James Taylor

[fox69]

"Sweet Baby James"
(performed with Carole King)

"Sweet Baby James"
(performed with Carole King)



There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range. His horse and his cattle are his only companions.
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons, waiting for summer, his pastures to change.
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire, thinking about women and glasses of beer.
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire, he sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
as if maybe someone could hear...

Goodnight you moon light ladies, rock-a-bye sweet baby James.
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose, won't you let me go down in my dreams?
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James.

Now the first of December was covered with snow
and so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston.
Though the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting,
with ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go.
There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway,
a song that they sing when they take to the sea,
a song that they sing of their home in the sky, maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep,
but singing works just fine for me.

So, goodnight you moon light ladies, rock-a-bye sweet baby James.
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose, won't you let me go down in my dreams?
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James.

 

[fox69]

"Sweet Baby James"

"Sweet Baby James"



There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range. His horse and his cattle are his only companions.
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons, waiting for summer, his pastures to change.
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire, thinking about women and glasses of beer.
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire, he sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
as if maybe someone could hear...

Goodnight you moon light ladies, rock-a-bye sweet baby James.
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose, won't you let me go down in my dreams?
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James.

Now the first of December was covered with snow
and so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston.
Though the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting,
with ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go.
There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway,
a song that they sing when they take to the sea,
a song that they sing of their home in the sky, maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep,
but singing works just fine for me.

So, goodnight you moon light ladies, rock-a-bye sweet baby James.
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose, won't you let me go down in my dreams?
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James.

 

[fox69]

"Sweet Potato Pie"

"Sweet Potato Pie"



Oh Lord I feel fine today, I'm walking on cloud nine today.
I'm over that line today, happiness is finally mine today.
I guess I'm just a lucky guy and I'm prepared to tell you why.
It's strictly on account of my Sweet Potato Pie.

I'm the fellow that she loves the most, the main reason why she left the coast.
She's my little girlzina, that much hotter that a jalapeno.
Tender like a night in June, sweeter than a honeymoon,
brighter than a silver spoon, just as crazy as a loon.

Softer than a lullaby, deeper than the midnight sky, soulful as a baby's cry, my Sweet Potato Pie.

I used to see her around the neighborhood, I wonder how she grew up so good.
She belonged to Freddy and he was bad and I never was ready to make him mad.
I'm glad I had to wait awhile, a little bit too juvenile.
I needed to refine my style, a silk suit and a crocodile smile.

So let the whole damn world go by cause I just want to testify
from now on it's me and my Sweet Potato Pie.

 

[fox69]

"T-Bone"

"T-Bone"



Me and T-Bone on the road to town, it's like I'm walking with a talking machine.
Just as soon as he thinks of something else, he won't wait to interrupt himself.
Must be something that he can't quite say, he just doesn't want to leave it that way.
Although he may not know it yet, unless I miss my bet,
he's just trying to forget what his heart remembers.

I see that T-Bone got an automobile, low-loping and open to the sky.
All night behind the hurricane wheel, riding in the eye.
All day underneath the hood, Mondo Bondo, plastic, wood.
He needs a mile of masking tape if he wants to keep his ship in shape,
someday to escape what his heart remembers, yes, what his heart remembers.

T-Bone's not alone, not alone, looks like he gets a second chance.
It's Mamarama and Lumalamalu want to take him to recovery dance.
He's looking like he gets his meat suit back, I guess he must have missed the crack attack.
Still he's riding for a fall 'cause it's written upon the wall,
that now he must recall what his heart remembers, what his heart remembers.

 

[fox69]

"Taking It In"

"Taking It In"



Morning, sing me a song, afternoon, bring it along, nighttime, show me a friend,
say it again, send a good dream my way.

Wednesday, feeling just fine, I got to say time on my hands. Friday, look at them run,
show me some fun, taking the sunshine in.

God knows you've got to give yourself time to think these days,
Lord knows you've got to take enough, time to look both ways, the pieces fly by so quickly now.

Laura, look at you walk, I swear you've got eyes in my head.
I'd like to follow you down, show you around, borrow the crown you wear.

Bacon, lie on the plate, two black-eyed peas wait on the side.
Gravy, chicken and rice, isn't it nice? Tell me the price of the food.

What happens when the answers they give you aren't good enough?
What happens when it rains for eight days on your week off?
You know you can't buy tomorrow, no, it's all a matter of opening up your eyes.
And looking around cause it's all there, it's all there, I said taking the sunshine in.

 

[fox69]

"Terra Nova"

"Terra Nova"



Oh, end this day, show me the ocean. When shall I see the sea?
May this day set me in emotion, I ought to be on my way.

We were there, we were sailing on the Terra Nova.
Sailing for the setting sun, sailing for the new horizon.
May this day show me an ocean, I ought to be on my way.

Ought to be on my way right now.
Stepping on the boat with a lump in my throat, on my way right now.

I got a letter from a dear friend of mine, the story of a spiritual awakening.
She spoke of her love returning in kind, she let me know that she'd be waiting.
And I should be on my way by now.
Walking across the floor, reaching for the door, on my way by now.

But here I sit, country fool that I am, my elbow on my knee and my chin in my hand.
My mind in the gutter and my eye on the street, holed up in a cave of concrete.
And I ought to be on my way right now.
Packing my things while the telephone rings, on my way right now.

I miss my lovely mother and I love my lonely father.
I know I owe my brothers one thing and another, I hear my sister singing.
And I ought to be on my way right now.
Moving across the land with my heart in my hand, on my way by now,
Ought to be on my way by now.

Oh, end this day, set me in motion. Ought to be on my way.

Out to the west of Lambert's Cove, there's a sail out in the sun.
And I'm on board though very small, I've come home to stop yearning.
Burn off the haze around the shore, turn off the crazy way I feel.
I'll stay away from you no more, I've come home to stop yearning.

 

[fox69]

"That Lonesome Road"

"That Lonesome Road"



Walk down that lonesome road all by yourself,
Don't turn your head back over your shoulder.
And only stop to rest yourself when the silver moon is shining high above the trees.

If I had stopped to listen once or twice, if I had closed my mouth and opened my eyes.
If I had cooled my head and warmed my heart, I'd not be on this road tonight.

Carry on, never mind feeling sorry for yourself.
It doesn't save you from your troubled mind.

Walk down that lonesome road all by yourself,
Don't turn your head back over your shoulder.
And only stop to rest yourself when the silver moon is shining high above the trees.

 

[fox69]

"That's Why I'm Here"

"That's Why I'm Here"



Person to person and man to man, I'm back in touch with my long lost friend.
Listen to reason and understand and think of me from way back when.
He said, me and Melissa, well we fell out of love. We ran out of luck seems like lightning struck.
I've been thinking of leaving but I can't raise a buck,
James, I'm wondering could I borrow your truck?

I said that's why I'm here. Got no other reason,
that's why I'm standing before you, that's why I'm here.

John's gone, found dead, he dies high, he's brown bread. Later said to have drowned in his bed.
After the laughter, the wave of the dread, it hits us like a ton of lead.
It seems "learn not to burn" means to turn on a dime
and walk on if you're walking even if it's an uphill climb.
And try to remember that working's no crime, just don't let 'em take and waste your time.
That's why I'm here.

This is an IOU, I reckon I owe you one now.
Listen Wendy and listen Gloria, this'll be better tomorrow.

Fortune and fame's such a curious game. Perfect strangers can call you by name.
Pay good money to hear fire and rain again and again and again.
Some are like summer coming back every year,
got your baby got your blanket got your bucket of beer.
I break into a grin from ear to ear and suddenly it's perfectly clear.
That's why I'm here.

This is the part about Kitty and Jim, he loved her and she loved him.
Wake 'em up shake 'em up the middle of the night, got to tell me everything's alright.
He said that's why I'm here. That's right.

 

[fox69]

"The Blues Is Just A Bad Dream"

"The Blues Is Just A Bad Dream"



A tree grows in my back yard, it only grows at night.
Its branches they're all twisted, its leaves are afraid of light.
They say the blues is just a bad dream, they say it lives upside your head.
But when it's lonely in the morning, you're bound to wish that you was lying dead.

There's winds out on the ocean, they're blowing just as they choose.
But then winds ain't got no emotion, baby, they don't know the blues.
They say the blues is just a bad dream, they say it lives upside your head, mmmm.
But when it's lone, lonely in the morning you're bound to wish that you was lying dead.

My mind is rambling and rambling just like some rolling stone, no,
since that nightmare's come to stay with me, baby, my thoughts just don't belong.
They say the blues is just a bad dream, they say it lives upside your head.
But when they visit you around midnight, you're bound to wish that you were lying dead.

 

[fox69]

"The Christmas Song"

"The Christmas Song"



Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping on your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,
Help to make the season bright.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow,
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way;
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh.
And every mother's child is going to spy,
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I'm offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although its been said many times, many ways,
A very Merry Christmas to you