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UK Release date : Friday, December 6, 1968

James Taylor (Stereo)

By James TaylorLP • Part of the collection “Paul McCartney as producer, composer, or session musician in the 60s

Last updated on September 29, 2021


Details

  • UK release date: Dec 06, 1968
  • US release date: Feb 17, 1969
  • Publisher: Apple
  • Reference: SAPCOR 3 (UK) / SKAO 3352 (US)

Timeline

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Related session

This album was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Track list

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Side 1

  1. Don't Talk Now

    Studio version • Stereo

  2. Something's Wrong

    Studio version • Stereo

  3. Knocking 'Round the Zoo

    Studio version • Stereo

  4. Sunshine Sunshine

    Studio version • Stereo

  5. Taking It In

    Studio version • Stereo

  6. Something in the Way She Moves

    Studio version • Stereo

Side 2

  1. Carolina in My Mind

    Written by James Taylor

    3:04 • Studio versionA • Stereo

    Paul McCartney : Bass George Harrison : Backing vocals Richard Hewson : String arrangement James Taylor : Backing vocals, Guitar, Vocals Freddie Redd : Organ Joel O'Brien : Drums Mick Wayne : Guitar Peter Asher : Backing vocals, Producer, Tambourine Barry Sheffield : Engineer Malcolm Toft : Engineer

    Session Recording: July - October 1968 • Studio Trident Studios, London, UK

  2. Brighten Your Night With My Day

    Studio version • Stereo

  3. Night Owl

    Studio version • Stereo

  4. Rainy Day Man

    Studio version • Stereo

  5. Circle Round the Sun

    Studio version • Stereo

  6. Blues Is Just a Bad Dream

    Studio version • Stereo


From Wikipedia:

James Taylor is the self-titled debut studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor. Released on December 6, 1968, it was the first recording by a non-British artist released by Apple Records, and would also be Taylor’s only release on that label. The album was released under the title First Album on the South African market.

Background

The album was produced by Peter Asher, who was A&R head for The Beatles’ newly formed label Apple Records. Taylor recorded the album from July to October 1968 at Trident Studios, at the same time as the Beatles were recording the White Album. Trident was the most technologically advanced studio in England at the time and was in high demand; some session time booked by The Beatles was used instead to record Taylor’s album. Paul McCartney and Peter Asher brought in arranger Richard Hewson to add orchestrations to several of the songs and unusual “link” passages in between them; these would receive a mixed reception at best.

Songs

Notable songs include “Something in the Way She Moves”, “Carolina in My Mind” and “Rainy Day Man”. McCartney and an uncredited George Harrison guested on bass and backing vocals respectively on “Carolina in My Mind”, the lyric of which, “holy host of others standing around me”, made reference to The Beatles, while the title phrase of Taylor’s “Something in the Way She Moves” provided the starting point for Harrison’s “Something“. (Coincidentally, Taylor has said he had meant for the song to be called “I Feel Fine” – after a dominant line in the chorus – but the title had already been taken by a Beatles song.) Taylor also recorded a very early version of “Fire and Rain”, which would be his breakthrough hit on his second album, but Asher did not choose it for the album release.

Release and reception

The album was released by Apple Records On December 6, 1968 in the UK and February 1969 in the US. Critical reaction was generally good, including a very positive Jon Landau review in Rolling Stone Magazine that said “this album is the coolest breath of fresh air I’ve inhaled in a good long while. It knocks me out.” The record’s commercial potential suffered from Taylor’s inability to promote it due to his hospitalization for drug addiction and it sold poorly. “Carolina in My Mind” b/w “Something’s Wrong” was released as a single in the UK (APPLE 32) in February 1969, but failed to chart. It was released as a single in the US (Apple 1805) in March 1969, but only reached number 118. “Knocking ‘Round the Zoo” was issued as a single in France (APF 506) backed with “Something’s Wrong”.

Because of the difficulty of obtaining licensing rights from Apple during the 1970s, “Something in the Way She Moves” and “Carolina in My Mind” were re-recorded in 1976 for Taylor’s Greatest Hits album. […]

Ads – from Melody Maker, November 30, 1968
Ads – from Melody Maker, November 9, 1968
Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

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