I fell in love with Livingston Taylor in 1970, when I was 17 and he came out with his very first album (pictured here). I loved every song, and learned all the words, and I remember them to this day. Last night, my husband Ted and I went to see Liv -- brother of James and Kate -- in a show at an intimate Boston club. He's 73 now, and has lost most of the hair in this photo, but his voice and guitar skills are pitch perfect. And this album -- yes, album -- his first, is still one I could listen to every day.
Carolina Day is one of my favorite songs on my favorite album. Have a listen, and sing along.
*Carolina Day gonna rise up sometime
Give me good align said a reason and rhyme
Jump and sing all the time
Work at a' easing my mind
Oh, it's a Carolina day
On a plane out of Logan, up pops a slogan
Talkin' only of easy times
Working at a bottle of ripple wine
Breathing that clean fine southern air
And we all start to laugh
And the people start to stare thinking
Them kids are in a funny way
But we're all in need
Lookin' to see the Carolina day
**And Carolina day don't rise in the morning
Don't set in the evenin'
It ain't that way
Look up in the morning
And you got a grin
And you're with a girl
And you want to stay
Then my friend you're in a Carolina day
Oh, oh, it's a Carolina day
Alec and Brent they're lovin' their child
And James is becoming a star
Sister Kate's laughin' all the time
And my brother Hugh's out wreckin' a car
And my mother smiles thinkin' isn't it fine
That the children are home again
And Louis, my best friend falls on by
And we're all together again.
** repeat
*Repeat
Oh, it's a Carolina day
Zippin' on down to the C.C. house
Thought I'd put my father on
Then smokes then booze then tokes then Herc
And my head were dead and gone
And Doctor Schein a lot of money and time
And a few friends stickin' around
While taking care of business I found my Carolina day
Didn't let me down.