When James Taylor released his debut single, “Carolina In My Mind” single in 1969, he likely did not predict that people would still be singing his songs decades later. These are three of his most timeless songs, which all came out in the 70s.
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“Fire And Rain”
Taylor’s first Top 10 single, “Fire And Rain’ came out in 1970. On his sophomore Sweet Baby James record, Taylor is the sole writer of “Fire And Rain”.
The second verse says, “Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus? / You’ve got to help me make a stand / You’ve just got to see me through another day / My body’s aching and my time is at hand / And I won’t make it any other way.” Taylor reveals the song, which he still includes in his live shows, is about his desire to stop doing drugs in the late 60s.
“That was in New York,” Taylor tells NPR. “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.”
“You’ve Got A Friend”
Out in 1971, “You’ve Got A Friend” is Taylor’s first No. 1 single. Written by Carole King, King says she was inspired to write “You’ve Got A Friend” after hearing Taylor’s “Fire And Rain”.
“You’ve Got A Friend” says, “You just call out my name / And you know wherever I am / I’ll come running, oh yeah baby, to see you again / Winter, spring, summer, or fall / All you’ve got to do is call / And I’ll be there, yeah / You’ve got a friend.“
King released her own version of “You’ve Got A Friend”. Other artists who have recorded the sweet tune include Johnny Mathis, Lynn Anderson, and Aretha Franklin, among others.
“Your Smiling Face”
In 1978, Taylor released “Your Smiling Face”. Written by Taylor, the song is on his JT record.
“Your Smiling Face” says, “I thought I was in love a couple of times before with the girl next door / But that was long before I met you / Now I’m sure that I won’t forget you / And I thank my lucky stars that you are who you are / And not just another lovely lady set out to break my heart. / Isn’t it amazing a man like me can feel this way / Tell me how much longer / It could grow stronger every day.”
The love song is allegedly about his relationship with Carly Simon. The couple married in 1972, divorcing 11 years later.
Photo by Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS/VCG via Getty Images
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