''James Taylor'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter

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, havi ...

. Released on December 6, 1968, it was the first recording by a non-British artist released by

Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Ma ...

, and would also be Taylor's only release on that label. The album was released under the title ''First Album'' on the South African market.

Background

The album was produced by

Peter Asher Peter Asher, (born 22 June 1944) is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the pop music vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a manager and r ...

, who was A&R head for

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

' newly formed label

. White, Timothy. ''James Taylor: Long Ago and Far Away'', Omnibus Press, 2002, . pp. 134–135. Taylor recorded the album from July to October 1968 at

Trident Studios Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry. ...

, at the same time as the Beatles were recording the White Album.White, ''Long Ago and Far Away'', pp. 136–137. Trident was the most technologically advanced studio in England at the time and was in high demand; some session time booked by The Beatles was used instead to record Taylor's album.

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

and Peter Asher brought in arranger

Richard Hewson Richard Anthony Hewson (born 17 November 1943) is an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who created the studio group RAH Band. Career Hewson began in the late 1960s as an arranger, and has worked with musicians s ...

to add orchestrations to several of the songs and unusual "link" passages in between them; these would receive a mixed reception at best.

Songs

Notable songs include "

Something in the Way She Moves "Something in the Way She Moves" is a song written by James Taylor that appeared on his 1968 debut album for Apple Records, ''James Taylor''. It has also been covered by other artists, including Tom Rush and Harry Belafonte. The opening line i ...

", " Carolina in My Mind" and "Rainy Day Man". McCartney and an uncredited George Harrison guested on bass and

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...

respectively on "Carolina in My Mind", the lyric of which, "holy host of others standing around me", made reference to The Beatles, while the title phrase of Taylor's "Something in the Way She Moves" provided the starting point for Harrison's "

Something Something may refer to: Philosophy and language *Something (concept) *Something, an English indefinite pronoun Music Albums * ''Something'' (Chairlift album), 2012 * ''Something'' (Shirley Bassey album), 1970 * ''Something'' (Shirley Scott ...

".White, ''Long Ago and Far Away'', pp. 137–140. (Coincidentally, Taylor has said he had meant for the song to be called "I Feel Fine" – after a dominant line in the chorus – but the title had already been taken by a Beatles song.) Taylor also recorded a very early version of " Fire and Rain", which would be his breakthrough hit on his second album, but Asher did not choose it for the album release.

Release and reception

The album was released by

On December 6, 1968 in the UK and February 1969 in the US.White, ''Long Ago and Far Away'', pp. 142–144. Critical reaction was generally good, including a very positive

Jon Landau Jon Landau (born May 14, 1947) is an American music critic, manager, and record producer. He has worked with Bruce Springsteen in all three capacities. He is the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and re ...

review in ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' ''Magazine'' that said "this album is the coolest breath of fresh air I've inhaled in a good long while. It knocks me out." The record's commercial potential suffered from Taylor's inability to promote it due to his hospitalization for drug addiction and it sold poorly. "Carolina in My Mind" b/w "Something's Wrong" was released as a single in the UK (APPLE 32) in February 1969, but failed to chart. It was released as a single in the US (Apple 1805) in March 1969, but reached only number 118. "Knocking 'Round the Zoo" was issued as a single in France (APF 506) backed with "Something's Wrong". Because of difficulties in obtaining licensing rights from Apple during the 1970s, "Something in the Way She Moves" and "Carolina in My Mind" were re-recorded in 1976 for Taylor's ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' album. "Rainy Day Man" was re-recorded in 1979 for Taylor's '' Flag'' album.

Track listing

All tracks written by

unless otherwise noted. Times are from the original Apple LP vinyl label. Side one #"Don't Talk Now"2:36 #"Something's Wrong"3:00 #" Knocking 'Round the Zoo"3:26 #"Sunshine Sunshine"3:30 #"Taking It In"3:01 #"

"2:26 Side two #" Carolina in My Mind"3:36 #"Brighten Your Night With My Day"3:05 #" Night Owl"3:38 #"Rainy Day Man" (Taylor, Zach Wiesner)3:00 #" Circle Round the Sun" (Traditional; arranged by Taylor)3:24 #"The Blues Is Just a Bad Dream"3:42 CD bonus tracks (2010 remaster) #

" Sunny Skies" (Demo)2:12 #"Let Me Ride" (Demo)3:57 #"Sunshine Sunshine" (Demo)2:51 #"Carolina in My Mind" (Demo)3:06

Personnel

*James Taylor – lead vocals, acoustic guitar (all tracks),

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

(9), percussion (1) *

Mick Wayne Junior's Eyes was a British group led by guitarist Mick Wayne (born Michael Wayne, 1945, Kingston upon Hull - died 26 June 1994), which recorded one album and is notable for acting as David Bowie's backing band during 1969. Beginnings Mick ...

– guitar (7) * Louis Cennamo – bass guitar (1–3, 5, 8–10) *

– bass guitar (7) *

Skaila Kanga Skaila Kanga (born in India) is a harpist and Professor Emerita of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music in London. After winning a Junior Exhibition to the Royal Academy of Music for piano, she switched to harp studies at age 17. She studied wit ...

– harp (4) *

– orchestrations (2–4, 7–9, 11, 12) *

Don Shinn Donald John Shinn (born 15 December 1945) is an English keyboard player, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and vocalist. An influence on prog rock and jazz rock, he is known primarily as an organist and pianist, and also plays vibraphone. Biog ...

(misspelled "Schinn") – organ (1), harpsichord (1,5,6–intro link), electric piano (8) *

Freddie Redd Freddie Redd (May 29, 1928 – March 17, 2021) was an American hard-bop pianist and composer. He is best known for writing music to accompany '' The Connection'' (1959), a play by Jack Gelber. According to Peter Watrous, writing in ''The New Y ...

– organ (7) * George Harrison – backing vocals (7) (uncredited) *Bishop O'Brien – drums (2, 3, 5, 7–11) *

– percussion (1), vocals (1, 7, 10), tambourine (7)

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1968 debut albums James Taylor albums Apple Records albums Albums produced by Peter Asher Albums recorded at Trident Studios