Who Wrote Fire And Rain

1970 single by James Taylor

"Burn and Pelting"

Single by James Taylor

from the album Sweet Baby James

B-side

"Anywhere Similar Heaven" (US)
"Sunny Skies" (Uk)

Released

August 1970^[1]

Recorded

December 1969
Dusk Sound

Genre

Folk popular^[2]
soft rock^[iii]

Length

3:20

Characterization

Warner Bros.

Songwriter(s)

James Taylor

Producer(s)

Peter Asher

James Taylor singles chronology

"Sweetness Babe James"
(1970)

"Fire and Pelting"
(1970)

"State Road"
(1970)

"Fire and Rain" is a song written and performed past James Taylor and released in August 1970 on Warner Bros. Records as a unmarried from his second album, Sweetness Infant James. The song follows Taylor's reaction to the suicide of Suzanne Schnerr, a babyhood friend, and his experiences with drug addiction and fame. After its release, "Fire and Rain" peaked at number ii on RPM 'due south Canada Superlative Singles nautical chart and at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.^[4]

Background and composition [edit]

On the VH1 series Storytellers, Taylor said the vocal was well-nigh several incidents during his early recording career. The 2nd line "Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you" refers to Suzanne Schnerr, a childhood friend of his who died by suicide while he was in London, England, recording his beginning anthology.^[5] In that same account, Taylor said he had been in a deep low after the failure of his new band the Flight Machine to coalesce (the lyric "Sweetness dreams and Flying Machines in pieces on the ground"; the reference is to the proper noun of the band rather than a fatal airplane crash, as was long rumored). Taylor completed writing the song while in rehab.^[half-dozen]

In 2005, during an interview on NPR, Taylor explained to host Scott Simon that the song was written in three parts:^[7]

The first part was about Taylor's friend Suzanne, who died while Taylor was in London working on his first album subsequently being signed to Apple Records. Friends at dwelling, concerned that it might distract Taylor from his big break, kept the tragic news from him, and he plant out half-dozen months later.
The 2nd function details Taylor's struggle to overcome drug addiction and depression.
The 3rd part deals with coming to grips with fame and fortune, looking back at the road that got him there. Information technology includes a reference to James Taylor and the Flying Automobile, a band he briefly worked with earlier his big break with Paul McCartney, Peter Asher, and Apple Records.

Carole Rex played piano on the vocal.^[eight] Drummer Russ Kunkel used brushes rather than sticks on his drum kit,^[9] and Bobby West played double bass^[10] in place of a bass guitar to "underscore the melancholy on the song".^[11]

King has stated that her song "Y'all've Got a Friend", which Taylor recorded, was a response to the line in the refrain that "I've seen solitary times when I could non observe a friend."^[12] ^[13]

Taylor references the vocal in some other of his compositions, "That's Why I'k Here", title rail from his 1985 anthology, in which he writes, "Fortune and fame's such a curious game. Perfect strangers tin call you by name. Pay good money to hear 'Fire and Rain' again and once more and again."

He also refers to the song in another composition, "Money Machine" (a cynical take on the financial aspects of the recording industry): "When I began the game, see me singing 'bout Fire and Rain; Lemme but sing information technology again — I've seen fives and I've seen tens."

Reception [edit]

Circulate Music, Inc. ranked "Fire and Rain" at number 82 on its "Top 100 Songs of the Century" list,^[14] while voters for the National Endowment for the Arts and Recording Manufacture Association of America's Songs of the Century listing, which comprises 365 songs of "historical significance" recorded from 1900 to 2000,^[15] placed "Fire and Pelting" at number 85.^[xvi] In April 2011, the song was named at number 227 on Rolling Stone 's listing of 500 greatest songs of all time.^[17]

Comprehend versions [edit]

Marcia Hines covered "Fire and Rain" on her 1975 debut LP, Marcia Shines. Her version reached No. 17 in Australia.^[xviii] At the 1975 Australian Record Awards, the song won Hines Female person Song Single of the Year.^[19]

Parodies [edit]

Taylor performs the song on The Simpsons in the episode "Deep Space Homer". While singing the song for a grouping of astronauts (including Homer Simpson and Buzz Aldrin), he changes the lyric "Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground" to "Sugariness dreams and flying machines, flying safely through the air" when he realizes the Space Shuttle may crash.^[20]

In 2015, Taylor appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he sang a version including numerous references to post-1970 popular culture.^[21]

Chart performance [edit]

Weekly charts [edit]

Other versions [edit]

Certifications [edit]

References [edit]

^ Billboard magazine August 29, 1970, page 7
^ Hilburn, Robert (2010). Corn Flakes with John Lennon And Other Tales from a Rock 'n' Roll Life. Rodale Books. ISBN9781605291659 . Retrieved 11 October 2022.
^ Prown, Pete; P. Newquist, Harvey (1997). Legends of Stone Guitar - The Essential Reference of Rock'south Greatest Guitarists. H. Leonard. p. 117. ISBN9780793540426 . Retrieved 11 October 2022.
^ ^a ^b "James Taylor Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
^ White, Timothy, and Mitchell Glazer. Long Ago and Far Away: James Taylor — His Life and Music. New York: Omnibus Printing, fifth edition 2011, p. 141.
^ NPR: All Things Considered. "Burn down and Rain." June six, 2000
^ White, Timothy (2001). Long Agone and Far Away: James Taylor — His Life and Music. London: Omnibus. p. 5. ISBN0-7119-8803-X.
^ "Songs that shaped Rock and Gyre: "Burn and Rain"". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
^ Mattingly, Rick (2003). "Castor Playing". In John Shepherd; David Horn; Dave Laing; Paul Oliver; Peter Wicke (eds.). Continuum Encyclopedia of Pop Music of the Earth. Vol. 2. A&C Black. p. 120. ISBN9781847144720.
^ "Songs That Shaped Rock and Gyre: 'Burn and Rain'". Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2015-06-04 .
^ Browne, David (2012). Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Bloodshot Story Of 1970. Da Capo Press. p. 116. ISBN9780306822131.
^ Greene, Andy (Baronial 13, 2015). "James Taylor: My Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone . Retrieved August 23, 2021 – via James Taylor Official Site.
^ White, T. (August 4, 2015). "James Taylor Looks Back on His Classics". Easy 93.one FM. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-10 .
^ "BMI Announces Superlative 100 Songs of the Century". Broadcast Music, Inc. December thirteen, 1999.
^ "RIAA, NEA Denote 'Songs of the Century'". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on June iv, 2011. Retrieved June vi, 2015.
^ "Top 365 Songs". Quad-City Times. Lee Enterprises. AP. March 8, 2001. Archived from the original on September eleven, 2016.
^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 227: James Taylor, 'Fire and Rain'". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media, LLC. 11 December 2003. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
^ ^a ^b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, Due north.Southward.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN0-646-11917-six.
^ Billboard (PDF). 29 November 1975. p. 54 https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-11-29.pdf. Retrieved 12 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
^ "Favorite Moments with The Simpsons Writers: David Mirkin". YouTube.
^ "James Taylor Has Updated "Fire and Rain"". YouTube.
^ ^a ^b "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-10-03 .
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3718." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. November 21, 1970.
^ "James Taylor: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June v, 2015.
^ "James Taylor Nautical chart History (Adult Gimmicky)". Billboard. Retrieved June v, 2015.
^ Downey, Albert, and Hoffmann, p. 343
^ "Particular Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013.
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Elevation 100 Songs of 1970". Musicoutfitters.com . Retrieved 2016-10-03 .
^ "Cash Box YE Popular Singles - 1970". Tropicalglen.com. 1970-12-26. Archived from the original on 2019-07-22. Retrieved 2016-10-03 .
^ "R.B. Greaves Chart History (Developed Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June half-dozen, 2015.
^ "R.B. Greaves Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
^ Downey, Albert, and Hoffmann, p. 145
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Nautical chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.West.: Australian Chart Book. p. 129. ISBN0-646-11917-6.
^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - May sixteen, 1970" (PDF).
^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 82, no. 37. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 12, 1970. p. 67. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ Downey, Albert, and Hoffmann, p. 289
^ "Summit RPM Country Tracks: Issue 4080." RPM. Library and Athenaeum Canada.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn'southward Top Land Songs: 1944–2005. Tape Research. p. 267.
^ "British single certifications – James Taylor – Burn down and Rain". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 1, 2020.

Bibliography [edit]

Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank W (1994). Cash Box popular singles charts, 1950–1993. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN978-1-56308-316-7.

External links [edit]

"James Taylor reflects on his career". The 7.xxx Report. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. March iii, 2010. Archived from the original on April four, 2010. Transcript of Kerry O'Brien interview with Taylor nigh "Fire and Pelting"