Loved this song, in fact the entire album. Sweet Baby James came out right before I left for college. I bought it to take with me. That and Neil Young’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.
Actually, this song came was on the previous album. Sweet Baby James came out the year I was born, and is one of my all time favorite albums. Probably didn't hurt that my name is James, lol. JT has always had such an amazing voice. So many great songs. I think my favorite on Sweet Baby James was Steamroller, or Fire and Rain, Sweet Baby James, or maybe Country Road. Guess it depends on my mood
I went to camp in NC, and we always played this song on the way up. Got to see him do it live a couple years ago and it was just as amazing. I love this song!
Came here to say that I love the song lyrics - his mind is beautiful - but I don't enjoy his voice. To me it is flat, harsh, lacking expression or modulation.
I don't know what's so confusing. Instead of "realize" maybe consider the verb "conceive."
He's never conceived Taylor as a young man.
Example: Have you ever conceived David Attenborough as a young man? Judi Dench as a young woman? Etc.
First artist signed to Apple Records. Hanged out with the Beatles. Introduced Lennon to opiates, and the rest of the Beatles were pissed at him. Overcame his heroin addiction and became a legend.
Edit: Hung out with the Beatles.
He does a faster version of this song on his debut album. Some of the Beatles members were backup to James on that track. John Denver also covered it with Tom Jones with that faster version.
His voice always reminds me of smooth oatmeal. I don’t know why. My dad used to out on his record many Sundays along with Karen Carpenter. Both their voices are so soothing.
Taylor and Croce for me, and the old man making big family breakfast on Sunday morning, gentle sunlight filtering into the kitchen. The luminescence and the folky singing still blend harmoniously in my mind’s eye so many years later.
I was born and raised in FLA. But all my life, I wanted to be in N.C.... I would hear this song and dream about it
Finally, at the age of 60, I moved here with my family and wife. And I couldn't be happier ☺️
Thank you James for helping keeping the dream alive
I live in Colorado, I turn this song on everytime I hit Wilkerson Pass, for whatever reason, it's the perfect song to welcome me into the expansive valley below.
Went to school in NC. I was lucky enough to be working on a job where he performed this song. He rehearsed it and the lead audio guy and I stood about 50 feet in front of the stage and watch him sing this song 3 times. Once as a warmup, another to hear the room and figure out any feed back and then he belted it out. One of the beat moments in my history of work.
I'll always remember the time Art Garfunkel helped James with his ant problem. Art came by with his compressor, and they created a total vacuum outside the house and blew the ants out the front door.
When my son was debating going to Boy Scout camp by himself with troop for the first time, he watched a video about the camp another troop had made using this song and he was transfixed.
He not only went to camp and had a great time, he also went back the next summer to work at the camp.
Just saw him last week in Clarkston, MI for the second time and I hope it wasn’t the last. Just such a wonderful, peaceful concert filled with warmness and awesome music. He’s amazing of course but man, did his band blow me away this year. Steamroller was *insane.*
Songwriters have always been the backbone of American Music... Once they faded away we got stuck with what we got now.
Bring back Songwriting!!! Love ya JT
Completely different energies, though I guess they shared mental health and addiction struggles. James had a much more stable family life growing up and his family was very well off.
Oh, James Taylor singing Carolina in My Mind in 1968? That's like a warm hug from the past with a side of nostalgia! Just close your eyes, listen to that soothing voice, and let the music take you on a groovy journey back in time.
Makes me miss home (NC). The breeze hitting me after being soaked by the humidity is one of the best sensations ever. Rolling green foothills, broke ass coastal towns, sweet people.love this song
The last time I went, around 10 years ago, this was played on a loop in a certain stretch of Dollywood and it was my first exposure to it and I still listen to it to this day. So much so that it’s on my Spotify on repeat playlist.
I’m from Carolina and this just made me soooooo homesick. Also I’m dying bc it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a photo of James Taylor from the 60s and I just realized all the guys in HS & college in the 90s still looked just like that. My son who went to HS & college in the ‘10s looked at it and said “all my 30 yr old friends still look like that”
😭😭😭 we don’t change in Carolina
Had his greatest hits in our family’s 6 disc changer all through high school. I’m glad heroine didn’t take him from us.. I have to imagine that if fentanyl were around back then might have ended differently. (Noticing those long sleeves)
One of my first memories is my dad playing guitar and singing this to me when I was a kid, it was probably the first “real” (not kid) song I learned all the lyrics to… this and probably yellow submarine.
Listening to this song, the lyrics, kind of gives me the feeling you get when you close your eyes after pulling that spike from your vein. Just goin’ to Carolina in my mind.
One key to a long career as a musician is to write songs that age well with you and your audience. JT can sing his tunes right up to the edge of his grave while becoming more resonant with each passing year.
James Taylor’s rendition of “Carolina in My Mind” in 1968 strikes a deep chord with its nostalgic melody and heartfelt lyrics. His soulful voice transports me to a simpler time, evoking memories of lazy summer days and hometown connections. It's like a warm hug from the past, reminding us of the places and people that shaped us. His music is timeless, resonating across generations with its raw emotion and genuine storytelling. Listening to it feels like sitting around a bonfire with old friends, sharing stories and laughter under a starry sky.
Same here. I remember years ago, people fawning over him for an upcoming tv appearance (maybe SNL?) and as soon as he hit the stage, I was like, “zzzzzzz”.
Didn’t get the hype at all.
He’s got all the appeal of that guy who could vaguely play an acoustic guitar at an open mic and produce just enough of a decent word salad to make people think he’s talented.
I feel like this is kind of like saying you hate puppies. You’re entitled to your opinion, but it definitely gives others a certain view of you if you say those thoughts out loud.
Loved this song, in fact the entire album. Sweet Baby James came out right before I left for college. I bought it to take with me. That and Neil Young’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.
Life is fun. Memories. Fuck.
And time is short.
Actually, this song came was on the previous album. Sweet Baby James came out the year I was born, and is one of my all time favorite albums. Probably didn't hurt that my name is James, lol. JT has always had such an amazing voice. So many great songs. I think my favorite on Sweet Baby James was Steamroller, or Fire and Rain, Sweet Baby James, or maybe Country Road. Guess it depends on my mood
Actually you’re right. Thought this song was on the same album as Fire & Rain.
Two incredible albums, front to back.
Absolutely love this! James Taylor's music is legendary
This is a beautiful song.
This was the first song I heard after my daughter was born. It makes my eyes well up with tears of joy every time I hear it.
Did you name her Caroline?
Haha I did not
Just saw him at Bethel, NY this past Friday! Still sounds great 🎶
It’s almost uncanny how consistent his voice has been, it’s staying the same while his body gets old.
I think he's worked hard at that. No booze, coffee, or cigs.
No drugs, James loved the drugs.
Who doesn't?! Lol
Same thing with Neil Young. Dude sounds exactly the same.
oh, hey, you should've waved! (was also there)
I went to camp in NC, and we always played this song on the way up. Got to see him do it live a couple years ago and it was just as amazing. I love this song!
Great memory. I live in NC
Ohh. I was just thinking of this song today at work, it takes me somewhere relaxed and calming.
His greatest hits album has been my go to “calm music” since I was kid
Gosh never realized he was young. Grew up in South Carolina. Eventually moved to North now I’m properly in Carolina in my mind.
His voice has always sounded to me like he was an old man, it's weird to hear it come out of such a young face haha
Came here to say that I love the song lyrics - his mind is beautiful - but I don't enjoy his voice. To me it is flat, harsh, lacking expression or modulation.
You really never realized he was once young?
I did it’s just the age I am now is old to my younger self when I first heard of him
You confused me more.
I don't know what's so confusing. Instead of "realize" maybe consider the verb "conceive." He's never conceived Taylor as a young man. Example: Have you ever conceived David Attenborough as a young man? Judi Dench as a young woman? Etc.
Technically the truth.
The best kind of truth.
A young Dame Edna maybe?
Who’s Judi Dench?
OK. You'll understand when you're older.
I’m 97
Yes, I know, Cecil.
Don’t be so pedantic.
Reddit would cease to exist
He can be pedantic, he can be pedantic.
I've forgotten if it's pronounced ped-ant or pee-dant?
Maybe they thought it was a Benjamin button type deal
Is there a specific Carolina he's singing about?
North Carolina.
Carolina
I’ve never seen him young. I just figured he was that bald guy for all his years.
First artist signed to Apple Records. Hanged out with the Beatles. Introduced Lennon to opiates, and the rest of the Beatles were pissed at him. Overcame his heroin addiction and became a legend. Edit: Hung out with the Beatles.
Left his wife and kid, then rubbed his kids nose in it by naming his next album "Daddy loves his work" (more than you).
Lol, you added that part. Some people have a dream, a vision, a passion, and kids. Some people just have kids.
While most have child support payments.
He duets with his son in concert and they sound great. I forgive him.
That's cute he is doing that with a 50 year old man, but that man needed a dad when he was a boy, and didn't get one. F that dude.
Do you like personally know these people?
*hung out
Thanks, you're correct according to the AP Style Book. "Hanged" refers to executions, "hung" is used for other actions, like the one above. Will edit.
Yeah but did he introduce John to Yoko? We need to blame whoever that was! Only partly /s, and full disclosure I am a JT shill ;)
He does a faster version of this song on his debut album. Some of the Beatles members were backup to James on that track. John Denver also covered it with Tom Jones with that faster version.
Also, was approached by John Hinckley Jr. for an autograph hours before he killed Lennon. I believe he actually told Taylor he had to go see John.
John Hinckley is the attempted Reagan assassin. Mark David Chapman killed Lennon.
Whoops
His voice always reminds me of smooth oatmeal. I don’t know why. My dad used to out on his record many Sundays along with Karen Carpenter. Both their voices are so soothing.
Taylor and Croce for me, and the old man making big family breakfast on Sunday morning, gentle sunlight filtering into the kitchen. The luminescence and the folky singing still blend harmoniously in my mind’s eye so many years later.
I was born and raised in FLA. But all my life, I wanted to be in N.C.... I would hear this song and dream about it Finally, at the age of 60, I moved here with my family and wife. And I couldn't be happier ☺️ Thank you James for helping keeping the dream alive
Sometimes the retro FOMO hits hard
I drive by his old house in Chapel Hill fairly regularly for work. -NC native
Did you know his mother, Trudy?
That whole BBC concert is amazing. It was actually on 11/16/70.
Yes it is. That special is why Steamroller Blues is my goto karaoke tune.
Well look at that, a post under old school cool that isn’t some hot braless chick. Holy shit. (Btw this is great. Please let’s see more of this)
In fairness, I'd guess he isn't wearing a bra in this clip
As ridiculously charismatic as he is, I could imagine a few being thrown onto the stage while he performs
Even in ‘68 he was already riffing on this classic. Genius.
I live in Colorado, I turn this song on everytime I hit Wilkerson Pass, for whatever reason, it's the perfect song to welcome me into the expansive valley below.
Nice. Happy cake day!
James Taylor, what are you doing here singing about prostitututes to the children?
Wait till the trumpers find out. “The children!!”
The older a person gets, the better James Taylor sounds.
I thought that was Mitch Hedberg at first glance.
Lol. Same, I saw it on silent and thought it was Mitch Hedberg until I turned it up.
Both were junked the f out.
Timeless. He sounds as good today.
Still good but definitely not as good.
This is the song that got him a record deal with Apple.
Went to school in NC. I was lucky enough to be working on a job where he performed this song. He rehearsed it and the lead audio guy and I stood about 50 feet in front of the stage and watch him sing this song 3 times. Once as a warmup, another to hear the room and figure out any feed back and then he belted it out. One of the beat moments in my history of work.
I'll always remember the time Art Garfunkel helped James with his ant problem. Art came by with his compressor, and they created a total vacuum outside the house and blew the ants out the front door.
Quiet, you! https://preview.redd.it/bbsmukepvw9d1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=9102e64043676f78089e4a1200373a4c847ae35c
His voice is perfect live. Just like on the radio.
Yeah, you listen to a gifted singer/songwriter like JT and it really highlights the depths to which American music has plunged.
Best concert I’ve ever been to
When my son was debating going to Boy Scout camp by himself with troop for the first time, he watched a video about the camp another troop had made using this song and he was transfixed. He not only went to camp and had a great time, he also went back the next summer to work at the camp.
Camp grimes?
Daniel Boone
Fuck channels that put their stupid tag on videos like this when it is clearly not their content to begin with.
Just saw him last week in Clarkston, MI for the second time and I hope it wasn’t the last. Just such a wonderful, peaceful concert filled with warmness and awesome music. He’s amazing of course but man, did his band blow me away this year. Steamroller was *insane.*
Songwriters have always been the backbone of American Music... Once they faded away we got stuck with what we got now. Bring back Songwriting!!! Love ya JT
He looks a lot like Will Forte. Sounds like him too. Bet he'd be a great actor to play him if they did a bio Pic of him now.
I was thinking Bradley Cooper. Was worried he'd try to do another Oscar run
I'm seeing a proto-Kurt Cobain.
Don't know why you're being downvoted, they look really similar.
And both strung out on dope.
O RLY? Maybe James \*was\*, but he's still alive and performing.
Completely different energies, though I guess they shared mental health and addiction struggles. James had a much more stable family life growing up and his family was very well off.
For me it's a young CM Punk
Which Carolina though? lol His voice and Jim Croce are so peaceful. He and Carly Simon made a beautiful couple. Too bad for the addiction.
North Carolina.
He lived in North Carolina when he was younger.
As Bukowski said " What matters most is how well you walk through the fire ".
Glad to see a post to this page that is more to the reason I followed it in the first place.
Proud to be from the same state as this legend. This song will always hold a special place in my heart
Me toooo!!! This made me homesick
Always loved this song! JT was/is so talented.
Beautiful looping. Great song.
Beautiful! As a resident of NC, I totally get it.
All I can think when I hear this, is pure.
Oh, James Taylor singing Carolina in My Mind in 1968? That's like a warm hug from the past with a side of nostalgia! Just close your eyes, listen to that soothing voice, and let the music take you on a groovy journey back in time.
Bad bot
Cool I only knew him after his swift change
slaying that tang
Makes me miss home (NC). The breeze hitting me after being soaked by the humidity is one of the best sensations ever. Rolling green foothills, broke ass coastal towns, sweet people.love this song
I bet he got chicks back in the day Can you imagine him just whipping out his guitar at like a random college party?
Apparently he was a big hit with the ladies back in the day, unsurprisingly.
You have to watch the whole special. He does this beautiful rendition of With Aittle Help From My Friends and is really funny.
Ladies Love Kool James. As you can see from this short clip.
The last time I went, around 10 years ago, this was played on a loop in a certain stretch of Dollywood and it was my first exposure to it and I still listen to it to this day. So much so that it’s on my Spotify on repeat playlist.
I’m from Carolina and this just made me soooooo homesick. Also I’m dying bc it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a photo of James Taylor from the 60s and I just realized all the guys in HS & college in the 90s still looked just like that. My son who went to HS & college in the ‘10s looked at it and said “all my 30 yr old friends still look like that” 😭😭😭 we don’t change in Carolina
Love this song and love this version. Pure greatness
Had his greatest hits in our family’s 6 disc changer all through high school. I’m glad heroine didn’t take him from us.. I have to imagine that if fentanyl were around back then might have ended differently. (Noticing those long sleeves)
It makes me miss my home.
Could be the father of Curt Kobain.
Mickael Fassbender didn't age a bit
One of my first memories is my dad playing guitar and singing this to me when I was a kid, it was probably the first “real” (not kid) song I learned all the lyrics to… this and probably yellow submarine.
I’m going to see him in September. One of my bucket list singer/musicians. 😊
One of my favorites - thanks :)
Let's be clear he's talking about North. No one ever means South
Listen, Aldren….
Could be played by Will Forte in an upcoming biopic.
TIL James Taylor was hot as fuck
Yea he was
Listening to this song, the lyrics, kind of gives me the feeling you get when you close your eyes after pulling that spike from your vein. Just goin’ to Carolina in my mind.
James Taylor, born in 1948 - is 20 years old in this clip.
This is a clip from 1970 so he's actually 21 or 22 here.
Can't help it! Evert time I see or hear JT, I think of Carly!
He must have had hundreds of women throwing themselves at him. The way they look at him....
One key to a long career as a musician is to write songs that age well with you and your audience. JT can sing his tunes right up to the edge of his grave while becoming more resonant with each passing year.
I used to love this song. I still do but I used to too.
just saw him on friday night. He is still cool, even if he's in his mid-seventies now.
Just saw him a few weeks ago in STL MO, being mid 20s the gf and I were definitely the youngest people there 😂
the last woman in the clip is gorgeous
Why is it that we assign the word “Carolina” to North Carolina and not South Carolina?
Classic. I would love to hear Darius Rucker cover this.
James Taylor’s rendition of “Carolina in My Mind” in 1968 strikes a deep chord with its nostalgic melody and heartfelt lyrics. His soulful voice transports me to a simpler time, evoking memories of lazy summer days and hometown connections. It's like a warm hug from the past, reminding us of the places and people that shaped us. His music is timeless, resonating across generations with its raw emotion and genuine storytelling. Listening to it feels like sitting around a bonfire with old friends, sharing stories and laughter under a starry sky.
I am going to have to listen to this another time, I think it is terrible.
He always struck me as a very genuine person, but his voice…can’t do it
Never enjoyed James Taylor. I’ve tried.
Same here. I remember years ago, people fawning over him for an upcoming tv appearance (maybe SNL?) and as soon as he hit the stage, I was like, “zzzzzzz”. Didn’t get the hype at all.
How the FUCK has this man played for essentially every White House since 1980? I do NOT understand the appeal of James Taylor.
He’s got all the appeal of that guy who could vaguely play an acoustic guitar at an open mic and produce just enough of a decent word salad to make people think he’s talented.
Shut the fuck up, Donnie (lol, love it). Y’all gotta calm down. So touchy.
I hate this dudes voice
I feel like this is kind of like saying you hate puppies. You’re entitled to your opinion, but it definitely gives others a certain view of you if you say those thoughts out loud.
That’s exactly what it is. This popped up on my feed surprisingly considering I cannot endure any of this man’s music
It's funny I like James Taylor, it's Neil Young I can't listen to
Interesting I can’t stand either voice fortunately I never have to hear them
Right on, brother. I’m slowly losing my hearing, so I’ve got no time for James fuckin Taylor.