HelloI posted this in Got Clay in the Fox Cities cellcert, but thought it may be suited for here too.Maybe most of you know this, but in my constant desire to inform people the back stories to things, I thought I'd explain some of the cover songs' background Clay is singing. (For those of you who don't know me, I'm a huge James Taylor and U2 fan. The OCDers have heard all about my 20-year love affair with Bono and the boys, so I won't bore you with it now.I'm just so excited Clay's singing a U2 song because I've always felt his voice was perfect for it -- he has that same passion and emotion that Bono has, plus the booming pipes. I could go on and on...and did)BTW, WTSHNN is the song that U2 played at the February 2002 Super Bowl Half-Time Show where they scrolled down all the victims' names from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.U2 also did that during their "Elevation Tour" post-9/11 (2001/2002). (FYI - A DVD of their Elevation Tour concert in Boston is available, and is WONDERFUL!!!)"Where the Streets Have No Name" is on the landmark "The Joshua Tree" album, which won the Grammy for Best Album of the Year for 1987. The song's video is very famous, generally regarded as one of the best performance videos ever. U2 was on top of a building in downtown LA singing the song, and such a crowd gathered that the police had to come shut it down. It was a very Beatle-esque concept, like "Get Back" on the top of the Abbey Road studio.OK, here's what Bono said in 1987 about "Where the Streets Have No Name":'Where the Streets Have No Name' is more like the U2 of old than any of the other songs on the LP, because it’s a sketch - I was just trying to sketch a location, maybe a spiritual location, maybe a romantic location. I was trying to sketch a feeling. I often feel very claustrophic in a city, a feeling of wanting to break out of that city and a feeling of wanting to go somewhere where the values of the city and the values of our society don’t hold you down.‘An interesting story that someone told me once is that in Belfast, by what street someone lives on you can tell not only their religion but tell how much money they’re making - literally by which side of the road they live on, because the further up the hill the more expensive the houses become. You can almost tell what the people are earning by the name of the street they live on and what side ot that street they live on. That said something to me, and so I started writing about a place where the streets have no name....’"The song fits Clay, doesn't it?And man, does he look like a big-time rock star opening up the show with it!!!Ooooohhh, baby!!Here's some James Taylor background. BTW, Taylor is a Massachusetts native. He later made whatever Carolina his home (Thus, Carolina In My Mind.)James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" was written for his nephew, who was named for him. It's a lullaby. I used to sing it to my sons when I rocked them.James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" is based on a personal account staying in an institution/facility. I can't remember the real story as to why he was in there. He had some substance abuse problems as a young man, but I'm not sure if that was it, or if he had some mental breakdown. Anyway, this young woman, Suzanne, who he became friends with, killed herself.So the line "Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you" refers to her funeral. And that line, "But I always thought that I'd see you again" is about finding out she died.I know, deep. But that's still one of the most poignant songs ever written.That line about "Flying Machines in pieces on the ground" refers to his first band, James Taylor and The Flying Machine."You've Got a Friend" is actually written by Carole King, one of the legendary songwriters of the '60s and '70s. Taylor recorded it for his "Sweet Baby James" follow-up, "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon." Reportedly, they were more than "friends." But have since been close friends.The other songs, "Smiling Face" and "How Sweet It Is" are pretty self-explanatory. Y'all know that he was married to Carly Simon and they have two children, Ben and Sally, who are also singers. You can check out Ben's music at Amazon if you want to hear him. He's also done some music with dad and mom. I'm not all that familiar with Sally's stuff.Oh, and more trivia. When "Sweet Baby James" came out in 1970, James Taylor was the first pop/rock star to make the cover of Time Magazine. It was a huge deal. It also ushered in the singer/songwriter era.And as for "Rosanna," one of the Toto members wrote it for his then-girlfriend, actress Rosanna Arquette. She is also reportedly the subject for Peter Gabriel's song "In Your Eyes." So what is with this chick that she had two famous songs written about her?"Rosanna" was the Best Record of the Year at the Grammies back in '81 or '82, I believe.CHeers,Lynn aka The Wordy One
I read somewhere that he performed "Without You" at one performance. I hope that he does at the IL State Fair, as that is one of my favorite songs- the concert version that is.