The Words and Music of James Taylor

by James E. Perone

Overview

A valuable resource for James Taylor fans and a fascinating read for anyone interested in autobiographical popular music of the past 50 years.

What kinds of unusual musical forms and lyrical structures did American singer-songwriter James Taylor incorporate into his songs? What role did Taylor play in the introspective singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s? How did Taylor write and record songs that were inspired from his own experiences in life that touched so many other people?

The Words and Music of James Taylor explores these specific topics and provides detailed critical analysis of the songs and recordings of this well-known musical icon, examining his melodic writing, his use of harmony, and his often-unappreciated tailoring of musical form to enhance his lyrical messages. The book is organized chronologically, primarily around Taylor's studio albums from 1968 to 2015, and offers an introduction, a summary of Taylor's career and importance, as well as an annotated bibliography and discography.



The final section of the book presents an overview of Taylor's importance and lasting impact, an analysis of themes that run through his songs, and an explanation of how Taylor's treatment of these themes changed over the years as he matured and as the world around him changed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440852695
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/10/2017
Series:	The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	150
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

James E. Perone, PhD, is associate dean of the faculty and the Margaret Morgan Ramsey Professor in Music at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, OH.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword James E. Perone vii

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

Overview of James Taylor's Life, Career, and Impact xi

Organization of This Book xvi

1 Flying toward Apple 1

The Early Years 1

The Flying Machine 1

James Taylor (1968) 4

2 Fire and Rain 11

Sweet Baby James (1970) 11

Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon (1971) 18

One Man Dog (1972) 25

Walking Man (1974) 31

3 In the Pocket 37

Gorilla (1975) 38

In the Pocket (1976) 42

JT(1977) 48

Flag (1979) 54

4 Dad Loves His Work 61

Dad Loves His Work (1981) 61

That's Why I'm Here (1985) 66

Never Die Young (1988) 71

New Moon Shine (1991) 74

5 Before This World 83

Hourglass (1997) 83

October Road (2002) 90

Covers (2008) 96

Before This World (2015) 101

Conclusion: Sweet Baby James 113

Annotated Discography 123

Notes 129

Annotated Bibliography 135

Index 145

Editorial Reviews

Perone is familiar with the numerous studies of Taylor's recordings and musical life, and with this volume and others in the series, he adds significantly to the literature on popular musicians since the late 1960s. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers.” —Choice

“Recommended for Community College, 2018” —Choice

From the Publisher