Harman Patil (Editor)

Sweet Baby James

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Released
  
February 1970

Artist
  
James Taylor

Label
  
Warner Bros. Records

Awards
  
Grammy Hall of Fame

Length
  
31:51

Release date
  
February 1970

Producer
  
Peter Asher

Sweet Baby James httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen112Jam

Recorded
  
December 1969 at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles

Genre
  
Rock, folk, country, blues

Sweet Baby James (1970)
  
James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine (1971)

Similar
  
Mud Slide Slim and the Blue, Walking Man, One Man Dog, In the Pocket, The Best of James Taylor

Sweet Baby James is the second album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor, and his first release on Warner Bros. Records. Released in February 1970, the album includes one of Taylor's earliest successful singles: "Fire and Rain", which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself also managed to reach #3 on the Billboard Album Charts. Sweet Baby James made Taylor one of the main forces of the ascendant singer-songwriter movement. The album was nominated to a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, in 1971. The album was listed at #103 on Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Contents

Background

The album, produced by Peter Asher, was recorded at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, between 8 and 17 December 1969 at a cost of only $7,600 out of a budget of $20,000. Taylor was "essentially homeless" at the time the album was recorded, either staying in Asher's home or crashing on a couch at the house of guitarist Danny Kortchmar or anyone else who would have him.

The song "Suite for 20 G" was so named because Taylor was promised $20,000 once the album was delivered. With one more song needed, he strung together three unfinished songs into a "suite", and completed the album.

The album produced two charting singles, "Fire and Rain (song)" backed by "Anywhere Like Heaven" which reached the #3 spot on 31 October 1970. "Country Roads" backed by "Sunny Skies" reached #37 on 20 March 1971. An additional single, "Sweet Baby James" backed by "Suite for 20G" did not chart.

Accolades

  • In 2003 the TV network VH1 named Sweet Baby James the 77th greatest album of all time.
  • In 2003, the album was ranked number 103 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

    • Track listing

    All songs by James Taylor unless otherwise noted.

    1. "Sweet Baby James" – 2:54
    2. "Lo and Behold" – 2:37
    3. "Sunny Skies" – 2:21
    4. "Steamroller" – 2:57
    5. "Country Road" – 3:22
    6. "Oh, Susanna" (Stephen Foster) – 1:58
    7. "Fire and Rain" – 3:20
    8. "Blossom" – 2:14
    9. "Anywhere Like Heaven" – 3:23
    10. "Oh Baby, Don't You Loose Your Lip on Me" – 1:46
    11. "Suite for 20 G" – 4:41

    Personnel

    Musicians:

  • James Taylor – guitar, vocals
  • Chris Darrow – fiddle, violin.
  • Carole King – piano, vocals
  • Danny Kortchmar – guitar
  • Russ Kunkel – drums
  • John London – bass
  • Randy Meisner – bass
  • Red Rhodes – steel guitar
  • Bobby West – double bass

    • The horn players are uncredited.

    Technical:

  • Jack Bielan – brass arrangements
  • Peter Asher – producer
  • Bill Lazerus – engineer
  • Darrell Johnson – mastering
  • Ed Thrasher – art direction
  • Henry Diltz – photography

    • Songs

    Sweet Baby James2:53
    Lo and Behold2:36
    Sunny Skies2:21

    References

    Sweet Baby James Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA