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The Best Of James Taylor
''The Best of James Taylor'' is the fourth compilation album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor released by Warner Bros. Records in 2003. The same album was released in Europe as ''You've Got a Friend: The Best of James Taylor''. The album emphasizes Taylor's recordings for the label; fourteen of the twenty tracks on the album are from his time with Warner Bros. It contains one previously unreleased track, "Bittersweet", recorded for this release. It entered the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart on April 26, 2003, at number 11, with sales of approximately 73,500 copies. It remained on the chart for 42 weeks. It was awarded a certified gold record on December 17, 2003, and a platinum record on April 15, 2005, by the RIAA. Track listing All songs were written by James Taylor, except where noted. #"Something in the Way She Moves" – 2:27 #"Sweet Baby James" – 2:53 #" Fire and Rain" – 3:25 #" Country Road" – 3:30 #* ''Single version, previously unreleased on any James T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single " Fire and Rain" and had his first hit in 1971 with his recording of "You've Got a Friend", written by Carole King in the same year. His 1976 ''Greatest Hits'' album was certified Diamond and has sold 12 million copies in the US alone. Following his 1977 album '' JT'', he has retained a large audience over the decades. Every album that he released from 1977 to 2007 sold over 1 million copies. He enjoyed a resurgence in chart performance during the late 1990s and 2000s, when he recorded some of his most-awarded work (including '' Hourglass'', '' October Road'', and '' Covers''). He achieved his first number-one album in the US in 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweet Baby James (song)
"Sweet Baby James" is a song written and recorded by James Taylor that serves as the opening and title track from his 1970 breakthrough album ''Sweet Baby James''. It was released as the first single from the album but did not chart. Nonetheless, it is one of his best-known and most popular tunes. Taylor considers it his best song. History The song was written by Taylor for the son of his older brother Alex, who was also named James (and indeed was named after him). Deliberately a cross between a cowboy song and a lullaby, it was first thought up by Taylor as he was driving through Carolina to meet his infant nephew for the first time. Taylor spent considerable effort on the lyrics, whose verses he later said used the most intricate rhyming pattern of his career. One of the most famous parts of the lyric is: :''Now the first of December was covered with snow'' :''And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston'' :''Lord, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shower The People
"Shower the People" is the opening track on James Taylor's 1976 album '' In the Pocket''. Reception '' Cash Box'' said that the song is "a meaningful ballad that will pick up a lot of FM airplay" said that it has "a way with melody and phrasing" similar to other Taylor songs. Personnel *James Taylor – lead vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitars * Carly Simon – harmony vocals *Danny Kortchmar – electric guitars *Leland Sklar – bass guitar *Russ Kunkel – drums, percussion *Victor Feldman – orchestral bells, vibes *Clarence McDonald – Fender Rhodes, hornorgan *Nick DeCaro – hornorgan, voiceorgan Chart performance "Shower the People" reached #22 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the U.S. that fall, remaining in the Top 40 for eight weeks. It also topped the Easy Listening chart for one week, Taylor's third song to do so, following 1971's "You've Got a Friend" and 1975's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)". In Canada, the song fell short of the Pop Top 40 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mexico (James Taylor Song)
"Mexico" is a song written by James Taylor that first appeared as the opening track of his 1975 album ''Gorilla''. It was released as a single, with the album's title track as the B-side, and reached No. 49 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, but performed much better on the Adult Contemporary chart, reaching No. 5. "Mexico" has appeared on many of Taylor's live and compilation albums. It has been covered by Jimmy Buffett, Alex de Grassi and Lauren Laverne. Lyrics and music The lyrics of "Mexico" describe a dream of enjoying a night in a Mexican border town. It seems to describe the singer's first-hand experiences in Mexico but has a twist near the end where the singer acknowledges that he has never been to Mexico, turning the song into a "fantasy about escaping to an exotic land." It is one of several songs on ''Gorilla'' that uses a stream of consciousness technique to describe the singer's fantasy. Others include "Music" and "You Make It Easy." ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' critic D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eddie Holland
Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", he started working behind the scenes due to stage fright. He was a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team responsible for much of the Motown Sound and hit records by Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Isley Brothers, among others. He has written or co-written 80 hits in the UK and 143 in the US charts. Holland served as the team's lyricist, and also worked with producer Norman Whitfield on lyrics for the songs he produced for the Marvelettes and the Temptations, like "Too Many Fish in the Sea" and "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" is a 1966 song, written by Norman Whitfield and Edward Holland, Jr., and produced by Whitfield. Norman Whitfield recorded ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lamont Dozier
Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Dozier was a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Isley Brothers. Along with Brian Holland, Dozier served as the team's musical arranger and producer, while Eddie Holland concentrated mainly on lyrics and vocal production. Along with the Holland Brothers, Dozier followed his work for Motown Records as founder and owner of Invictus Records and Hot Wax Records, producing top-charting hits for acts Freda Payne, Honey Cone, Chairmen of the Board, and 100 Proof Aged in Soul. Early years Dozier recorded a few unsuccessful records for various Detroit labels before ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Holland
Brian Holland (born February 15, 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound, and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Isley Brothers. Holland, along with Lamont Dozier, served as the team's musical arranger and producer. He has written or co-written 145 hits in US and 78 in the UK. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. For a short time, he partnered with Robert Bateman, and together they were known as "Brianbert", collaborating on such hits as " Please Mr. Postman" for The Marvelettes. Holland has also had an on-and-off career as a performer. He released a solo single in 1958 under the name of "Briant Holland". He and longtime friend and future songwriting partner Freddie Gorman were in a short-lived group called the Fidalatones, and he was later ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" is a song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye from his fifth studio album of the same name (1965). It was written in 1964 by the Motown songwriting team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier. The song title was inspired by one of the actor and comedian Jackie Gleason's signature phrases, "How Sweet It Is!" Marvin Gaye version Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, the song was released as a single in September 1964. It peaked at number six on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in January 1965 and at number three on US ''Billboard's'' R&B Singles chart. Up to that point, it was Gaye's most successful single with record sales exceeding 900,000 copies. The song's personnel includes Marvin Gaye on lead vocals; The Andantes on background vocals; and The Funk Brothers on various instruments, including piano and percussion. Gaye also released a German-language version of the song entitled ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter James Taylor, from his 1972 album '' One Man Dog''. The song has been included on three of Taylor's greatest-hits collection albums: ''Greatest Hits'' (1976), '' Classic Songs'' (1987) and ''The Best of James Taylor'' (2003). Taylor re-recorded the song for the 2001 Michael Brecker album '' Nearness of You: The Ballad Book''; this rendition won Taylor the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2002. Personnel *James Taylor – lead vocals, acoustic guitar *Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar *Craig Doerge – piano *Lee Sklar – bass guitar *Russ Kunkel – drums, congas *Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone Reception ''Billboard'' described "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" as a "ballad beauty." ''Record World'' called it a "superb lilting ballad featuring stunning Peter Asher production work and a terrific saxophone finale." ''AllMusic'' reviewer Bill Janovitz wrote th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Long Ago And Far Away (James Taylor Song)
"Long Ago and Far Away" is a song written by James Taylor and first released on his 1971 album ''Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon''. It was the follow up single to ''You've Got a Friend'' and became a Top 40 hit in the U.S. and a Top 20 hit in Canada, and made the Top 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the U.S. It has also been covered by New York Voices and Johnny Mathis. Lyrics and music Taylor wrote "Long Ago and Far Away" in 1970, about a year before it was recorded for ''Mud Slide Slim''. Joni Mitchell sings background vocals and Carole King plays piano. It is a sad song that Taylor biographer Timothy White calls "among the most wistful of Taylor's vast catalogue of secular hymns." The theme of the song is how things don't turn out as planned, how dreams don't usually match the ultimate reality and how expectations don't last. The lyrics describe a young man whose dreams have not come true. The lyrics evoke a motif common in Taylor's songs, that of the sea and sail ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
You Can Close Your Eyes
"You Can Close Your Eyes" is a song written by James Taylor which was released on his 1971 album ''Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon''. It was also released as the B-side to his #1 single "You've Got a Friend". It has often been described as a lullaby. It was initially recorded by his sister Kate Taylor for her 1971 album '' Sister Kate''. The song has been covered by many artists, including Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Maureen McGovern, Richie Havens, Sheryl Crow, Sting, Eddie Vedder with Natalie Maines, and the King's Singers. James Taylor's version Taylor wrote "You Can Close Your Eyes" about a year before it was recorded in early 1971. Taylor regards it as "a secular hymn." Rock journalist Dave Thompson considers it one of the best songs Taylor had written up to that point. Allmusic critic Bill Janovitz describes "You Can Close Your Eyes" as "a beautiful lullaby", and ''Rolling Stone'' critic Ben Gerson similarly calls it "an exquisite lullaby." Critic Al Rudis goes fur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carole King
Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of all time, King is the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century in the US, having written or co-written 118 pop hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. King also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts between 1962 and 2005. King's major success began in the 1960s when she and her first husband, Gerry Goffin, wrote more than two dozen chart hits, many of which have become standards, for numerous artists. She has continued writing for other artists since then. King's success as a performer in her own right did not come until the 1970s, when she sang her own songs, accompanying herself on t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
