etc... Taylor in kind supported her. He prodded her to sing her songs not just write them for others.

[@hackermusic3355]

She didn't have to hear it on the radio because she was playing piano on the record.

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

"Carolina In My Mind", "Country Road", "Sweet Baby James", "You've Got A Friend"... JT is the ultimate mellowness.

[@i.marchand4655]

Baby James is, indeed, downright mellow. But then there's Donovan. They call him Mellow Yellow (quite rightly). Just sayin', James does have some competition for that mellow title. 🙂

[@morningcoffeebreak7367]

Everything by James Taylor is BEAUTIFUL, but especially the songs he wrote himself. Very poetic, usually very tender. He was married to Carly Simon who you've already reacted to a couple of times, during the most popular points of their careers. "Mockingbird" is a must listen duet with these two. (the studio version)

[@RadCenter]

I love the live version. It's so much fun.

[@glennknauer2696]

He married my buddy ethans aunt. Ethan went to visit her and met him, wish i could have been there.

[@SK-lk3iu]

@@RadCenter I agree. I rarely recommend live versions for a first listen, but in this case, it's a must-see, so fun & endearing!!

[@teresajarrell452]

YES!! MOCKINGBIRD!! 👍😃❣️

[@morningcoffeebreak7367]

@@RadCenter It really is fun, especially for us that know the song. I just have a hard time with the sound quality of the video.

[@scottdonohue3379]

James Taylor is an AMAZING artist! This song was written while he was doing rehab and that in part is what the song is about. Suzanne that he talks about early in the song was a friend of his that was also struggling with drug addiction/ mental health problems who committed suicide. It’s funny that you all reacted to You’ve Got A Friend first because it was actually written for him by his long time friend Carole King as a response to this song. She said she heard the line “I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.”, so she wrote this song to let him know that he always had a friend. James and Carole have been friends for a very long time and toured together repeatedly.

[@jeffking4176]

The Carol King part , I did not know. Interesting. 📻🙂

[@jefflarkin9619]

The whole thing about the Singer-Songwriter era was about intimacy... sounding like this was being played in your living room (or by a campfire) just for you. The great triad of artists in 1970-71 was James Taylor, Carole King and Joni Mitchell who led this type of music.

[@TheBigdawg928]

Jim Croce, and Harry Chapin as well

[@abelincoln3287]

Please check out "Mockingbird" by James Taylor and Carly Simon live version, you will love it.

[@Shrykespeare]

Listen to the former president. 😁

[@btgiv6009]

I grew up on Carly Simon, and can still sing many deep album cuts by heart... but I never liked that song. They really need to listen to "Carolina in My Mind" and "Copperline". Both soooo good!

[@vickywestfield7282]

@@btgiv6009 The song itself is not great, but the video is

[@jimreese696]

I love that video!

[@sjw5797]

@@vickywestfield7282 I love the song, and I love the way they sing it, with all their ad libs.

[@jamesrobertson2361]

James wrote this song for a girl who he met in rehab. He was in England working with Beatles when he received word she had taken her own life.

[@sparky6086]

And he didn't find out, until long after she died, because people knew, that he was busy overseas and didn't want to upset him, lest he take his mind off his work. Overseas telephone calls weren't common back then, so it was easier to hide the sad news from James.

[@RitaBowen1]

James Taylor was born in Massachusetts when he was 3 years old his parents moved to chapel Hill North Carolina even though he was not born here he was bred here at North Carolina claims him as her own Carolina on my mind is a great song and one of my favorite songs he sings. North Carolina is so very very proud of him and proud to say he grew up here

[@merlball8520]

"Fire and Rain" is a heartbreaking song if you really get into the lyrics. The man is telling you he's at the end of his rope with grief. He prays in the middle of the song for strength to go on. It chokes me up almost every time I hear it. It's the kind of song you play over and over after losing someone close to you. "But I always thought that I'd see you again..." - A reminder to not take the people you care about for granted. You never know when they could be taken from you. God bless and comfort to any of you who know that feeling first-hand.

[@bradleyspear167]

This is from NPR onJune 26, 2000: Taylor wrote "Fire and Rain" in 1968. The song has three verses. One is about a friend who committed suicide, another is about Taylor's addiction to heroin, the third refers to a mental hospital and a band Taylor started called The Flying Machine. Each verse is followed by the same chorus, `I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end. I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd see you again.' James Taylor told me he can't stand to hear his songs on the radio. He dives for the dial if "Fire and Rain" comes on. But it remains a song he likes to sing and one that audiences always wait for.

[@iceman5006]

Suzanne was a friend of his who was institutionalized for mental health issues and she committed suicide. The 2nd verse is about his heroin addiction asking God to help him through another day. Flying machines in pieces on the ground is reference to his former band Flying Machines breaking up.

[@deepcoder1845]

He still sounds the same today 40 years later. Still performs. Incredible.

[@richardhooser5096]

52 years later. Longer if you include the Flying Machine. Most of my adult life. Amazing.

[@toniyoung5131]

Over 50 years later. I was given the album from an ex for my 18th birthday, I'm 69 this year. This song will always move me.

[@sunnystormy4973]

-#cheers-- !- 🔥💦

[@elizabethfriedman3481]

I was lucky enough to get to see James Taylor live. He sounds exactly like this live. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been to.

[@sterrettcollins7332]

For the campfire sound, you should listen to Sweet Baby James. I also recommend Your Smiling Face.

[@barbarahouston634]

When my friend invited me to his apt to hear this brand new record, we were in college. His apt was just one room, and his only furniture was his stereo and a pile of blankets. I sat on the floor as far as I could from his bedding. But the first song he played was Fire and Rain. "Just yesterday morning, they let me know..." I felt tears by the end of the verse. After the song, he got me a strand of toilet paper to wipe my eyes. We listened to the whole album twice, sitting cross-legged on the floor, our shoulders together, talking about James Taylor, music, life ... everything . Thank you for the song and the memory.

[@marcisikoff]

It's Bobby West playing the double bass on this song that really kicks in the melancholy of it.

[@alanbrown3963]

James Taylor is a brilliant musician and song writer. You 'feel' his songs. They are abstract, yet you somehow relate what his lyrics say to some point in your life experiences.

[@crandyran]

Please do Sweet Baby James… probably my next favorite James Taylor song after this one. 😊

[@Me-wk3ix]

In 2005, during an interview on NPR, Taylor explained to host Scott Simon that the song was written in three parts:[5] The first part was about Taylor's friend Suzanne, who died while Taylor was in London working on his first album after being signed to Apple Records. Friends at home, concerned that it might distract Taylor from his big break, kept the tragic news from him, and he found out six months later. The second part details Taylor's struggle to overcome drug addiction and depression. The third part deals with coming to grips with fame and fortune, looking back at the road that got him there. It includes a reference to James Taylor and the Flying Machine, a band he briefly worked with before his big break with Paul McCartney, Peter Asher, and Apple Records. (From Wikapedia)

[@J_Gamble]

I always just thought it was about his friend Suzanne. Live and learn.

[@taylemgames2652]

@@J_Gamble The first part was.

[@helgar791]

Although I loved this song from his first album, "Sweet Baby James", a lullaby for his baby nephew is my favorite. The other great songs from his first album IMO was "Country Road" and "Blossom". This song however is the most covered by other artists from this album.

[@mellenbecker56]

Sweet Baby James is my fav too. I saw James say in an interview once that he "worked really hard on that song"

[@hog7203]

All great tunes. Country Road is my fav. Carolina on My Mind another goodie also.

[@MisterWondrous]

Sweet Baby James is a child of Chapel Hill, North Carolina but also claims Massachusetts as his home, so he is a well-rounded human being. His dad was head of the Medical School at UNC. They lived in one of the most modern houses in the state. Lots of glass, concrete, wood and landscape. I love him and his music. Some favorites are "Shower the People you love with love. Show them the way that you feel." It has your names all over it, because that is what y'all do...three times a day. Another good one is the one that goes: "Long ago, a young man sits and plays his waiting game, But things are not the same it seems as in such tender dreams Slowly passing sailing ships and Sunday afternoon Like people on the moon I see, are things not meant to be Where do those golden rainbows end? Why is this song so sad? Dreaming the dreams I've dreamed, my friend Loving the love I love."

[@Cookie-ob4co]

Yes.. I love sweet baby James it was the title of the album. My big sister bought it after hearing fire and rain. She still has that album!@

[@kathybwell]

As others have mentioned, James wrote this song after his good friend, Suzanne, took her own life. Then James's good friend Carole King heard this song and wrote the song that you already reacted to, "You've Got a Friend" to support James. So please, could react to Carole King. Inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame, major artist of the '70s & '80s, with so many great songs; It's Too Late, So Far Away, I Feel the Earth Move, and many more.

[@jillmayer9501]

Yes! Please do "So Far Away" - amazing song!

[@ronbrown912]

JT is a national treasure. Still going strong. He is beloved by all. He had his personal demons and struggles as seems to be a part of the artistic world. But he survived and has produced so much great music.

[@JPVLDRodrigues]

I believe James Taylor is a world treasure. I am from Portugal and I love his music!

[@caretaker158]

This is one of the top songs on my "weekend chill" playlist. It's just so smooth and sleepy and mellow and.... and... and... I could go on and on but you guys get it. Oh and Amber, I'm still waiting for the day you drift away so much on a song that you sway right out of that chair! But that's the sign of truly being into a song and being carried away by it. Wonderful to see. Another vote for a song mentioned by someone else on here... James Taylor and Alison Krauss "How's the World Treating You".... oh their voices are amazing alone but combined..... WOW!

[@davidwilson3568]

james is incomparable as a storyteller. amazing.

[@lisajohnson521]

Oh I LOVVVVE JT. He has one of the most beautiful voices and is a wonderful songwriter.

[@adamsher2538]

You've Got a Friend was written by Carole King in response to this song. James loved it and asked if he could record it. He is wonderful in concert and has an extremely talented band with him.

[@whoyoukidding1]

By far, my favorite James Taylor song.

[@Katkatburg3223]

I just saw JT play in Montreal 2022. He was amazing once again and he is 74 yrs, full of energy, funny, sweet, smart. I had a blast!

[@Marcus_1001]

Welcome to the great James Taylor. This man has won 6 Grammy awards and sold over 100 million albums. He's in the elite class of the best-selling artists of all time and he is *amazing* in concert. We have Summerfest here in Milwaukee, which is the largest outdoor music festival in the world. James Taylor has performed at the festival many, many times so I've been fortunate enough to see him live numerous times (5, I think). Thanks for another great reaction, guys!

[@harleycontrarian6111]

Incredible song, a real classic that never gets old. James Taylor sounds exactly the same today as he did all those years ago. Please do some Carole King. Especially from her album Tapestry.

[@FreedomsRealm]

Yes Please some Carole King

[@revdp2010]

Carole King yes please!

[@susieterry2624]

This song has been stopping me dead in my tracks since 1970. Every. Single. Time.

[@bluetopguitar1104]

One of the greatest songwriters of his generation and an extremely good guitarist. His finckerpicking is impeccable and a wonderful voice.

[@DG2244]

JT and Cat stevens were two of my favorite artists, growing up in the 70's. Both could put your mind at ease and quiet your soul. I always felt he was a musicians artist. He truly had a gift.

[@chrissneyd9278]

James hits you in the heart with this, and other, songs. He does a great collaboration with George Harrison singing Here Comes The Sun. Many people have covered this song but they rarely reach relatability that James has with his audience.

[@happymethehappyone8300]

A MUST HEAR Classic,, Carole King "I Feel The Earth Move"

[@rosenfield10]

"Your Smiling Face" is my favorite from James Taylor. ❤

[@787music]

One of the BEST singer songwriters to ever exist!

[@poguemom3]

James Taylor’s music is so soothing to my soul. This song is so sad, though, knowing what it’s about. 💔

[@tediousmaximus1067]

Amber and Jay, you have to hear another version of this song by an "Australian" singer Marcia Hines. Marcia is actually a black American woman who moved from Chicago to Australia in the 1970's. Her version of this song is absolutely mind-blowing! Trust me.

[@richb313]

James Taylor always conveyed as much emotion with lyrics as well as music hearing it and not seeing it is how you first learned of Mr. Taylor back in the 70's so your reaction is perfect.

[@LarryFleetwood8675]

Curiously, the popular '80s singer for Kool and the Gang is also called James Taylor.

[@Cooljack906]

From what I remember James went through rehabilitation for substance abuse. He had a good friend from childhood named Suzanne They helped one another through rough times. She took her own life. I believe the song is about her and his struggles with her death and substance abuse. Great song written about personal experiences in his life...

[@dagmar.6954]

Love James Taylor. What a great singer songwriter. His style is more folk rock. I grew up with his music & had some of his records. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Some other hits were "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)", "Handy Man", "Sweet Baby James", "Carolina in My Mind", "Shower the People" & "Your Smiling Face". He was married at one time to Carly Simon. They had a few duets together including "Mockingbird" & "Devoted to You".

[@thedeceiver5545]

At 19 years old he found himself in London, singing on the streets for a bit of money. As a kid from upper crust New England society he moved in some circles others might not. That led to a connection to the family of Paul McCarney's girlfriend, and her brother Peter Asher. The Beatles had started a label called Apple and had made Peter head of A&R. James called Peter and went over to their studio, where George Harrison happened to be hanging out. He played his demo and sang for them, and George said "OK let's make a record." First Apple artist. The first lines of one of the songs James sang was "Something in the way she moves". He heard that about a year later when Harrison's song "Something" was an A side single. Just chuckled.

[@WaterandFireTarot]

Saw him in 1994 at an outdoor venue in Jersey. Amazing concert.

[@brucetimmerman7092]

This song actually has three messages. One for each verse. Suzanne was a friend who committed suicide. Then there was a plane crash and I forget the other story line. One of my favorite songs. Hope you enjoyed it!

[@jessieball6195]

Taylor's heroin addiction.

[@wolfe6220]

No plane crash. Taylor's previous band was called Flying Machine. In that part of the song, he was implying that fame almost destroyed him.

[@alanbrown3963]

As I look through the comments I notice another reference to an amazing story teller that left us WAY too young. Check out some more Jim Croce. "Operator" is so heartfelt and touching you almost can't avoid a tear when you think about the journey he describes. Such a unique historic perspective in the age of cell phones. There was a time (I remember it clearly) when you actually talked to an operator to make phone calls. "One Less Set of Footsteps", "Tomorrows Gonna Be a Brighter Day", the list goes on and on. Check them out.

[@donnalawrence4666]

Time in a bottle is a must do classic by Jim

[@sylvialawrence4431]

Most definitely!! My favorite is "I'll Have to Say I Love You in A Song"

[@bernardsalvatore1929]

JORDAN, YOU HAVE COME SOOOOOOO FAR IN YOUR MUSIC DISCOVERY JOURNEY!!! IT REALLY IS HEART WARMING TO SEE A YOUNG PERSON WHO ISN'T AFRAID TO STEP OUT OF THEIR MUSIC COMFORT ZONE AND EXPLORE!!! YOU GIVE THIS BABY BOOMER, WHO GREW UP WITH THIS MUSIC, HOPE!!! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS WORLD NEEDS, PEOPLE TO STEP OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONES AND EXPERIENCE THINGS THEY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED BEFORE!! GOD BLESS YOU AND THE ENTIRE ROB SQUAD!!!💖💖

[@autumnfairy15]

YESSSSSS, I agree! It’s a joy to see a younger generation be able to appreciate the music from the past. Good Job You Two!

[@carlbaker7242]

James Taylor, a no loose choice. Thanks for this one.

[@richardbailey1295]

You need to go into this rabbit hole! Recommended: 'Wasn't that a Mighty Storm' 'Me and My Machine' 'How Sweet it is to be Loved By You' 'Sweet Baby James'

[@VIDSTORAGE]

It is a terribly sad song about suicide of a friend but still I love listening to it ...

[@sheilameyers152]

Back in the day it was a popular song….about suicide of a friend! And his mental illness!

[@VIDSTORAGE]

@@sheilameyers152 Sweet Baby James album was listened to a lot back in the day in my home ,...

[@subwaygoddess1]

Aaahh, if you want the campfire effect, please listen to "Sweet Baby James" next! "Fire and Rain" still makes me cry. Also, James singing live is magic! I've seen him in concert, he is funny, talented, and humble. Amber, I know you love horns, so try "Steamroller." It is jazzy, bluesy, and just magical!!!

[@donnakubiski5572]

I agree with you. I love "Sweet Baby James".

[@amys8630]

The live version of Steamroller is a must. ❤

[@barbaradee5191]

This is the recording that introduced James Taylor to the masses. It was a a major hit

[@chelseahaley8350]

It seems like it's been a minute since you guys did James Taylor and I think it's time to get back to him! Sweet baby James, Mexico, Copperline, Something in the way she moves, and Carolina in my mind are all worth a listen

[@jmclen7]

Love James Taylor. If you want to hear the ultimate “campfire” James Taylor song, you’ve got to check out Sweet Baby James. But really he has so many great songs. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

[@sdhproductions8877]

This song was a comfort when I lost someone I loved very much. She's been gone 20 years now but I still think of her every time I hear this song.

[@donaldball9265]

An epic, Emmy-winning masterpiece.

[@christopherwinkler4451]

Wow, it seems like this musical journey he has been on has really transformed Jay, not just in terms of his musical tastes but from the inside out. And that is how the singer/songwriters of the 70's wrote, from the inside. Music can be some power stuff.

[@jamesferris4573]

James Taylor is one of my all time favorites and an excellent guitarist as well as a singer. James Taylor had a concert at the Chesapeake Arena in OKC a few years ago that I wasn't able to attend and I have very much regretted. "Sweet Baby James" is a very good song that he wrote for his little nephew.

[@ericwillison4011]

All three of my kids fell asleep to me singing "Sweet Baby James" and "Carolina on my Mind" to them.

[@redchick5278]

This is my all-time favorite James Taylor song! He wrote it about the death of a friend!!

[@roncypert8255]

He also referenced his heroin addiction in the second verse and his early struggles in the music industry in the final verse. Dang near perfection as far as songwriting, vocals and musical progression. Carol King wrote You’ve Got A Friend for him after hearing this song. They were and have remained very close friends for all these years. Musical royalty for sure.

[@TheMUSICHEART]

James was the first American signed to Apple Records, the Beatles label. My parents listened to bebop and big bands then the professional singers performing the songs and music of composers, song writers and lyricists. Along came Rock ‘n’ Roll but the charts were still full of show tunes and Tin Pan Alley writers like Neil Sedaka, Jerry Geffen and Carole King. Hell, the Beatles recorded “‘til There Was You” from Music Man At the end of the ‘60s the phenomenon of the Singer/Songwriter exploded and JT was in the vanguard. Everybody was writing and performing original material. This musical evolution sure enriched my life.

[@greenwoodtea]

Came out in the summer of 1971. If i remember right. Those were the days. We needed peace. ietnam was still going on, James taylor is what we needed. This is him, at his best. This song played on the radio 200 times a day. Those were the days.

[@sallym1171]

You can't miss with James Taylor. Try How Sweet It Is next, it's one of my favorites.😘

[@jovanisanfemio7641]

Was Carly Simon's husband.

[@reneestes6254]

How Sweet It Is - ♥️♥️♥️ That song makes me happy. 😊

[@shanenolan8252]

Funny i am half way through a funeral for a friend, that i haven't seen in a few years ( but i grew up around) . This song is speaking to me .i believe the song is about a friend of his and she died suddenly, home invasion or something.

[@charlenecross28]

He was huge and he's amazing. Reminds me of someone you haven't discovered yet. Jackson Brown . Stay/ take the load out"

[@charlenecross28]

And you have to do the live so you can see the people.🔥🔥

[@Wordsmyth8]

I think they should start with the Pretender, Fountain or Sorrow or something earlier like Rock Me on the Water, Doctor My Eyes or Jamaica Say You Will.

[@charlenecross28]

@@Wordsmyth8 There all good. I also like running on empty. I just think Satay is such an iconic song.

[@joelliebler5690]

One of the legendary of singer songwriters. This one is one of five that everyone in my era knows.

[@PickleBoot_Arts]

Gotta try out "Sweet Baby James" and "Carolina In My Mind", both beautiful records. Another similar bittersweet ballad is Bread's "I Would Give Everything I Own."

[@furryfriendsfairydust5595]

"Lord knows when the cold wind blows it'll turn your head around" For me, that will forever be - best song lyric line ever written.

[@joeryan7024]

When I was a kid my mom would jam this album every Sunday while we cleaned the house as a family. We all had a different task...Kitchen, bathroom, vacuuming...etc...

[@luberthamoses8072]

Sweet Baby James, his voice is so soothing and comforting. Amazing

[@sharonburris3873]

One of my favorite songs by James Taylor is "Handyman". Love his voice. Another song is "Sweet Baby James".

[@teresajarrell452]

❤️ HANDYMAN and MEXICO but anything by JAMES TAYLOR is great!!

[@joelliebler5690]

I love Handyman and have sung that hundreds of times to my late wife when we were dating . The whole JT album is incredible!

[@maryannturton9830]

Finally! James Taylor is so soothing,like John Denver ...

[@WyattWinters]

Rocky Mountain High please

[@NavvyMom]

@@WyattWinters They did it months ago, not sure when.

[@user-zo1rv9lk2j]

I have heard this song many times before. It used to be played on the radio alot when I was in my teens. I am know 68. Everybody listening to this song will have related to it in different ways. For me when he says I could not find a friend. That hit home. I went through that phase in my life for a very long time. This time I got a different interpretation of this song. This time when he says Susanne the plans they had put an end to you. And later he says flying machine in pieces on the ground. I got the impression that the woman mentioned was killed in a plane crash. That would also cause someone who was head over heals in love with her could make him think about committing suicide.

[@scorpiouk5914]

I know it's a cover, but I had always liked "Handyman". Reminds me of a rare great time in my childhood.

[@pattyestrada6]

I love James Taylor. Can you please react to “Operator (Thats Not The Way It Feels)” by Jim Croce and “Diamonds and Rust” by Joan Baez 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@jsherretz64]

This was a very personal song for James. He was once in Rehab and a friend committed suicide he met there.

[@tommythompson9565]

James Taylor's original Greatest Hits album is a must-listen . Every song is a hit, and deservedly so .

[@mariabryant6582]

James Taylor grew up in Chapel Hill, NC (home of the Tar Heels), and wrote our unofficial state song, Carolina in my Mind. We absolutely love him here. He has always performed here fairly often. I saw him perform once in the basketball arena at Chapel Hill. He was barefoot, and just seemed so relaxed and at home there. He has made a promotional video for CH, calling it his hometown and speaking of his love for the area. This is why he has the slight southern accent when pronouncing some words.

[@JimScholfield]

Fantastic song by a fantastic artist. For an extremely upbeat and happy side of James you must check out he and his wife Carly Simon doing Mockingbird live, dancing and rocking.

[@teresajarrell452]

YES!! 👍😃❣️

[@jillmayer9501]

This song plays at the end of a movie from the late 80s called "Running on Empty." When I tell you I SOBBED at the end of that film I mean I ugly cried uncontrollably lol. Beautiful song. One I've known my entire life thanks to my dad :)

[@sourisvoleur4854]

Saw him in concert in 2018. Fantabulous. Trivia: George Harrison heard Taylor singing his song "Something in the Way She Moves" and stole the line for his biggest song with the Beatles.

[@jameswiglesworth5004]

It say's something when even as someone who is not a fan of James Taylor, I would have this in my top 10 songs of all time

[@13KALEL]

His duet with Alison Krauss is simply amazing. The song is “ How’s The World Treating You “