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James Taylor
James Taylor


Background information
Birth name James Vernon Taylor
Born March 12, 1948
Born place Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genre(s) Folk-Rock
Rock
Pop
Country
Years active 1968—present
Label(s) Columbia Records
Capitol Records
EMI Group
Sony Music
Hear Music
Apple Records
Associated acts Carole King
Carly Simon
Website Website



Music World  →  Lyrics  →  J  →  James Taylor  →  Albums  →  October Road

James Taylor Album


October Road (2002)
2002
1.
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11.
12.
13.
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (feat. Michael Becker)
14.
Benjamin (feat. Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor)
15.
Sailing To Philadelphia (feat. Mark Knopfler)
. . .


Well, the sun's not so hot in the sky today
And you know I can see summertime slipping on away
A few more geese are gone, a few more leaves turning red
But the grass is as soft as a feather in a featherbed
So I'll be king and you'll be queen
Our kingdom's gonna be this little patch of green

Won't you lie down here right now
In this September grass
Won't you lie down with me now
September grass

Oh the memory is like the sweetest pain
Yeah, I kissed the girl at a football game
I can still smell the sweat and the grass stains
We walked home together. I was never the same.

But that was a long time ago
And where is she now? I don't know

Won't you lie down here right now
In this September grass
Won't you lie down with me now
September grass

Oh, September grass is the sweetest kind
It goes down easy like apple wine
Hope you don't mind if I pour you some
Made that much sweeter by the winter to come

Do you see those ants dancing on a blade of grass?
Do you know what I know? That's you and me, baby
We're so small and the world's so vast
We found each other down in the grass

Won't you lie down with me right here
September grass
Won't you lie down with me now
In this September grass

Lie down
Lie down
Lie down
Lie down

(repeat)

Won't you lie down here right now
In this September grass
Won't you lie down here now
In this September grass

. . .


Well I'm-a going back down maybe one more time
Deep down home, October Road
And I might like to see that little friend of mine
That I left behind once upon a time

Oh, promised land and me still standing
It's a test of time
It's a real good sign

Let the sun run down right behind the hill
I know how to stand there still till the moon rise up
Right behind the pine, oh lord

October road
(repeat)

It's the big-time life that I can't abide
Raise my rent. Tan my hide.
Sweet call of the countryside
Go down slow. Open wide.

I did my time
And it changed my mind
I'm satisfied Oh.
I got so low down, fed up
My god, I could hardly move
Won't you come on, my brother
Get on up and help me find my groove

Keep me walking, October road.
Keep me walking in the sunshine, yeah
A little friend of mine
October road
(repeat)
Help me now

. . .


Shall I tell it again how we started as friends
Who would run into one another now and again
At the Yippee Cai O or the Mesa Dupree
Or a dozen different everyday places to be

I was loping along living alone
We were ever so brave on the telephone
Would you care to come down for fireworks time
We could each just reach
We step out of line

And the smell of the smoke and the lay of the land
and the feeling of finding one's heart in one's hand
and the tiny tin voice of the radio band singing
"love must stand"
Love forever and ever must stand

Unbelievable you, impossible me
The fool who fell out of the family tree
The fellow that found the philosopher's stone
Deep underground like a dinosaur bone

Who fell into you at a quarter to two
With a tear in your eye for the Fourth of July
For the patriots and the minutemen
And the things you believe they believed in then

Such as freedom, and freedom's land
And the kingdom of God and the rights of man
With the tiny tin voice of the radio band
Singing "love must stand"
Love forever and ever must stand
And forever must stand

Oh the smell of the smoke as we lay on the land
And the feeling of finding my heart in my hand
With the tiny, tin voice of the radio band
Singing "love must stand"
Love forever and ever must stand.

All on the Fourth of July
On the Fourth of July

. . .


Little one done run out of money now
No, it doesn't seem to have a home
Left to fend for yourself in the wilderness
Out there living life all alone

Whenever you're ready
You could see a dream come true
Whenever you're ready
I'm just saying it's up to you
Whenever you're ready
Things could start looking up
Whenever you're ready
Take a big sip from the loving cup

Making that face carved out of stone
Coping real hard with a losing hand
Sound of a dog choking on a chicken bone
It just can't be the way that you had things planned, my friend

Whenever you're ready, yeah yeah
Things could start to happen real fast
Whenever you're ready, my good friend
Sure we could get one built to last
Whenever you're ready
Oh we could get it done today
Whenever you're ready
Sure enough you could come out and play

Cold, hot, ready or not
Whatever you've got
What have you got to lose, my good friend?

Whenever you're ready
Whenever you're ready, my good friend
{repeat}

. . .



There are rifles buried in the countryside for the rising of the moon,
may they lie there long forgotten till they rust away into the ground.
Who will bend this ancient hatred, will the killing to an end?
Who will swallow long injustice, take the devil for a country man?
Who will say "this far no further, oh lord, if I die today?"

Send no weapons no more money. Send no vengeance across the seas,
just the blessing of forgiveness for my new countryman and me.

Missing brothers, martyred fellows, silent children in the ground.
Could we but hear them could they not tell us "Time to lay God's rifle down."
Who will say, "this far, no further," oh Lord, if I die today?


. . .


On my own
How could I have known?
Imagine my surprise
Just a fool
From a tree full of fools
Who can't believe his eyes
Imagine my surprise

I was a mean old man
I was an ornery cuss
I was a dismal Dan
I made an awful fuss
Ever since my life began
Man, it was ever thus
I was a nasty tyke who was hard to like

I had to misbehave
I did things in reverse
Refused to wash or shave
I was horrid to my nurse
I got back what I gave
Which only made me worse
I had to have my way
Which was bleak and gray, oh dear

Living in here
One hundred years of rain
Such a drag
This riches to rags
With just myself to blame
A dirty low-down shame

Silly me
Silly old me
Somewhere outside my mind
Clever you
Walking me through
Willing to lead the blind
Just in the nick of time

Who gets a second chance?
Who gets to have some fun?
Who gets to learn to dance
Before his race is run?
Who gets to shed his skin?
Who comes up born again?
Who was a mean old man
'Til you turned him into a golden retriever
Puppy dog
Who's a good boy?

. . .


Watch my back and light my way
My traveling star, my traveling star
Watch over all of those born St. Christopher's Day
Old road dog, young runaway
They hunger for home but they cannot stay
They wait by the door
They stand and they stare
They're already out of there
They're already out of there

My daddy used to ride the rails
So they say, so they say
Soft as smoke and as tough as nails
Boxcar Jones, old walking man
Coming back home was like going to jail
The sheets and the blankets and babies and all
No he never did come back home
Never that I recall

Nevermind the wind,
Nevermind the rain;
Nevermind the road leading home again.
Never asking why,
Never knowing when;
Every now and then
There he goes again.

She had a cat and a dog named Blue
My traveling star, my traveling star
A big old stove and a fireplace, too
Old road dog, young runaway
She told me loved me like it was true
I knew I should stay
I knew I would go
Run run run away
Run run run away, boy

Run before the wind
Run before the rain
Over yonder hill
Just around the bend
Never knowing why
Never knowing when
Every now and then
There you go again

Tie me up and hold me down
Oh, my traveling star
Bury my feet down in the ground
Oh, old road dog
Claim my name from the lost and found
And let me believe this is where I belong
Shame on me for sure
For one more highway song

My traveling star
My traveling star

. . .


I was raised up family
Man I'm glad I'm on my own
I was raised up family
Man I'm glad I'm on my own
I mean, God bless the child
That can learn to live alone, yeah.

thinking about about my cousin
What it was that did him in
Could it have been that whiskey
Rotgut, bootleg, bathtub gin
It's like it took a lot of liquor
Just to let him live in his own skin

Back in Raleigh, North Carolina
You got to ride it on back
In Raleigh, North Carolina

The ship set down on the shore
Of this uncharted desert island
Me and my people fanned out
I guess we settled down a little while
Ah, but the devil came with the dark days of winter
Man the children ran wild

I used to know why
No I don't know why anymore
I used to know why
No I don't know why no more

I get to wonder at the Kundalini thunder
Down under my floor

You got to ride it on back
Take me back
Back in Raleigh, North Carolina
Yeah, do you wanna go
Way back in Raleigh, North Carolina

. . .


I forget what to ask for
There isn't anything I haven't been given
How could I wish for anything more
As I am here living in heaven
This moment in the sun
To feel the wheel turning on

Carry me on my way
Carry me on my way
Carry me on my way
Carry me on my way

I worry about my actions
I think about the damage I do
I've seen the coming attractions
Armageddon and Waterloo
I tried to change my mind
I wasted precious time

(chorus)

Who knows where the time goes
Only everything is everything
Feels like I'm wearing my father's clothes
Singing a song my brother would sing
I turned to hide my face
They're gone without a trace

(chorus)

. . .


Caroline, I see you
Standing on the stairway
Waiting for your bear there
Handy on the landing
Penny in my pocket
High enough to hold you

When I come back home to you tomorrow
You may well be angry
I'll for sure be hungry
Meet me in the middle
Make it melt like chocolate
Be my little baby

I take you down by the water
Some December morning

Take you from your family
Leave them with their longing
Take you by your hand
Somewhere on the sand. Oh

Caroline I love you
Though I'm late to say so
Hesitate to tell you
What will be your answer
Some December morning
Standing on the stairway
Caroline I see you

. . .


Are you there Can you hear me
Somewhere Near me
In the morning Long ago
Had to hold you so close Had to never let go
Time on the river Sliding on by
Hard to believe Wink of an eye

Where'd you go Baby Buffalo
What's become of old Cotton Eyed Joe
Holed up, lying low
Long gone come a summertime snow

Talked to your doctor Making her rounds
Ninety-six tears One thousand clowns
There they are Shining bright
True creation Pure delight
They go on So do you
On and on Maybe me too

Long ago Baby Buffalo
What's become of old Cotton Eyed Joe
Holed up, lying low
Long gone come a summertime snow

Hold on to now Till you have to let go
Easy through your fingers Ever so
I'm just guessing I don't know
Maybe it's a blessing I sure hope so

. . .


Christmas future is far away
Christmas past is past
Christmas present is here today
Bringing joy that may last

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
May your heart be light
In a year our troubles will be out of sight
From now on

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
In a year our troubles will be miles away

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Precious friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more

I know that
In a year we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Until then, we'll just have to muddle through somehow
And have ourselves a merry little Christmas now.

. . .


do me wrong do me right
tell me lies but hold me tight
save your goodbyes for the morning light
but don't let me be lonely tonight

say goodbye and say hello
sure enough good to see you but it's time to go
don't say yes but please don't say no
I don't want to be lonely tonight

go away then damn you go on and do as you please
you ain't gonna see me getting down on my knees
undicided and your heart's been divided
you've been turning my world up side down

so do me wrong do me right right now baby
go on and tell me lies but hold me tight
save your goodbyes for the morning light morning light
but don't let me be lonely tonight
I don't won't to be lonely tonight no, no I don't
want to be lonely tonight

I don't want to be lonely tonight

. . .



(Instrumental)


. . .



I Am Jeremiah Dixon
I Am A Geordie Boy
A Glass Of Wine With You, Sir
And The Ladies I'll Enjoy
All Durham And Northumberland
Is Measured Up By My Own Hand
It Was My Fate From Birth
To Make My Mark Upon The Earth...

He Calls Me Charlie Mason
A Stargazer Am I
It Seems That I Was Born
To Chart The Evening Sky
They'd Cut Me Out For Baking Bread
But I Had Other Dreams Instead
This Baker's Boy From The West Country
Would Join The Royal Society...

We Are Sailing To Philadelphia
A World Away From The Coaly Tyne
Sailing To Philadelphia
To Draw The Line
The Mason-Dixon Line

Now You're A Good Surveyor, Dixon
But I Swear You'll Make Me Mad
The West Will Kill Us Both
You Gullible Geordie Lad
You Talk Of Liberty
How Can America Be Free
A Geordie And A Baker's Boy
In The Forests Of The Iroquois...

Now Hold Your Head Up, Mason
See America Lies There
The Morning Tide Has Raised
The Capes Of Delaware
Gome Up And Feel The Sun
A New Morning Is Begun
Another Day Will Make It Clear
Why Your Stars Should Guide Us Here...

We Are Sailing To Philadelphia
A World Away From The Coaly Tyne
Sailing To Philadelphia
To Draw The Line
The Mason-Dixon Line


. . .


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