The Acoustic Guitar Forum - Folk rock was complete with James Taylor's "Lighthouse."

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MartyGraw

07-24-2018 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow (Post 5791405)

I think I have the Lighthouse CD on a shelf somewhere. I need to go listen to it, because I don't remember a thing about it. I'll get back.

In 1975 I was 27 years old, my wife and I were having our first child, I was very busy at work, and we moved 3 times that year. So I was probably not paying attention to what James Taylor was doing at the time.

- Glenn

If I am not mistaken, the album is actually "Gorilla"....

llew	07-24-2018 02:32 PM

Yeah...it is. Lots of killer JT songs on that one too. One of my favorites was/is "Mexico".

gfspencer

07-24-2018 02:36 PM

I am a big James Taylor fan and I have never heard "Lighthouse". :confused: I have listened to "Mexico" many times. :D

llew	07-24-2018 02:50 PM

Both songs are on the Gorilla album. Don't think "Lighthouse" got much (if any) radio play back then?

Glennwillow

07-24-2018 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartyGraw (Post 5791409)

If I am not mistaken, the album is actually "Gorilla"....

Ah... Then I know I have it and I do remember that album. Yes, it was a good album!

James Taylor has been very good over the years at figuring out how to reinvent himself without seeming like he is starting over. For example, Paul Simon, while he was also very successful at reinventing himself, there were periods, such as his African music direction, where it seemed like he was starting over.

Thanks for the clarification!

- Glenn

DavidE

07-24-2018 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Womack (Post 5791026)

No, I don't mean all the good ideas were spent, but, darn, it sure felt close.

A guy in my four-man dorm room my first year of college (1975) had this album. I generously wore it out for him. The credits read like a who's who. The song is great for a rainy day like this.

Discuss amongst yourselves. :)

Bob

I love Lighthouse. I wish James would play it live. I think the last tine I heard him play it was 1985-1988 when he played Cleveland Music Hall.

StephenHD35

07-24-2018 11:42 PM

That was my favorite cut from that album, which I still think is one of his strongest.

cigarfan

07-25-2018 04:35 AM

Ahhh, JT. So much to love about this mans music. My Gorilla album is full of scratches and pops. May be time to search out a CD.

llew	07-25-2018 05:46 AM

Several other great songs from that album that I love are Sarah Maria, I Was a Fool To Care, You Make It Easy, and Wandering. It is chock full of great songs that received very little, if any radio play?

drplayer

07-25-2018 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tico (Post 5791285)

+1!

JT's guitar playing sounds so friendly and accessible, but coming anything close to nailing it is extraordinarily difficult.

I teach and find JT's playing to be a rich mother-load of technique to be mined.
It's so subtle and expressive, yet complex.

When my students and I are selecting their next piece I'll play them some JT, of course only if they're ready for it.
They love it and want to learn it, but I warn them how deceptively difficult it is.

Exactly!!! And that's JT's brilliance...his playing sounds effortless and dare I say simple, but it is anything but. I think that's why he often doesn't get the accolades he deserves as a player...it just doesn't seem like there's that much going on, UNTIL, you try to do it yourself.

zombywoof

07-25-2018 06:41 AM

Folk Rock hit its peak in 1969 with the release of Fairport Convention's "Liege & Lief."

JT for me though was pretty much a passing fad. I bought his first two LPs but that was it. In the end I guess the "New Folk" did not work for me and I quickly went back to Dave Van Ronk, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and the like.

Everton FC

07-25-2018 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drplayer (Post 5791778)

Absolutely agree. 1000%.

jomaynor

07-25-2018 10:58 AM

Lighthouse is a lovely, pristine folk-pop song, but it is hardly "rock." Far too polite and self-conscious for that. Not that it matters - James Taylor has a signature style that is all his own.

This exemplifies folk-rock: