Songs

H.B., James Taylor

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Today is the birthday of the most extravagantly talented and popular mellow-sounding person ever to record a song, James Taylor.

There is some kind of narcotic effect that takes hold when I hear him sing that I find comforting and pleasurable in the extreme.

Unfortunately, chasing after a similar narcotic effect for his own enjoyment completely derailed Taylor in his younger years and nearly took his life. He may not have made it to this 65th birthday without intervention, treatment and considerable help from family and friends. So let’s be grateful that several generations of music fans got the chance to hang onto James Taylor.

http://youtu.be/-T35WXFOmwI

What do you listen to when you want to relax?

46 thoughts on “H.B., James Taylor”

    1. Have my tickets for Monday night’s performance at the Guthrie. Had hoped to win them from Radio Heartland, but didn’t, so sprung into action.

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    2. When I first hear her I was so moved I bought a copy of her first CD and sent it to Dale and Tom, urging them to listen to her. I remember saying, “This will sound like heresy, but she sings ‘Over the Rainbow’ better than Judy Garland.”

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  5. Good morning. I think the recording we play the most for relaxation is Madeleine Peyroux’s Half the Perfect World CD. One time when I was not feeling good I played my favorite Boiled in Lead CD and that really lifted my spirits. One that I play a lot recently when I want some good music to set a good tone is The Greatest Hits of the Meters, a famous New Orleans band from the 60s and early 70s.

    I usually don’t go for music that is as low key as James Taylor who I think is almost too low key. I am always in favor of listening to Jazz recordings and World Music as well as anything recorded by Dean McGraw. Of course, we have our own house band, The Orange Mighty Trio that includes my son-in-law, Zack Kline. I think their music is top notch for setting a good mood and i’m not saying that just because I have a special interest in seeing this band do well.

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  7. Rise And Shine Baboons!

    I have You Tube posting envy. James Taylor would be at the top of my list to relax along with others:

    Tony Bennet and his gazillion duets
    YoYo Ma (especially in duet with Bobby McFerrin)
    Enya
    Etc., Etc.

    It is raining here in Georgia today. Very relaxing. I slept in an extra hour. It finally warmed to the 70’s yesterday.

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  9. I listen to orchestral works by Delius, or any chamber music by Faure. Music without words is more sothing to me than music with words.

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  10. Morning–
    My music of choice varies by the day. But this has always been a favorite.

    (I wish the video was the band but I couldn’t find one of them and this was the best audio recording. So enjoy this National Geographic version of the song. 🙂 )

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    1. Thinking more on this, when I’m out in a tractor doing fieldwork, I’ll change stations often, but really, it’s almost gotta be classical music. I think it keeps me in the right frame of mind.

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  12. Anonymous 4, Chanticleer, Rose Ensemble.

    I think I feel about a capella early music the way Renee feels about instrumental only-there are words, true, and I have enough church Latin to even know sometimes what they are singing, but mostly, I can just listen to it as “sound”.

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  20. I enjoy all the posts so far. I feel like posting some music I love that isn’t quite as well known.

    In general, when I need to relax I might listen to Celtic music . . . and it seems many others do, too. That does not include those flouncy dolls with the big butts and formal gowns who desecrate Irish and Scottish music on TPT pledge drives. I strongly prefer simple, unadorned Celtic music:

    And if I want a little pick-me-up music, I often turn to this gem from 1965:

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  21. Ooohh, I’ll come back later for a listening session!

    I find harp music relaxing – Kim Robertson et al. And then there’s this unique Mool Mantra (I think this is a westernization of a Sikh meditation) which I first heard at my hairdresser’s in the 80s.
    http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Singh+Kaur+mool+mantra&mid=895557B48AA5A8EC225D895557B48AA5A8EC225D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1

    They repeat this for 35 minutes… I can fall asleep listening to it. Translation at:
    http://devsuroopkaur.bandcamp.com/track/one-spirit-beyond-mool-mantra

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  24. This was my grandmother’s favorite song. I inherited the sheet music for it when she passed, but I could never play it as beautifully as she did.

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