The three James Taylor songs I would have at my funeral

James Taylor was born on March 12, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts, the second of five children, to a father who practiced medicine and a mother who trained as an opera singer. Taylor would become one of the biggest stars to emerge from the folk-rock phenomenon of the late ’60s and early ’70s, a more soulful practitioner than his more down-to-earth troubadour predecessors like Woody Guthrie or Bob Dylan.

Taylor’s commercial accomplishments are on a par with any major star of the last fifty years, though her career has hit some slumps along the way. I first saw him play live during the 2007 ‘One Man Band’ tour, when he delivered a terrific performance of effortless poise, stellar guitar work and considerable personal charm – he regaled the audience with some amusing anecdotes about his life. in the music. The entire concert took on the feel of a surreal school lesson, as Taylor used props, music, and a laptop projector to convey her ‘lesson’ (while the hairline, affable manner, and wrinkled shirt gave it the aura of a high school geography teacher). ). After the concert I joined the ranks of ‘super fans’ with a friend as we decided to hang out at the exit doors of the theatre, in the vain hope of catching a glimpse of the star in person. Not only did we achieve that, but James got off a slowly departing tour bus, walked over and said ‘Hello’ before posing for a photo. The rate was even higher on our already lofty estimates.

It was this nice turn of events that prompted my partner for the night to ask, “What 3 James Taylor songs would you have played at your funeral?” While not the most joyous setting to contemplate an evaluation of James’s music, I got into the spirit of the assignment, thought hard, and managed to come up with this selection:

• Fire And Rain: A song about Taylor’s battle with drug addiction, its sensitivity belies the pain behind the lyrics.
• Sweet Baby James – Written for her grandson in a matter of moments, again during a drug rehab stint; it is tremendously beautiful
• Shower The People: Its light evangelical tinge and deep-rooted power to uplift make it perfect for a life commemoration. I wonder if I could ever hire the London Community Gospel Choir to take part in the choirs, just as I’m disappearing behind the small curtain.