The Best of James Taylor

Long ago a young man sits and plays his waiting game
But things are not the same it seems as in such tender dreams
Slowly passing sailing ships and sunday afternoon
Like people on the moon i see are things not meant to be

Where do those golden rainbows end?
Why is this song so sad?
Dreaming the dreams i've dreamed my friend
Loving the love i love

To love is just a word i've heard when things are being said
Stories my poor head has told me cannot stand the cold
And in between what might have been and what has come to pass
A misbegotten guess alas and bits of broken glass

Where do your golden rainbows end?
Why is this song i sing so sad?
Dreaming the dreams i dream my friend
Loving the love i love to love to love to love

how sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

I needed the shelter of someone's arms, and there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs, and there you were
With sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotion
I want to stop and thank you baby
I want to stop and thank you baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

I close my eyes at night
Wondering where would i be without you in my life
Everything i did was just a bore
Everywhere i went it seems i'd been there before
But you brighten up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

You were better to me than i was to myself
For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you

Way down here you need a reason to move
Feel a fool running your stateside games
Lose your load, leave your mind behind, baby james

Oh, mexico
It sounds so simple i just got to go
The sun's so hot i forgot to go home
Guess i'll have to go now

"americano" got the sleepy eye
But his body's still shaking like a live wire
Sleepy "se

Now if all my golden moments
Could be rolled into one
They would shine just like the sun
For a summer day
And after it was over
We could have it back again
With credit to the editor
For striking out the rain (very clean)
And all it really needed
Was the proper point of view

No one's gonna bring me down
No one's gonna stop me now

Now i gathered up my sorrows
And i sold them all for gold
And i gathered up the gold
And i threw it all away
It all went for a good time and a song (come on)
The laughter was like music
It did float my soul along for awhile
And all it really needed was the proper point of view

No one's gonna reach me here
No one's gonna know i'm gone

You may think i might be crazy
And i guess you might be right
But i know the way i feel today is out of sight
I do not trust your senses to remember your name
Without corrective lenses
Things are never twice the same anyway
And all it really needed
Was the proper point of view

No one's gonna bring me down
No one's gonna stop me now
No one's gonna reach me here
No one's gonna know i'm gone

Take to the highway won't you lend me your name
Your way and my way seem to be one and the same

Mamma 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 i could feel it
On a country road

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
Mamma 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 i could feel it
On a country road

Walk on down, walk on down, walk on down
Walk on down, walk on down a country road
Country road
Walking on a country road

Well, i'm a steamroller, baby
I'm bound to roll all over you
Yes, i'm a steamroller now, baby
I'm bound to roll all over you
I'm gonna inject your soul with some sweet rock 'n roll
And shoot you full of rhythm and blues

Well, i'm a cement mixer
A churning urn of burning funk
Yes, i'm a cement mixer for you, baby
A churning urn of burning funk
Well, i'm a demolition derby (yeah)
A hefty hunk of steaming junk

Now, i'm a napalm bomb, baby
Just guaranteed to blow your mind
Yeah, i'm a napalm bomb for you, baby
Oh, guaranteed, just guaranteed to blow your mind
And if i can't have your love for my own (now)
Sweet child, won't be nothing left behind
It seems how lately, baby
Got a bad case steamroller blues

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone
Susanne the plans they made put an end to you
I walked out this morning and i wrote down this song
I just can't remember who to send it to

I've seen fire and i've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when i could not find a friend
But i always thought that i'd see you again

Won't you look down upon me, jesus
You've got to help me make a stand
You've just got to see me through another day
My body's aching and my time is at hand
And i won't make it any other way

Oh, i've seen fire and i've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when i could not find a friend
But i always thought that i'd see you again

Been walking my mind to an easy time my back turned towards the sun
Lord knows when the cold wind blows it'll turn your head around
Well, there's hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things
To come
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Oh, i've seen fire and i've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when i could not find a friend
But i always thought that i'd see you, baby, one more time again, now

Thought i'd see you one more time again
There's just a few things coming my way this time around, now
Thought i'd see you, thought i'd see you fire and rain, now

Moving in silent desperation
Keeping an eye on the holy land
A hypothetical destination
Say, who is this waliking man?

Well, the leaves have come to turning
And the goose has gone to fly
And bridges are for buning
So don't you let that yearning
Pass you by
Walking man, walking man walks
Well, any other man stops and talks
But the walking man walks

Well the frost is on the pumpkin
And the hay is in the barn
An pappy's come to rambling on
Stumbling around drunk
Down on the farm

And the walking man walks
Doesn't know nothing at all
Any other man stops and talks
But the walking man walks on by
Walk on by

Most everybody's got seed to sow
It ain't always easy for a weed to grow, oh no
So he don't hoe the row for no one
Oh for sure he's always missing
And something is never quite right
Ah, but who would want to listen to you
Kissing his existence good night

Walking man walk on by my door
Well, any other man stops and talks
But not the walking man
He's the walking man
Born to walk
Walk on walking man
Well now, would he have wings to fly
Would he be free
Golden wings against the sky
Walking man, walk on by
So long, walking man, so long

When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon i will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
And you know whereever i am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And i'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend.

If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
And soon i will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name and you know where ever i am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you got to do is call
And i'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you.
Well they'll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name and you know wherever i am
I'll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don't you know that,
Winter spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you've got to do is call.
Lord, i'll be there, yes i will.
You've got a friend.
You've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
You've got a friend.

Whenever i see your smiling face
I have to smile myself
Because i love you (yes, i do)
And when you give me that pretty little pout
It turns me inside out
There's something about you, baby (i don't know)

(chorus)
Isn't it amazing a man like me
Can feel this way
Tell me how much longer
I will grow stronger every day
Oh, how much longer

I thought i was in love
A couple of times before
With the girl next door
But that was long before i met you
Now i'm sure that i won't forget you
And i thank my lucky stars
That you are who you are
And not just another lovely lady
Sent down to break my heart

Isn't it amazing a man like me
Can feel this way
Tell me how much longer
I can grow stronger every day
How much longer

No one can tell me that i'm doing it wrong today
Whenever i see you smile at me
No one can tell me that i'm doing it wrong today
Whenever i see your smile at face my way
No one can tell me that i'm doing it wrong today
No one can tell me that i'm doing it wrong today