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.
You Can Close Your Eyes
James Taylor & Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But the moon is slowly rising
And this old world must still be spinning 'round
And I still love you
So close your eyes
You can close your eyes, it's all right
I don't know no love songs
But I can sing this song
And you can sing this song
When I'm gone
Well it won't be long before another day
We're gonna have a good time
And no one's gonna take that time away
You can stay as long as you like
So close your eyes
You can close your eyes, it's all right
I don't know no love songs
And I can't sing the blues anymore
But I can sing this song
And you can sing this song
When I'm gone
So close your eyes
You can close your eyes, it's all right
I don't know no love songs
And I can't sing the blues anymore
But I can sing this song
And you can sing this song
When I'm gone
The lyrics of James Taylor and Carole King's "You Can Close Your Eyes" tell a story of an individual in love with someone else who they care deeply for. They are facing the reality of time and the changes that come with it, but the love between the two still remains. The first verse describes the sunset as the moon slowly rises, suggesting the passage of time. Despite the earth continuing to spin and time moving on, the love between the two persists. This love is made clear by the chorus, where the singer encourages their loved one to close their eyes and not worry about the changes in the world because they still love each other.
In the second verse, the singer mentions that they are going to have a good time soon and that no one can take away that time they will share. This is another testimony to the strength of their love. The lyrics are quite simple, yet they convey a depth of feeling and commitment. The song's poignancy comes from the recognition of time's passage, which is necessary for the beauty of the moment. The song speaks to the idea that even when things change, there are some things that will always remain constant.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the sun is surely sinking down
The day is coming to an end
But the moon is slowly rising
The night is about to begin
And this old world must still be spinning 'round
Life goes on, despite our momentary feelings and emotions
And I still love you
Despite everything that's happened, my love for you remains the same
So close your eyes
Take a moment to rest and relax
You can close your eyes, it's all right
I'm here with you, there's nothing to worry about
I don't know no love songs
I'm not a great singer or songwriter
And I can't sing the blues anymore
I can't express my feelings through sad songs like I used to
But I can sing this song
'You Can Close Your Eyes' is the best song I can offer you right now
And you can sing this song
You can share this moment with me, and together we can find comfort in this song
When I'm gone
Even when I'm not here, this song will remain with you as a reminder of our love
Well it won't be long before another day
The morning will come before we know it
We're gonna have a good time
Let's enjoy ourselves while we can
And no one's gonna take that time away
Let's not worry about what others might do or say, let's just enjoy our time together
You can stay as long as you like
You don't have to leave anytime soon, I'm here for you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Taylor, James V Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cudlipp
These two legends may not have been lovers, but their souls fused as one when unifying to create such heartfelt emotions and melodies.
Nancy Kane
Soooo agree ❤
Anne Herman
Yes, soulfusion, ❤️🍄,
Richard Young
THEIR LIKE A OLD MARRIED COUPLE JUST ENJOYING THEMSELVES, GOD WE ARE SO PRIVILEGED TO HAVE LIVED AT THE SAME TIME AS JAMES AND CAROL ALONG WITH JONI MITCHELL AND JACKSON BROWN, GOD WE WHERE TRULY BLESSED. PEACE BE WITH YOU MY FRIEND'S. 🙏✌️😎🏴
Cynthia Gonzalez
You can't be sure. All the drugs & booze....
Cindy Malone
A beautiful song sang by 2 beautiful people who are still good friends over 50 years later.
TRACY JAMES
This such a beautiful, timeless wondetfully simple song, and of all the great artists JT has paired with over the years to sing this with him, Carole is my favorite.
JD Marr
So incredibly BLESSED to have grown up listening to these legends!!!
Linda Carroll
Two of my all time favorites plus Carley Simon
Dennis Wincel
I was at this show. What a wonderful song to end the tour with. It was a shame it had to end, but they say "all good things got to come to an end" I agree with the person who posted this. With a tear in my eyes, too am so thankful to have witnessed their talent.