Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. DIII--Carole King: So Far Away

 At least I have a good excuse this week....

I started college in January of 1977 (yes, boys and girls, they had colleges back then), and at roughly the same time I began to explore the still somewhat young history of rock and roll.  Through my oh, so fascinating research, it became evident fairly quickly that the album featuring this week's tune was a watershed moment, and as such, it was one I needed to add to my nascent collection (easily among the first twenty albums I ever bought).  I've always had a soft spot for singer/songwriters, and I'm sure this week's artist, as well as her good friend James Taylor, have an awful lot to do with that love....

Once again, this week I have an artist whose career bio defies being encapsulated into a simple paragraph--but here goes anyway:  Carole King started as a songwriter (with then husband Gerry Goffin) in New York city in the famed Brill Building and wrote a number of classic songs in the early sixties (the songwriting team of King and Goffin have been inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame).  With encouragement from other artists, she eventually started a solo career in 1970, and the next year she released the album that turned her into a superstar.  As is often the case with such huge commercial and critical success, King never repeated her early blockbuster, but nonetheless had a long and varied career including winning four Grammys, numerous world tours (including a quite successful one with James Taylor in 2010), and occasional acting roles.  King has released seventeen studio albums (with three hitting #1), and thirty-three singles (with one of them reaching #1). I would be remiss if I did not note that King is a huge backer of Democratic candidates--in fact, you may have received an e-mail or two from her concerning a local candidate. King was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2021, and how the ever-living fuck it took so long will be one of the great musical mysteries of all time.

"So Far Away" was the second set (King's first two single releases from the album had A and B side hits) of singles released from her monumentally successful and influential second album, Tapestry.  The song would reach #14 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album would be the first #1 LP of her career.

Fun Fact(s):  Tapestry was truly a groundbreaker when it came to album sales.  It spent fifteen consecutive weeks at #1 which is still a record for a female solo artist.  The album remained on the charts for nearly six years, and at 313 weeks, is second only to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon (724) for most weeks on the Billboard 200.  It eventually sold over fourteen million copies and was rated at #25 on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time."

Nothing says how much great music is available quite like the fact that I'm over five hundred songs into Friday Night Jukebox and am just now finally getting to my first Carole King tune (either that or the forgetfulness that comes with aging).  To be honest, I could have chosen any number of songs from the album, but there's something about the intimacy and simplicity of "So Far Away" that has always struck a chord (so to speak) with me.  King's vocals capture perfectly the yearning of being away from the one you love, and the instruments, from King's luscious piano to the subtle bass, from the understated drums to the wistful flute at the end do not miss a single note (so to speak).  An incredible artist at the height of her talents.

Lyric Sheet:  "Long ago I reached for you and there you stood/Holding you again could only do me good/How I wish I could/But you're so far away..."

Enjoy:

Republicans = Nazis

Peace,

emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. D--Livingston Taylor: Going Round One More Time

 Five hundred?  Who knew there were that many songs....

It's not often that my featured tunes have a similar link two weeks in a row, but as my fans (all three of you) may remember my introduction to last week's tune was a cover version of "Devoted to You" by James Taylor and his then wife Carly Simon.  My introduction to this week's tune was that its artist is the younger brother of the aforementioned James Taylor.  Read a couple of good reviews of this week's album back in the day and took a chance.  Our song of the week was my favorite...and it thus earns a coveted (or not) spot on Friday Night Jukebox....

Once again, I am amazed how an artist, in this case Livingston Taylor, can turn a modicum of commercial success into a career in music (with the caveat that having a massively musically successful brother probably didn't hurt--still, one has to have some talent to last fifty-four years).  Taylor has certainly branched out through the years--he's co-written two children's books and a textbook, hosted a television show, taught at the Berklee College of Music, and written theme songs for two Boston based television shows.  He's also had a documentary made of his career, Livingston Taylor--Life Is Good.  For the musical portion of his career, Taylor has released seventeen studio albums (with three charting, though none since 1973), and nine singles (with five hitting the charts, the highest peaking at #30).   

Fun Fact:  Taylor credits his older brother Alex for his becoming a performer.  Seems when Livingston was thirteen his brother came home one night with $20 earned from playing a frat party. Livingston promptly took up the guitar and was playing paid gigs in less than a year.

"Going Around One More Time" was the lead song on Taylor's 1978 LP, the reflectingly named Three Way Mirror.  The song was not released as a single, and the album never charted.  His brother James covered the song for his 1985 album That's Why I'm Here, and also did not release it as a single.

Every now and again, when I play my song of the week in preparation for the weekly posts, after I listen to it I wonder "Why did I add this song to the list?"  Every time, though, after a couple of listens it comes back to me, and happily by the end of the week I was singing "Going Round One More Time" again and again from the ear candy it had created in my brain.  The song is a whimsical take on the nature of love--how every time it doesn't seem worth the time and trouble, someone steps into our lives to make us forget all about the heartaches.  Much like his brother James, Livingston has a soft and sweet voice and uses it here to capture the vagaries (as well as the humor) of love.  He turns a nice phrase lyrically and writes a catchy tune musically--especially enjoy the repeating and repeating and repeating of the chorus as the end.  It's the kind of song critics hate...and the kind of song those of us who enjoy a nice slice of pop pie love.

Lyric Sheet:  "Round and round in a circle/Ah, it's always the same/One moment you swear you've had enough/The next you've got to know her name..."

Enjoy:

Bonus (brother's cover version):

Republicans = Nazis

Peace,

emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CDXCIX--The Everly Brothers: Devoted to You

 You can tell I'm on vacation this week--actually on time....

Unlike the last two weeks, I most certainly remember where I first heard this week's tune.  It was from a wonderful cover version by James Taylor and Carly Simon (at the time, they were rock and roll's First Couple--alas, the marriage did not last).  For whatever reason, it would be years before I heard the original (probably about the time the internet became widely available), but as with so many other songs, the original is the best....

It would be damn near impossible to understate The Everly Brothers contribution to rock and roll. From their plethora of wondrous singles to their unparalleled harmonies, from their groundbreaking guitar riffs to their influence on country rock, The Everly Brothers are truly one of the greatest music artists of all time (they were in the inaugural Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class in 1986).  The brothers (Don and Phil for the three of you wondering) began performing in Iowa with their parents in the mid-forties before starting their career in earnest in 1956.  They'd have their first hit the next year and had numerous more until both joined the Marines in 1961.  Being out of the spotlight and drug problems reduced their success here in America, though they'd continue to have a few more hits in Canada and the U.K through the late sixties.  Don and Phil had a falling out in 1973 and didn't perform together again until 1983.  They'd perform until 2005 when another personality clash finished them for good.  For their career, The Everly Brothers released twenty-one albums (with three reaching the top ten), two live albums, twenty-nine compilations, and seventy-five singles (with thirteen hitting the top ten, three of which went all the way to #1).  Sadly, Phil passed away in 2014, and Don in 2021; even worse, the brothers did not reconcile before Phil's death.

Fun Fact:  In addition to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the brothers were also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  They also have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Life Achievement Grammy, were rated #33 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest artists of all time and were voted the greatest duo of all time in their list of the twenty greatest duos.

"Devoted to You" was released as the flip side to "Bird Dog" but eventually became a hit on its own, peaking at #10 (most assuredly with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.  It was later added to their compilation The Everly Brothers' Best, which near as I can tell, somehow didn't hit the charts.

I'm not sure Shakespeare himself could do justice to "Devoted to You"--the harmonies are exquisite, the music itself is sweeter than the nectar of the Gods, and the pledging of your one true love is an oath as old as the very first love poem.  A lovely song, a lovely sentiment, and a lovely addition to the pantheon of songs here at Friday Night Jukebox.

Lyric Sheet:  "I'll be yours through endless time/I'll adore your charms sublime/Guess by now you know that I'm/Devoted to you..."

Enjoy:

Bonus (Because I adore the cover noted above almost as much):

Republicans = Nazis

Peace,

emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CVI--James Taylor: Sweet Baby James

The first record I ever bought (would have been about 1974 or 75) with my own money was James Taylor's Greatest Hits.  Unlike the first album purchase of many a music fan, it's not an album I've outgrown or long ago thrown to the wayside.  I still have my original copy, though the LP itself is well-worn and the album cover long ago lost the luster of its original lily-white.  And lo these forty some odd years later, listening to James Taylor remains one of my most comforting artists to listen to when all seems bleak.

And just the perfect antidote for what 2017 appears to be, when you consider that we're about to swear in an incompetent and idiotic turd as our next President in two weeks time.

Sigh.

By the time he was twenty-one, James Taylor had committed himself to two different mental institutions and had a full-blown heroin addiction.  By the time he was twenty-three, he'd had a top ten album, a #1 single, and was on the cover of Time magazine.  This isn't to say that all was well with Taylor--he battled his heroin addiction into the 80's.  But he did carve out quite the career--17 studio albums, over 100 million records sold, induction into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and still draws millions of fans whenever he tours.  He also has the distinction of being the first American act signed to Apple Records (both Paul McCartney and George Harrison made guest appearances on his first album), and of having his first #1 single in 1971 (a cover of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend") but not having his first #1 album until forty-four years later in 2015 (Before This World--truthfully, not one of his better efforts).  In fact, Taylor has the second longest wait in chart history, behind Tony Bennett at 54 years, for having his first number one LP.

Oh, the things you'll learn here on Friday Night Jukebox...

And for those who come here for politics, Taylor is a long time supporter of Democratic candidates and regularly makes appearances and performs at their rallies (John Kerry, Deval Patrick, Barack Obama among many others).  Thanks, Mr. Taylor!

"Sweet Baby James,"released in 1970 on his appropriately enough titled second LP, Sweet Baby James, was the first single from the LP but surprisingly enough, since it's a concert staple and fan favorite, never charted.  The song is basically a lullaby--Taylor composed the lyrics while driving through Massachusetts to see his first nephew, also named James, and thus the song was an ode to said nephew (though Taylor admits there is an element to it that is for himself, as well).  Taylor considers it his best written song and admits to spending more time on it than any other song he wrote.

One of the marks of a song featured here that I really enjoy is how much I sing it after listening to it a few days before writing the post--and this one has been in my head and sung in the shower pretty much constantly for the past few days.  It's just such a gentle song--there's a peacefulness to it that you don't hear much in contemporary music (though"Good Night" by the Beatles does come to mind).  The song features an acoustic guitar, some light strings, and a soft piano--but mostly it features the soothing vocals of Mr. Taylor.  And it truly is a lullaby--although none of them will remember it, at one time or another I sang it to all three of my children when they were babies on those nights when they were having trouble sleeping.  It's just a beautiful little piece of comfort pie for those looking for a respite from the daily strife.

Lyric sheet:  "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..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee