I wrote this song after planting and fertalizing a crop of sudan grass just to have the sun shine down with no relief on it for 100 days and no rain. We, Texas Water, were heading home one night AFTER A GIG at Gringo's in Grapevine when the…
Bret McCormick Many years ago, after you handed me a Texas Water cassette, I listened to it and this song was the first one that totally grabbed my attention.
CHAMELEON
She's a chameleon. "Been there. Done that."
She's a chameleon, if you know my Ilene
She's a chameleon
At first I thot that we were twins in spirit
Everything I'd touched, she'd been near it
Shaking her head, "Yes, I know…
The guitar is great on that song James...is it a vocoder or a phaser or wah or something like that..stereo vocoder maybe....makes it sound like an synthetic organ type sound...matches the theme...disguised...unreal..very clever.. Matthew
It’s a small town. Woodlake, California. East side of the San Joaquin Valley. 14 miles from where all those “Lindsey” olives you see on your grocery store shelves come from. The Woodlake Echo, says, “In the foothills of the Sequoias”.
FOOTHILLS…
LANCASTER STREET
Midnight in Cowtown. 90 degrees
Too hot for a blanket. Too hot for a sheet
The trash on the sidewalk is trying to sleep
Breathing the bus fumes on Lancaster Street
Sunshine brings tacos. Sunshine brings beans.
Sunshine…
I have always loved this poem by Robert Frost.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
BY ROBERT FROST
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods…
If you don't like me, I understand
If you are tired of me, I understand
This won't be the first time
It won't be the last
Yes, you are sorry, I understand
Yes, you feel guilty. I understand
But don't say, "I love you,"
as you walk out…
I have always loved this poem by Robert Frost.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
BY ROBERT FROST
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods…
LANCASTER STREET
Midnight in Cowtown. 90 degrees
Too hot for a blanket. Too hot for a sheet
The trash on the sidewalk is trying to sleep
Breathing the bus fumes on Lancaster Street
Sunshine brings tacos. Sunshine brings beans.
Sunshine…
I have always loved this poem by Robert Frost.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
BY ROBERT FROST
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods…
LANCASTER STREET - Em
James Michael Taylor
Midnight in COWTOWN. 90 degrees
Too hot for a blanket. Too hot for a sheet
The trash on the sidewalk is trying to sleep
Breathing the bus fumes on Lancaster Street...
Sunshine brings tacos…
I have always loved this poem by Robert Frost.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
BY ROBERT FROST
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods…
BETWEEN - 11-27/28-12
I step out of the car
I don't know where we are
Somewhere between a planet
A planet and a star
I never dreamed I'd end up
in a place like this
The Multnomah Falls is up the Columbia Gorge
Somewhere between Portland…
And ALL of that... I remember when my boys first came to CA. They were late teens, and early 20s. I took them to see Sunset cliffs. If you don't know it, it's easy to imagine: a sweeping vista of sky, sea and pelicans on a postcard. We got out, walked around... they said nothing, somber faces, withdrawn. "I step out of my car/ I don't know where we are..." It seemed the oddest thing at the time, but I knew this is what they were feeling. This song carries the magnificence of arrival in a beautiful new world. Or when my mother drove my sister & I from OK to CA to join my dad during the Korean War. Somewhere in New Mexico along Rt 66 we pulled over to sleep for a few hours. I woke up at dawn before anyone else, to discover the windshield of the car was filled with an enormous glowing ball. At age 6, I had never seen anything like this sun. I hardly knew what it was. This song was written for such moments. A beautiful, beautiful song. And those guitars in the middle are liquid light. Thank you for thinking of me in relation to this. I will always feel a tiny bit it belongs to me.
She danced in my eyes and to my surprise
Her intentions were clearly defined
She danced with the band and the pen in my hand
Danced with her as she danced in my eyes
Portland, Oregon. She was drunk. She thot I was James Taylor.
Flower…
...after reading John Steinbeck's IN DUBIOUS BATTLE and watching the John Ford movie of GRAPES OF WRATH. The opening and closing statements are quotes from the Preacher in the movie.
A friend said he wanted to do a video of this track. I…
LOVE this! Love all that's going on dramaticaly in the sound track. Love the use of text from the book. Love the driving rat-a-tat rhythm. Very creative. Almost like a movie! :)
HOME ON THE RANGE
Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play…
I HATE GOODBYES September 8, 2017 Capo 2 IN D
I go in the back door. Never in the front
All of that attention is the last thing that I want
You know what I’m talking ‘bout the kisses and the hugs
Climbing on the furniture, tripping…
GEEZUS, Jim, you keep freaking me out w these amazing songs!! So many styles, and this is my very favorite... until the next fav comes along!! Great lyrics, love the back up vocals, guitar solo, and hope you don't mind me sayin' a bit of a JJ Cale/ Tulsa Sound vibe by my ear. Mesmerizing. Gwyn Henry
Dad wanted me to write him some funeral music. This is it. He's still alive at 91 and sings this song to himself and tears come to his eyes. I have a video of Dad and me singing a duet of this song.
EULOGY
He grew up in Clinton, Oklahoma…
Love it that he lived (has lived?) so long, long enought to enjoy this song as much has he seems to have, and sing it in duets with you. What a joy. And I love to song, too. Our shared roots and Red Dirt!
LANCASTER STREET - Em
James Michael Taylor
Midnight in COWTOWN. 90 degrees
Too hot for a blanket. Too hot for a sheet
The trash on the sidewalk is trying to sleep
Breathing the bus fumes on Lancaster Street...
Sunshine brings tacos…
COLORS - A song for Donna...
Roses are red. Violets are blue
I could name a bunch of flowers and colors too
Roses are red. Tulips are too
But I could never name all the colors that look good on you
CHORUS
There was a time my world…
VIDEO - https://www.facebook.com/100001468692811/videos/1120270078888215/
https://www.facebook.com/true.taylor.3/videos/397153049918748
GHOST TOWN capo @ 2 in C
C Em F G C
I…
There is nothing like the presence of a horse. The quiet understanding. The gentle strength.
Woodlake, California...1961. I had a horse. She was my friend.
There were times in my teens when Babe was the only being that did not judge me…
That was beautifully written and played. I mustn't forget to say that it's beautifully narrated in your song. I was there!
Bravo!
P.S. I know where your namesake got his style. - George Garner
According to John this lyric was inspired by the weird visions of a former sports reporter who now thinks the people in high political places are actually lizard men from space. :D
Lyrics: John Williams
Composed by: Andy Gupta
Vocals: George…
ULTRA VIOLET
Maybe I could fill the tank
Head on down. What do you think?
I could be there in about three hours...
You could talk and I could listen
Walk you outta Depression Prison
Turn that thunder storm into an April Shower
We…
I love this, thank you. 💜 I really appreciate you so much! I’m just getting back to reading everyone’s comments and replying to sweet messages, Happy New Year my sweet and talented friend! I hope it’s one of your best! VIOLET LEA
SAWTOOTH REQUIEM
Sawtooth Mountain. Working minimum wage
Clearing slash for a trail for the lift to the edge
Snow starts to falling the wind blowing sharp
Freezing my breath and breakin' heart
Some men's got to hunt. Some men's gotta ski…
In G Capo @ 1
Well, some folks think that Texas is just boots and belts and hat.
And Lone Star Chili's just carbohydrates, proteins and fats
I'll try to curb a snicker but I'm apt to disagree
TEXAS IS AS FAR AS I CAN SEE
Where the wind…
Lately people tell me they cry when I sing THE COUCH and YOUR VOICE. Last night, at dinner with True, he said GRAMMA'S SHAMPOO is like a stab in his heart. Maybe my grave stone will say:HIS SONGS MADE PEOPLE CRY.
THE COUCH - key - C live - Capo @ 4
https://fb.watch/lIEUn31mBZ/
https://www.facebook.com/100054814402634/videos/2856132984527543/
1-C 4-F
Today we put the couch out by the…
Roland Brown
Crying is the expression of our deepest emotions, I think. We cry when we are sad, we cry when we are deeply moved, and we cry when we are overcome with happiness. “He Made People Feel”.
Written one morning at OLD Number NINE weekend with Eliza Gilkyson.
SNAPSHOTS
Life's a million snapshots, all lined and flashing
It seem like a movie but it's the persistence of our vision
It all goes in circles, hashing and rehashing…
The lyrics of this song,
as they pertain to plot,
are my exact memory of the event.
I had spoken to the kid maybe a minute before the "action" started about how the pressure of the water was very strong. He was nestled down with his back…
David Young
I have always felt an emotional connection to your songs. “Help” was your song that first caught my attention then “Hickory Stix” and “Lisa Makes Appointments.” You have such a great talent for introducing characters and describing situations. You do it with simple but perfect lyrics and wonderful tunes. I never get tired of crying along with you!
Refuge into the imagination:
Is it crazy?
Is it survival?
Is desire to survive crazy?
THERE SHE WAS Key - G 102811
G
She'd been gone for three years now so he'd been on the road
Playing every truck stop bar and every song he…
Capo @ 2 in D (E) Dropped D tuning
Actually, it was almost two years. 1965-67.
Leavenworth, Kansas U S Army prison. I played the organ at the daily Protestant chapel. Took dictation and typed letters for the Protestant chaplain. Wrote 2-page…
Bill Jones
Hey James' Little long but guess you had nothing but Time...lol' Not bad~Not bad at all. Songwriter, myself I really Listen for the stories that make up an Artist, and his music...
THE COUCH - key - C live - Capo @ 4
https://fb.watch/lIEUn31mBZ/
https://www.facebook.com/100054814402634/videos/2856132984527543/
1-C 4-F
Today we put the couch out by the…
Lazarus Knight
That was great, sir. I wasn't aware that you could tickle the keys that well. The piano suggests the melody so strongly that if you told me the instrumental came before the lyrics I could easily believe it.
I never sing this song the same two times in a row.
The lyric below is pretty close to how I sing it now.
Listening again, this is an awful version of this song...
I have my recording machine working again...I must redo this.
I PLAY C…
Comments on James Michael Taylor's stuff
Bret McCormick Many years ago, after you handed me a Texas Water cassette, I listened to it and this song was the first one that totally grabbed my attention.
The guitar is great on that song James...is it a vocoder or a phaser or wah or something like that..stereo vocoder maybe....makes it sound like an synthetic organ type sound...matches the theme...disguised...unreal..very clever.. Matthew
OMG - you bring tears to my eyes and joy to my heart...I understand and identify with all the words you have written.
Listening to your songs evokes imagery of being a lonely and mysterious character stuck in an old dusty town.
Man this is beautiful!
Cool Song !
nicely done,james.the music suits the lyric perfectly
Cool feel to this one. Haunting
Beautiful song James!
fuckin awesome song but why didn't you sing the last 2 lines?
Lovely James. What a blessing to cheer up my down morning.
And ALL of that... I remember when my boys first came to CA. They were late teens, and early 20s. I took them to see Sunset cliffs. If you don't know it, it's easy to imagine: a sweeping vista of sky, sea and pelicans on a postcard. We got out, walked around... they said nothing, somber faces, withdrawn. "I step out of my car/ I don't know where we are..." It seemed the oddest thing at the time, but I knew this is what they were feeling. This song carries the magnificence of arrival in a beautiful new world. Or when my mother drove my sister & I from OK to CA to join my dad during the Korean War. Somewhere in New Mexico along Rt 66 we pulled over to sleep for a few hours. I woke up at dawn before anyone else, to discover the windshield of the car was filled with an enormous glowing ball. At age 6, I had never seen anything like this sun. I hardly knew what it was. This song was written for such moments. A beautiful, beautiful song. And those guitars in the middle are liquid light. Thank you for thinking of me in relation to this. I will always feel a tiny bit it belongs to me.
Delightul! Notes of honey on that guitar solo! Lyrics are a poem. The pipes coming back at the end, haunting. Something very Irish about this.
LOVE this! Love all that's going on dramaticaly in the sound track. Love the use of text from the book. Love the driving rat-a-tat rhythm. Very creative. Almost like a movie! :)
Good rendition I am sure Teddy Roosevelt would be proud. I sang this song every day at elementary school for 6 years.
GEEZUS, Jim, you keep freaking me out w these amazing songs!! So many styles, and this is my very favorite... until the next fav comes along!! Great lyrics, love the back up vocals, guitar solo, and hope you don't mind me sayin' a bit of a JJ Cale/ Tulsa Sound vibe by my ear. Mesmerizing. Gwyn Henry
everything is right on here. vox and mood. would love to hear more of this
Love it that he lived (has lived?) so long, long enought to enjoy this song as much has he seems to have, and sing it in duets with you. What a joy. And I love to song, too. Our shared roots and Red Dirt!
This brings tears to my eyes. The imagery couldn't be better for spreading empathy.
❤️i love this!
Comments made by James Michael Taylor
"This old house is a raincoat I put on" LOVE IT LeAnne M Christian
Nice. You write that? -LeAnne Christian
That was beautifully written and played. I mustn't forget to say that it's beautifully narrated in your song. I was there! Bravo! P.S. I know where your namesake got his style. - George Garner
Naad Kaur Khalsa - yes...true dat
Hey, it seems like years. Just want to say hi.
I love this, thank you. 💜 I really appreciate you so much! I’m just getting back to reading everyone’s comments and replying to sweet messages, Happy New Year my sweet and talented friend! I hope it’s one of your best! VIOLET LEA
Bravo! Great lyrics and beat - Rahim Quazi
Absolutly love the wind whistling the cows mooing & the Dixie Chicks back up singers. Never heard this one, a real fun song. Robert Hayden
Lately people tell me they cry when I sing THE COUCH and YOUR VOICE. Last night, at dinner with True, he said GRAMMA'S SHAMPOO is like a stab in his heart. Maybe my grave stone will say:HIS SONGS MADE PEOPLE CRY.
Roland Brown Crying is the expression of our deepest emotions, I think. We cry when we are sad, we cry when we are deeply moved, and we cry when we are overcome with happiness. “He Made People Feel”.
Lazarus Knight A powerful line - "It’s the distance from the bulb. It’s not the fading of the light."
David Young I have always felt an emotional connection to your songs. “Help” was your song that first caught my attention then “Hickory Stix” and “Lisa Makes Appointments.” You have such a great talent for introducing characters and describing situations. You do it with simple but perfect lyrics and wonderful tunes. I never get tired of crying along with you!
I like it. It's a bit genius but it does prove that you write songs that don't always make you cry. Tony Desmuke
you are a great Songwriter my friend, lost my wife of 10 years little over a year ago So it touches home, done its job... Mr Jones
Bill Jones Hey James' Little long but guess you had nothing but Time...lol' Not bad~Not bad at all. Songwriter, myself I really Listen for the stories that make up an Artist, and his music...
Good work and good works to you! - Norm Ballinger
Love it - Elizabeth Smith
Roberta Hargrove This is beautiful!!! I
Lazarus Knight That was great, sir. I wasn't aware that you could tickle the keys that well. The piano suggests the melody so strongly that if you told me the instrumental came before the lyrics I could easily believe it.
Roberta Hargrove This is beautiful!!! I