Billboard Top 40 Hits 1971: #24: “Country Road”- James Taylor. February 6, 1971.
- Single: “Country Road”- James Taylor
- Record Company- Warner Brothers
- Genre: Folk Rock
- Written by James Taylor
- Time: 3:24
- B-side:”Sunny Skies”
- Album- Sweet Baby James
- Grade: A-
- Peaked at #37 8 weeks in Billboard Hot 100.
“Country Road” was the second single from James Taylor’s second album Sweet Baby James [ the first was his break through hit “Fire and Rain” #3 in late 1970. James Taylor was born in Boston in 1948. From 1970- to 1997 he had 22 Hot 100 singles with 14 making the Top 40. His biggest hit was “You’ve Got A Friend” his cover of Carole King’s song from her Tapestry album which went to #1. “Country Road” was inspired inspired by Somerset Street in Belmont, Massachusetts, a wooded road that ran adjacent to McLean Hospital where Taylor had committed himself in 1965 to receive treatment for depression.
There’s just something about James Taylor’s voice that puts me at ease – almost regardless of what he sings about.
A good friend of mine is one of James Taylor’s biggest fans, and has seen him in concert more than 20 times over the years. I saw Taylor and Carole King on their Troubadour reunion tour in St. Louis in 2010, along with my friend and his wife (who sadly passed away in 2017).
I have never seen Taylor in concert- even back in the late 80’s and early 90’s when I went to a lot of concerts. Maybe he just didn’t come around? While not a super fan- I do like him.
I’m a big fan of his music but only recently bought a mini-box set with 5 of his albums: JT, Flad, Dad Loves His Work, That’s Why I’m Here, and Never Die Young. Have yet to listen to it. Appreciate learning origin story of this song.