I OFFICIALLY DESPISE JAMES TAYLOR

I didn't want to but it did look it up

http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=kfzMLRzH2yw&p=n#/312;323

at the far end: matching outfits for photo shoots on the beach

― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Tuesday, February 6, 2018 2:48 PM (eleven minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^ I also have an irrational hatred for these.

I drive by Maclean Hospital pretty often and every time I do he pops into my head and I get angry. Ugh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEBgECxtQjQ

Oh no the semi-colon in that link subjects you to the whole five minutes, let's try this again

http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=kfzMLRzH2yw&p=n#/312;323

James taylor looks like a slightly miffed Richard Jenkins when he's rocking out

i am not moved by that rendition of road runner
it's nice that he is having fun -- i just have a hard time thinking that "james taylor is having a good time" is reason enough to get over how much i can't stand his music

he looks a little like ian mackaye there

At the bar last weekend there was some 70s playlist going and JT’s “mexico” played along side Steely Dan’s “night by night.” Same planet, different worlds.

I hate "Mexico" fwiw

I officially despise this song!

I still only know that one from National Lampoon's Vacation.

You're in for a treat.

TBF "You've Got a Friend" is a Carole King song, not JT. Having grown up with a family who played a lot of JT I have to admit I have a liking for quite a few of his songs - "Carolina In My Mind" (quite a dark song as mentioned upthread), "Sweet Baby James", "Millworker" et al. When he's anodyne he grates, but there's something more there.

as was noted somewhere upthread, he's a first-rate guitarist

he's seen rain

what is that "something more"? i feel like he is that guy who is given the benefit of the doubt for being smarter and better and more skilled than he really is when he doesn't do anything I can directly identify to show he deserves this generosity.

if it's nostalgia motivating most people's affection for him, that's valid and ok -- but it's subjective and personal and not related to his actual musical output (which has yet to distinguish itself to me)

apols about "you've got a friend" -- the version we had to sing along with was the JT version

I never knew James Taylor was the Outer Banks Jimmy Buffett! my family only ever went vacationing in east central Florida when I was growing up & I don't think they fuck w/Sweet Baby James as much down there

I don't know much of his music aside from the biggest hits; I can't even remember how "You've Got A Friend" goes. His version of "How Sweet It Is" is p decent imo

xp the "something more" is a darkness I perceive in his otherwise-sweet music. I'm occasionally moved by his songs in a way that, say, Billy Joel never does for me, an artist with whom I have the same or even greater familial nostalgia connection.

Adding to what I said five years ago: "Fire and Rain," by itself, is worth more to me than Billy Joel's entire recorded output (it's that perfect, and he's that mediocre).

Yeah I'll never change my mind about Billy Joel. All his attempts at dark just read as butthurt.

I guess I'm also a sucker for that sort of "beneath the surface" stuff, where a song that ostensibly sounds like vanilla lovemaking by the fireplace has some demons lurking in it.

Fire and Rain is the only James Taylor song I know. I think I've mentioned that to people before, and their response was usually something like "surely you know ..." And then they play a song and maybe I recognize it and maybe I don't, but months later, regardless, Fire and Remain remains the only James Taylor song I know. And I only know the chorus, come to think of it! If it came on the radio I don't think I would even recognize it as Fire and Rain. I have a similar problem retaining Jackson Browne, but even with him I know (and can recall) several songs.

I know lots of Billy Joel, I guess. Probably not a single cut not on the hits collection, though. I only know (the) one Jimmy Buffett song. I had a friend back when I was maybe in my very early '20s who was into Buffett, and I asked him, if you're listening to Jimmy Buffett now, what are you going to listen to when you're 50? His answer (duh) was Jimmy Buffett.

Jackson Browne is someone whose voice I can never remember but I know a few of his songs due to Nico and others covering them

as was noted somewhere upthread, he's a first-rate guitarist

― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, February 6, 2018 9:48 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

that's him on joni's "california" and he really makes the song

that's him on joni's "california" and he really makes the song

yeah I've listened to that song a million times and not really noticed his parts

His banjo parts on "Old Man" by Neil Young are pretty iconic

xp obv Joni is the the most important thing about the song, lyrics, vocal, etc. When I say he "makes the song," I don't mean to say "he's the reason the song is good," but just he helps the song stand out among the dulcimer-only songs like "a case of you" or "all I want." He adds a little California sunshine, with the little counter melodies between the verses

No need for sass, matt k

hadn't really paid attention before but I'm listening now and it's cool how they have the dulcimer panned right and hard left and they kind of duel with each other

dulcimer panned right and guitar panned left

apologies for sass, I just have an intense love for that song and specifically the vocal melody

me too! i love everything about the song and i think Taylor's playing adds a lot.

The whole sweet baby James is solid

sweet baby James album, I mean

2 things
1) if he was such an amazing instrumentalist (I believe those of you who say he is), I guess what I don't like about him are a) his songs and b) his voice. I applaud his instrumental prowess and can only wish he had quietly gone about his musical business wordlessly

2) last night i was watching some of those "what's in your bag" amoeba videos and one of the guys from red kross had a james taylor album. the clip they played didn't sound as repulsive as i expected, kind of like heavily produced sunshine pop. so much more palatable than his usual sack of singles. i will admit that i did not hate it. i didn't like it, but i didn't recoil in disgust.

this was the song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oAInzTXu_Y

Ha - I watched TWO-LANE BLACKTOP for the first time last night and nearly fell over when I saw the lead actor. He's pretty affectless and not much of a presence, but the disc includes his screen test with what I'm fairly sure is Joaquin Phoenix pretending to be James, performing the newly-written Riding on a Railroad which is bittersweet brilliant, fuiud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgg0ym7O6Rc#t=4m32s

Oh - time link failed to work, jump to 4:32 for the song.

just watched Two-Lane Blacktop for the first time. it was OK, but I liked James Taylor a lot in it. my man's pupils were pinned throughout

James Taylor will win over the grouches eventually. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uQa4dvrg1E

Also a fan of "Carolina in My Mind."

is james taylor the guitar player sitting on the stage in this video?
if so, i revise my assessment of james taylor. i don't like his singing or his songs, but now i have enjoyed his guitar playing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBI669Ac3cg

yes

James Taylor rules and this thread is absolute insanity.

pshaw

That's a beautiful performance

(also, james taylor wrote some great songs)

Terra Nova , come now

Never saw the gatefold art for Flag before--James and his gang look like a bar band that was forced to go 'New Wave'.

https://recordsalbums.com/11430-thickbox_default/james-taylor-flag-vinyl-lp-record-for-sale.jpg

What a douche

He's like 80% on the way to David Byrne in that pic.

he has a full substitute teacher sneer

god i hate him