James Taylor

[fox69]

"Places In My Past"

"Places In My Past"



There are ladies in my life, lovely ladies in these lazy days.
And though I never took a wife, may I say that I have loved me one or two.
Of the people in my past, fading faces in a waking dream,
and though they never seemed to last very long,
there are faces I remember from the places in my past.

I said all the dead head miles and the insincere smiles.
Sometimes I can laugh and cry and I can't remember why.
But I still love those good times gone by, hold on to them close or let them go, oh no.
I don't know, I just seem to sing these songs
and say I'm sorry for the friends I used to know.

 

[fox69]

"Rainy Day Man"

"Rainy Day Man"



What good is that happy lie? All you wanted from the start was to cry, girl.
It looks like another fall. Your friends they don't seem to help at all.
Now, when you're feeling kind of cold and small, just look up your rainy day man.

It does you no good to pretend, child. You've made a hole much too big to mend.
And it looks like you lose again, my friend, so go on home and look up your rainy day man.

Now rainy day man, he don't like sunshine,
he don't chase rainbows, he don't need good times, no.
Grey days rolling, then you'll see him, I said empty feeling, Lord now you need him.

All those noble thoughts, they just don't belong. You can't hide the truth with a happy song.
And since you knew where you stood all along, just go call up your rainy day man.

Now simple pleasures they all evade you, store-bought treasures, Lord none can save you.
Look for signs to ease the pain, I said ask again, go on and pray for rain.

It looks like another fall. Your good friends they don't seem to help at all.
Now, when you're feeling kind of cold and small, just look up your rainy day man,
all I'm asking just to look up your rainy day man.

 

[fox69]

"Raised Up Family"

"Raised Up Family"



I was raised up family, man, I'm glad I'm on my own.
I was raised up family, man, I'm glad I'm on my own.
I mean, God bless the child that can learn to live alone, yeah.

Thinking about my cousin, what it was that did him in.
Could it have been that whiskey, rotgut, bootleg, bathtub gin?
It's like it took a lot of liquor just to let him live in his own skin.

Back in Raleigh, North Carolina, you got to ride it on back in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The ship set down on the shore of this uncharted desert island,
me and my people fanned out, I guess we settled down a little while.
Ah, but the devil came with the dark days of winter, man, the children ran wild.

I used to know why, no, I don't know why anymore.
I used to know why, no, I don't know why no more.

I get to wonder at the Kundalini thunder, down under my floor.

You got to ride it on back, take me back.
Back in Raleigh, North Carolina, yeah, do you wanna go?
Way back in Raleigh, North Carolina.

 

[fox69]

"Riding On A Railroad"

"Riding On A Railroad"



We are riding on a railroad, singing some else's song.
Forever standing by that crossroad, take a side and step along.
We are sailing away on a river to the sea. Maybe you and me can meet again.
We are riding on a railroad, singing someone else's song, sing along.

Time to time, I tire of the life that I've been leading, town to town, day by day.
There's a man up here who claims to have his hands upon the reins,
there are chains upon his hands and he's riding upon a train.

Oh Lord, we been riding on a railroad, singing some else's song.
Forever standing by that crossroad, take a side and step along.
We are sailing away on a river to the sea. Maybe you and me can meet again.
We been riding, we been riding upon a railroad, singing someone else's song.

 

[fox69]

"River"

"River"



It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby cry

He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I'm so hard to handle
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I made my baby say goodbye

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on

 

[fox69]

"Rock 'N' Roll Is Music Now"

"Rock 'N' Roll Is Music Now"



Mama knows and papa knows that rock 'n roll is music now.
Baby's been cutting his teeth on Bo Diddley's, I'm a man, man,
Listen to the Wolfman howl.

See the white man sailing his ship up on the sea,
watch the white man shackle the black man to a tree.
To the invader go the fruits of war, he misses home and his boots are sore.
He has not got no roots no more, he comes for your gold, watch out for your soul.

Cause tennis shoes, and rhythm and blues are second generation
all across the nation, now, and mama knows, papa too rock 'n roll is music,
rock 'n roll is music, now.

To the invader go the fruits of war, he misses home and his boots are sore.
He has not got no roots no more, he comes for your gold, watch out for your soul.

Mama knows and papa knows that rock 'n roll is music, rock 'n roll is music, now.

 

[fox69]

"Runaway Boy"

"Runaway Boy"


Fetch down the fiddle, rosin up the bow, don't play me nothing on the radio.
Don't make me remember the Alamo, I'm feeling like a little bit of Cotton Eyed Joe.
No raging Cajun crawfish stew, fat batter coming in a Lumalamalu.
Boy howdy and howdy damn do, something like fine setting eyes on you.
Let me come down, I won't never go back up again, oh, hold me down.
Let me come home, I won't never go away no more, oh let me come down.

In a younger day back in Tennessee, the muddy Mississippi used to call to me,
float on a river and set yourself free.
Run from the farm and the family tree, run from the runaway boy.

So I've been all the places that I ever want to be, I've seen all the people that I ever want to see.
I'm sick and tired of being lonely and free, I'm ready today for what's waiting on me.
I'm gonna give up believing I was born to run, stop acting like a man that gets shot from a gun.
I'm putting down roots, I want to soak up sun and stay right here until my days are done.
Let me back down, I will never go up again. Hold me down, tie me on down.
Let me go home, I will never go away no more, oh let me come home, oh let me go down.

[Indecipherable grunting]

 

[fox69]

"Sadie"

"Sadie"



Early one Sunday morning
Breakfast was on the table
There was no time to eat
She said to me, Boy, hurry to Sunday school

Filled with her load of glory
We learned the Holy story
She'll always have her dreams
Despite the things this troubled world can bring

Oh, Sadie
Don't you know we love you
Sweet Sadie
Place no one above you

Sweet Sadie (Well, well, well)
Living in the past
Some times it seems so funny
But no money will turn your life around

Sweeter than cotton candy
Stronger than papa's old brandy
Always that needed smile
Once in awhile she would break down and cry

Some times she'd be so happy
Just being with us and daddy
Standing the worst of times
Breaking the binds with just a simple song

Oh, Sadie (Oh, Sadie, baby)
Don't you know we love you (She'll love us all in a special way)
Sweet Sadie (Well, well, well)
Place no one above you

Sweet Sadie (Sweet Sadie livin' in the past)
Living in the past
Oh, she's never sinnin'
In love she's always winnin', yeah

Sadie (My, my, my, my, my)
Don't you know we love you (I love you, mama)
Sweet Sadie
Place no one above you (I just can't forget)

Sweet Sadie (How you gave me love, oh, Lord)
Living in the past
If there's a heaven up above
I know she's teaching angels how to love

Sadie (It's a mean world without you)
Don't you know we love you
Sweet Sadie (All the love you showed)
Place no one above you (Oh, I could never, ever doubt her lovely word)

Sweet Sadie
Living in the past
Ain't it funny that in the end it's not money
It's just the love you gave us all

 

[fox69]

"Sailing To Philadelphia"

"Sailing To Philadelphia"



I Am Jeremiah Dixon
I Am A Geordie Boy
A Glass Of Wine With You, Sir
And The Ladies I'll Enjoy
All Durham And Northumberland
Is Measured Up By My Own Hand
It Was My Fate From Birth
To Make My Mark Upon The Earth...

He Calls Me Charlie Mason
A Stargazer Am I
It Seems That I Was Born
To Chart The Evening Sky
They'd Cut Me Out For Baking Bread
But I Had Other Dreams Instead
This Baker's Boy From The West Country
Would Join The Royal Society...

We Are Sailing To Philadelphia
A World Away From The Coaly Tyne
Sailing To Philadelphia
To Draw The Line
The Mason-Dixon Line

Now You're A Good Surveyor, Dixon
But I Swear You'll Make Me Mad
The West Will Kill Us Both
You Gullible Geordie Lad
You Talk Of Liberty
How Can America Be Free
A Geordie And A Baker's Boy
In The Forests Of The Iroquois...

Now Hold Your Head Up, Mason
See America Lies There
The Morning Tide Has Raised
The Capes Of Delaware
Gome Up And Feel The Sun
A New Morning Is Begun
Another Day Will Make It Clear
Why Your Stars Should Guide Us Here...

We Are Sailing To Philadelphia
A World Away From The Coaly Tyne
Sailing To Philadelphia
To Draw The Line
The Mason-Dixon Line

 

[fox69]

"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"

"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"



You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town