Taylor and King first met - briefly - in the 60s at the Night Owl Café in Greenwich Village. James was a shy teenager. Carole, although only in her mid-twenties, was already a legendary songwriter, but not yet a performer. She began finding her way toward being comfortable as an entertainer as part of James Taylor's band. Taylor's version of King's "You've Got a Friend" became a number one hit in the summer of 1971 and won a Grammy. In that same year, King's album 'Tapestry' reached number one and stayed there for a remarkable 15 weeks. It would eventually sell 22 million copies. Despite this success, King carried on touring with Taylor. They played L.A.'s Troubadour in the spring for a two-week co-starring run.'
At Thanksgiving in 2007, James and Carole returned to the Troubadour for a sentimental journey through their old set list, including performances of the pair's most beloved hits such as "You've Got a Friend", King's "So Far Away," "It's Too Late," and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?", as well as Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind," "Sweet Baby James," and "Fire and Rain," to name just a few.
Country Road
James Taylor & Carole King Lyrics
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Your way and my way seem to be one and the same
Mama don't understand it
She wants to know where I've been
I'd have to be some kind of natural born fool
To want to pass that way again
But you know I could feel it
Sail on home to Jesus won't you good girls and boys
I'm all in pieces, you can have your own choice
But I can hear a heavenly band full of angels
And they're coming to set me free
I don't know nothing 'bout the why or when
But I can tell that it's bound to be
Because I could feel it, child, yeah
On a country road
I guess my feet know where they want me to go
Walking on a country road
Take to the highway won't you lend me your name
Your way and my way seem to be one and the same, child
Mama don't understand it
She wants to know where I've been
I'd have to be some kind of natural born fool
I wanna pass that way again
But I could feel it, oh
On a country road
Walk on down, walk on down, walk on down
Walk on down, walk on down a country road
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
Country road, oh, yeah
Walking on a country road
Country road, uh
Country road
The song Country Road is a collaborative effort by folk legends James Taylor and Carole King, and is all about the feeling of freedom and unity that can be found while out on the open road. The song begins with a request to "take to the highway" and shares the sentiment that the journey is better when shared. This sense of unity is emphasized as the singer declares that "Your way and my way seem to be one and the same."
However, the singer's mother cannot understand why he would want to stray from home and asks where he has been. The singer admits that he would have to be a "natural born fool" to want to pass that way again, but the sense of freedom and connectedness he feels while out on the road is too powerful to resist. He can "feel it" on a country road.
The second half of the song takes on a more spiritual tone, with a reference to "sailing on home to Jesus." The singer admits to being "all in pieces" and unsure of where his journey is taking him, but there is a sense of peace in knowing that something greater than himself is guiding him. The song ends with a reprise of the chorus, emphasizing the joy that can be found in simply "walking on a country road."
Line by Line Meaning
Take to the highway won't you lend me your name
Join me on this journey and let me know who you are
Your way and my way seem to be one and the same
We both seem to be seeking similar things
Mama don't understand it
My mother is confused by my choices
She wants to know where I've been
She wants details about my travels
I'd have to be some kind of natural born fool
I would have to be foolish to go down that same path again
To want to pass that way again
To choose to repeat my past mistakes
But you know I could feel it
I can't explain it, but I have a strong feeling about something
On a country road
While traveling on a quiet road in the countryside
Sail on home to Jesus won't you good girls and boys
Those who have lived good lives can go to heaven
I'm all in pieces, you can have your own choice
I am struggling and you can make your own decisions
But I can hear a heavenly band full of angels
I feel like I am on the brink of something magical
And they're coming to set me free
They are going to help me break free from my troubles
I don't know nothing 'bout the why or when
I don't know the reasons behind this feeling
But I can tell that it's bound to be
But I know that it will happen
Because I could feel it, child, yeah
Because I had an intense feeling about it
I guess my feet know where they want me to go
My instincts are leading me in a certain direction
Walking on a country road
As I walk down a quiet road in the countryside
Walk on down, walk on down, walk on down
Keep moving forward
Walk on down, walk on down a country road
Continue walking down the quiet countryside road
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
Vocals with no specific meaning
Country road, oh, yeah
The beauty of the countryside road
Country road
The peacefulness of the countryside road
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR, JAMES V TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind