Maps of Music

James Taylor (1968)

Where the lyrics of James Taylor take you, and where it was really made.

Taylor's debut was cut at Trident Studios during the same months The Beatles were recording the White Album, and some of the studio time The Beatles had booked went to it.

Key places

Where the album was recorded (1968)

Recording site Berwick Street — Taylor recorded the album at Trident Studios from July to October 1968. The studio was then the most technologically advanced in England and was in high demand. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• James Taylor: debut studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor
• Released 6 December 1968 in the UK by Apple Records; released in the US on 17 February 1969
• First recording by a non-British artist released by Apple Records
• Taylor's only release on that label
• Released under the title First Album in the South African market

Background

• Produced by Peter Asher, A&R head of The Beatles' newly formed label Apple Records
• Recorded July to October 1968, at the same time as The Beatles were recording the White Album
• Trident Studios 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 to record Taylor's album instead
• Paul McCartney and Peter Asher brought in arranger Richard Hewson to add orchestrations to several songs and unusual link passages between them
• These orchestral additions received a mixed reception at best
• Taylor was hospitalized for drug addiction around the release, so he could not promote the record

Recording

• Taylor recorded the album at Trident Studios in London
• Paul McCartney and an uncredited George Harrison guested on 'Carolina in My Mind' on bass and backing vocals
• The title phrase of 'Something in the Way She Moves' gave George Harrison the starting point for 'Something'

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Early years

• Born March 12, 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts; raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
• Learned guitar in 1960, influenced by hymns, carols and Woody Guthrie.
• Spent time in a psychiatric hospital and struggled with heroin addiction in his youth.

Career

• Formed the Flying Machine in New York in 1966; the group broke up after a single.
• Signed to Apple Records in 1968 as the first non-British act on the label.
• Breakthrough with Sweet Baby James (1970) and the hit "Fire and Rain", both reaching No. 3.
• First No. 1 hit with "You've Got a Friend" (1971), written by Carole King.
• Greatest Hits (1976) is one of the best-selling albums in US history, certified Diamond.
• Won six Grammy Awards; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
• Reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with Before This World (2015) after a 45-year wait.
• Continues to tour actively as of 2026.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone: Jon Landau wrote a very positive review of the album
• Critical reaction overall was generally good
• Commercial potential suffered because Taylor could not promote the record during his hospitalization for drug addiction
• The album sold poorly

Records

• 'Carolina in My Mind' single in the UK, February 1969: failed to chart
• 'Carolina in My Mind' single in the US, March 1969 (Apple 1805): reached only number 118
• 'Knocking 'Round the Zoo' single in France (APF 506), backed with 'Something's Wrong'
• 'Something in the Way She Moves' and 'Carolina in My Mind' were re-recorded in 1976 for the Greatest Hits album because of licensing difficulties with Apple

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Taylor's self-titled debut was the first non-British release on Apple Records and his only release on that label.
• Paul McCartney and Peter Asher brought in arranger Richard Hewson to add orchestrations to several of the songs.
• The title phrase of 'Something in the Way She Moves' gave George Harrison the starting point for 'Something'.
• An early version of 'Fire and Rain' was recorded, but Asher did not choose it for the album.
• 'Rainy Day Man' was re-recorded in 1979 for the Flag album.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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