James Taylor- Sweet Baby James

[ThePeacefulArtist]

@halahampang My Mum & Dad Still Sing This To Me And My Brother & Sister!

[october666w]

im 18, and since my 16' this has been my favorite country song

[Louie1157able]

With all the rap, drum machines or audio-tune, people tend to forget what real music is!

This is just tear-in-the-eye good.

[cherryhead94]

I'm only 17 but this my favorite song that I've ever heard. ever.

[janeteric]

I had James, my daughter has Justin Beiber. What is wrong with the world.

[39WILD39]

Why do I have to type in nearly the entire name of this song before youtube recognizes this is what I'm looking for? JT is so much more popular than Nickelback and Shawn Mullins. I'm not saying either of those two are bad but how are they ranked above this?

[milo1680]

They need to make t.v. like this again. get back to the good stuff. thx for the posting

[Bearmug55]

my dad showed me this song and now i listen to it evreryday and im only 8 :)

[AnneEliz97]

love the intro, for my nephew, for me too, and for you too if you want it.

[littlelulu333]

I call my baby cat Sweet Baby Jake, named after this heart-stirring song.  Thank you, James Taylor, for brightening the world with your talents.

[717021]

I can relate to this song because I was once married to a big ol' girl. She could really put away some chickens. Used to plug up the toilet something awful. Carry on.

[dkshotwell]

He has lost his har and his youth, but the voice and talent remain as strong as ever.

[Dodoy782]

What's not to like ??? about this song..or the one who sings. He still has that great voice to this day...

[ilpleurait]

james taylor is one of my favorite song writers ever.

[Octalin96]

my fave James Taylor song. i also used to sing this to both of my boys when they were little and wouldn't go to sleep .

[1onthefoodchain]

From 1:33 on James looks like a real life Shaggy from Scooby Doo

[mortishia99]

good night you midnight ladies...



[tranurse]

this song makes me tear up. i used to sing it to my babies.

[hahaurmno]

my dad played this song to me when i was soo little, said it was 'my song' :). i get the lump in throat listening to it, such a nice song :) rip dad

[ElliottSmithLives84]

i LOVE this  so MUCH though.

[barbroxursox]

my dad always sung this song to me when i was little, and he would replace it with my name & say "cowgirl" instead :')

[MultiShades]

@barbroxursox what a great thing to remember ,,hope your dad knows ............time goes so fast

[JJStockdale1]

I have sung this song hundreds of times to my children over the past 28 years, now I am singing it to my grandson "James"...oh btw, he is a sweet baby

[fuzzypige222]

this is old vintage....JT look like he is a teenager, awesome post CKOVER...i bet most people have never seen this one !!!!!

[RedSonja09]

sweet baby james...first album i ever owned

[bernadette203]

Oh, the memories.

[copperpaint]

I love how he wore plain t shirts and jeans, played a plain acoustic guitar and made no attempt at being pretentious. A concert of James taylor's was like being invited into his home.

[booogymaan]

my dad used to sing this 2 me when i was a baby

[onefoot7]

The Mike Douglas Show

[dannybighair]

Very evocative.

[niebells]

it's simply beautiful :) i love James Taylor from Fire and Rain and started listening another his song, this one is a harmony

[TheSunnyStar]

Wow, it's Shaggy from Scooby-Doo! And he sounds unbelievably good! XD

[xmiamaris]

sexy 

[rickkingtrumbullco]

James the better man won, I must say...You were great back then and your great now smooth as a gravey sandwhich, i can hear him telling you still..

Take care .

Rick

[cudder22]

im 17 and ive been listening to james taylor for a long time, prolly since I was like 5 or 6 , I cant remember. Great song, teenagers arent usually into james taylor or have heard of him..its a shame

[prettygreeneyed1]

so simple, but yet so beautiful.....JT at his finest.

[circulatingjournal]

this was my lullaby when i was growing up-what a beautiful song.

[vivalacarlo]

this shit makes me cry, i could still remember back in the days when my dad would play this in his stereo, he still has the tape but do anyone have a link to a non live one?

[MusicPrincess36]

idk why but this song just makes me cry. i have no sentimental connection to it whatsoever but its so very beautiful....

[occiaballa]

breathtaking

[jeahtr322]

my name is james and so is my dad's. he would always singing this song to me whenever i was crying. it always made me feel better and still does.... i love my dad

[sexyme1956]

i just love him

[Tebbek]

I sang this song to my son while he was in the womb and every night til he was 13 years old and it wasn't cool any more. He called me the other night frorm college and sang it back to me on a message voice mail. In perfect pitch and time a capela. yes I cried.

[modelverb]

@Tebbek that's...(fill in your own super word/phrase eg magic/great/forking fantastic/classic/real) I think this version, although not great audio is one of his best live takes. I've just watched him doing this tune in 08 on the jools holland show (UK) and this early version has it licked. They don't make em like they used to, but as he made it, its more than ok.

[misterjoecool]

@Tebbek That's a beautiful story!

[jamiepaton5]

@Tebbek my baby is due next month and i will be singing this as a lullaby, i wish to god that my boy/girl sings this back to me in 18 years time. this is the most beautifull song ever written.

[das178]

@Tebbek That has to be one of the most wonderful memories I've ever heard or seen. What a wonderful son you have.

[momajt]

@Tebbek I sing this song to my son too,he's 13 and wants me to stop :) But I tell him that I'm the mom so I don't stop hee hee

[20geraldine35]

@Tebbek

TYVM for stopping singing to your son when he was 13. It wasn't so bad when I was 34 and my Dad finally stopped reading 'Twas the Night before Christmas to me, but from when I was 12 to around 32 I really didn't like it. Prolly in the second half of my 20's the cringe factor was the greatest.

[treybeathard]

@Tebbek

Oh my...that would crush me....that is a wonderful story.

[michaelpersinger1975]

@Tebbek that comment is one of the sweetest ones i have had the pleasure of reading

[Genewillisini]

@Tebbek  Awww... that's sweet!

[markmarktarmann]

@Tebbek i used to sing my sons to sleep often with this song, they d be out by the end. nice story of yours. that must have been a nice moment.

[bdrasin]

Wow, just beautiful. Taylor really has the perfect voice for complementing an acoustic guitar.

[jeff2235]

Check for covers of this song by youtubers. You won't find many, because this is a very complex song and difficult to memorize. I've only heard one person who can do it justice. Thanks James!

[Cis4Champ]

song still makes me tired

[deramius]

He had great hair too.

[billatheccatk]

back when vh1 played music

[bandgeek195]

i am 14. i love the Beatles (quite obsessively) and their solo careers so i decided to check out the music around them and their time and i must say, i'm glad i did, this is beautiful. :)

i cant wait to listen to more of James Taylor. So much to discover. :)

[jthaw]

All of JT's albums are great, but some are better than others. If you like this song, then check out his greatest hits. Also, the albums "Gorilla", "Never Die Young", "That's Why I'm Here", "Hourglass", and "New Moon Shine". As I say, all of his work is very good and it's difficult to give a top ten.

If you like James Taylor, then try listening to Joni Mitchell, particularly her early albums like "Ladies of the Canyon", and "Blue".

[jthaw]

You can't go wrong with any James Taylor cd. However, there are several which are gems. Among them are: "Gorilla", "Never Die Young", "That's Why I'm Here", "Hourglass", and "New Moon Shine". Also, there are a few Greatest Hits which are good.

If you like JT, then you might like Joni Mitchell (they were an item once upon a time!). Check out her early albums like "Ladies of the Canyon", "Blue", and "Clouds". Her later work is VERY sophisticated and mature, both musically and lyrically.

[MrMintSkoal07]

love it, i've been listenin to james taylor since i was 3 months old, and now im 4 years old and i still love his music...,HA, Im so sick of all these little kids "im 13 and i like this kind of music". So what? Since when does age define what kind of music you appreciate?

[Richard2003]

Saw him at Kent State in 1973. I was in the second row.

[jamiepaton5]

sweet baby james.

[celloprofundo]

I remember in 1971 writing down the lyrics to this song off the album so I would be able to sing it to myself during school...thanks, Slim !

[bobdog11]

I started listening to Taylor when I was about 16. NowI'm almost 56. He sounds even better now. It puts me back to 1971.

[Victor1970s]

"Sweet Baby James" from his awesome 1970 album is timeless and such an enjoyable piece of music. This is my favorite song from that album, and I think it's even better then "Fire and Rain"

[70goldtop]

This guy and his Gibson are what used to scare Martin Guitar Co.

[ctw1966]

I'm 43 and have known his music since I was 8. He is seminal.

[CCat61]

*sigh*

[pacskye]

james rocks

[heatherneudecker]

If you're awake Archie, a lullaby...xx

[kathleendonnellan]

For his nephew and for mine........a lulaby for my Jimmy.

[p00p2600]

I love how Taylor always gives a little personal anecdote to introduce his songs. This guy's timeless.

[sharonbng]

This is my son's James's song,given to him by my mother when he was born in 1971

[jgadler812]

this was a lullaby for me too -- I love this song.

[arnoldvillamor]

I feel like i'm a first year college student. thanks for this upload...

[rickyronquillo]

simple and humble james but great voice

[letsbeefriendsok]

I was 8 and my brother played James taylor on the record player he had when I hear him I sing I think about when I was a little girl my husband took me to see him for the first time when I turned 40 in west palm beach he was perfect as always.

[mandimarrs]

The saying you can't go back home is so true for me, but when I hear James Taylor I always feel like I have gone back even if just for a moment.

[JthulhuOne]

same here dude.

havent heard this song in over a decade, it sounds as good now as it did back then.

[AlexTriad]

This song was also used as a lullaby for me. It gives me a soft hope of nicer times. Thank you James Taylor.

[Jukeboxguy00]

I sang my kids to sleep with this song and do the same thing with my grand daughter now. This song is timeless.

[fisherkingbat]

Nice peformance here. This video, you can see clearly the way he plays his left hand, he doesn't put all his fingers down all at once when the chords change, he sort of staggers out the laying down of his fingers, which is somewhat unique to him, and it's fun to watch, makes me kind of dizzy :-) .

[CasiniDivision]

my dads always loved james taylor so ive always been aware of him but for some reason never really got into his music, heard this on the radio the other day and it took me right back to bein a kid again and my dad pickin me up from school with james taylor playin on the stereo, brought a wee tear to my eye lol

[MyRickyz]

The first time i knew about James Taylor was in the mid-seventies when he released his great album "gorilla". but when i listened his second album Sweet baby James and his third "Mud Slide Slim and the blue horizon" few time later i really knew the best work of JT. thank a lot for posting.

[LeahCatherineRhead]

lol i love this song so much but every time i watch this vid i expect a great dane to come out and jump into his lap until finally he yells ZOINKS!! lol sorry just wanted to let you guys know.

[philochristos]

LOL Thanks for letting us know! That was funny.

[Jpfitz68]

One of my favorites.

[oysterboy9]

if there was a performance to wonder - is he high?  This one...he's high. Not a slag - but the drugs made for a bit of a lazier delivery - especially with the verses.

[buster20010]

This was made in the early 70's he was on heroin back then.

[BJJ87]

so what? His singing is simply beautiful. Why should it be ruined by such an untimnely, out of place comment ?

[NeoTRP]

Nobody said anything degrading, he was just pointing out a demon JT was facing back then. JT is talented and everyone knows it.

[1ImTheNextBestThing1]

@oysterboy9

He wrote a lot of his songs while on drugs

[kthnxhayley]

Reminds me of when I was a little kid.. My father would sing this song to me all time. :]

[carmenklepsa]

My husband I I sing this to our kids too. It brings tears to my eyes

[vukmanich17]

my dad would sing me to sleep with the song when i was a kid

[bessibabe4]

I've been listening to James since I was 2...I'm 20 now. I sang this song to my Godson when he was born almost 5 years ago when I'd rock him to sleep.

[guitarist1114]

i was thinking the exact same thing when i first saw this. haha

[abbeymanila]

he stil has his hair!

[lrgrjg]

haha, yeh in those cothes, for sure.

[jimmyfrancicone]

FANTASTIC VID

[BrysonG0171]

Awesome song. Just started listening to James When i was 13. Im 15 now and i love his music.

Bryson

[BlimpyBoy]

I wish I was honest enough to listen to music I actually enjoyed when I was that age :)

[mtb416]

@BrysonG0171 Who introduced you?

[laurapparsons]

@BrysonG0171 I was 11 years old when I first started listening to JT (that was 1974). We're lucky he's alive today - so grateful he took the steps to overcome his heroin addiction. I believe the only reason he didn't die while he was an active addict - he was "lucky enough" to get fairly clean heroin. God knows what might have happened to him had he spent his life as an addict on the street. He is THE MAN! Talented, smart, happy, and clean. He deserves this for what he's given us!

[jthaw]

@BrysonG0171 I made a few suggestions for bandgeek195 regarding JT albums to listen to. Also, Joni Mitchell is another from that era whose music is quite wonderful and her guitar work is rather unique (as is JT's). If you like these folks, check out Simon and Garfunkel's "Bookends" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" albums. Also, Paul Simon's early solo work is very accessible for someone who is 15. Try also, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, "Album 1700 by Peter, Paul, & Mary. And everything Beatles!

[mcym4]

@BrysonG0171 I was 19 years old and sitting in my 69 camero in fort walton beach florida.......when I heard this song.... for the first time....have loved it ever since....also saw JT perform this in berkley, ca. a few years ago at the greek theather and he still had the same perfect tone.

[RedSonja09]

this was the first album i ever bought, sigh...

[louiethefish]

it doesn't get much better than that. I love that dude

[lyssi75]

my favorite song by him:]

[tranurse]

thank you james taylor. this was my sons' lullabye.

[beastdrummer555]

That was my lullabye 2 when i was a kid!

[onefoot7]

of course it's James, I am just kiddin', I am a major JT fan....this is 1970, I think Mike Douglas show, amazing times...I would have loved to have seen the Newport Folk performance in July, 1969...talk about vintage, but I was only 2

[onefoot7]

He sounds just like James Taylor

[nida2192s]

....it is james taylor...duh. hes just younger in this vid.

[46nogi]

A great singer of all times. May GOD give him 100 more years to cradle those who seek his unforgettable songs... Cheers to you James....

46nogi

[gumbend1974]

my name.

i would love to have a grandson named after me.i think that if they did name him james,i would cry for days.(greek also)

[melissuccia]

c'est un dieu

[BergenCountySkinhead]

I sing this to my son. But I switch the chorus to "Sweet Aiden James"

[MsTrinta]

I was really sooooo born too late... Wished I were there in the 70s. James' music is so pure, incredible.

[wimpicker54]

James plays Olsen guitars nowadays and has for years but I'm partial to that old Gibson J-50 that he used for years and in this video. It doesn't have a pickguard which also enhances the beautiful tone. Such a lovely, warm bottom end to that model and his unique style of play really brings it out.

[littleshivadiva]

My mom was working for his dad at the cancer research lab in Chapel Hill NC around the time I was born, and used to babysit "sweet baby James".

[mrsdn1234]

I sang this as a lulabye to my youngest daughter for years. Just a random song that she loved. She grew into an accomplished equestrian and life long horse lover. Who knew?

[273jat273]

My dad sang this to me every night when I was a kid and I didn't grow up to be an equestrian but it really did resonate throughout my childhood. I'm sure you're daughter's gonna cry someday when she watches this video, like I am right now. :)

[Some1Better]

Aye... he lost the hair, but I think his voice may have gotten even better.

[thomascrown559]

I am Greek, and it tradition to name your first born son after his father.

My father;s name James' and someday this weill be my boy's lullabye:)

[coade123]

The funny thing about JT, as I've comented before, is that he plays his accompaniments note-identical over the last 39 years, but sings a little different every time. Most of us are the other way around!

[bigmac9aac]

noticed that myself. apart from his contribution on harvest by neil young. love the man tho. very profound.

[marcelstemarie]

what the hell- he looks like a model! I just heard this song recently and it's was fabulous to hear honest, beautiful lyrics and a good good melody.

[boomchuck1]

What a wonderful video of my favorite JT song. 25 years ago, when my little girl was very young, I would sing this to her as a lullaby. When the lyric "doggies" came she would say "woof woof". What a sweetheart! Thanks for the posting.

[user001989]

he was starting a mustache. it just makes him more hot. thanks for posting.

[marc57marc57]

As a long-time fan of JT, I confess that this is one of the earliest recorded videos that I believe exists. The pureness/modality of his intonation should be noted as well as how early he had captured his unique style. This song is truly a lullaby as he mentions. Visualize a couple dancing or skating on the ice while listening.

[shanegalang2]

There is a video here from 1970 of JT doing this. This one was a bit later I think.

[tamnliz]

He may have lost his hair, but certainly not lost that lovely lovely voice. Think his genius is timeless?

[Tazraz8]

he looks like if aragorn from lord of the rings played guitar

[MurphyPanther89]

Beautiful song - I can't wait to see him at the Obama concert on Sunday afternoon. I hope he sings this one or "Carolina."

[rickyronquillo]

pretty cool!

[greenmatzoh]

He's not hurting my eyes either... Mmmm...

[soukril]

tena mahery izy e!!! tsy lefy laza ny hirany. betsaka isika gasy no tia azy io.

[RobinsonzProductions]

yright

[cmptvp]

This is the greatest singer song writer in my life time. He is amazing and has stood the test of time, drugs and all. His voice is still amazing, his guitar is so distinguishable, no one can duplicate his sound! JT is the man and has out lasted all of them!!!!

[walkingbear56]

priceless

[vmstrider]

Thanks for this! I've never seen this performance before. It is classic James - just a man and his guitar. Love it.

Also thanks to EmergencyIan, since I found this through your favorites. Seems we have similar tastes in music.

[EmergencyIan]

Wow, a great early performance of this classic by James!

- Ian