What is the story behind the song Fire and Rain?
"Fire and Rain" is a song written and performed by James Taylor and released in August 1970 on Warner Bros. Records as a single from his second album, Sweet Baby James. The song follows Taylor's reaction to the suicide of Suzanne Schnerr, a childhood friend, and his experiences with drug addiction and fame.
Who was Suzanne schnerr?
Suzanne Schnerr was a young woman who had befriended Taylor during his Flying Machine days. Later, at a mental-health facility, she committed suicide after being assigned an isolation cell.
Is Fire and Rain about a plane crash?
It is based on the Delta Air Lines Flight 191 plane crash at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on August 2, 1985, as depicted in Fire and Rain: A Tragedy in American Aviation (1986) by Jerome Greer Chandler.
Who wrote James Taylor Fire and Rain?
James TaylorFire And Rain / LyricistJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Wikipedia
Where is Sweet Baby James now?
Taylor suffered a heart attack on March 7, 1993, in Sanford, Florida, while recording a third album at King Snake Records Studio. He died on March 12, 1993 (James's birthday), at age 46. He was survived by his wife Brent B.
How old is Carly Simon?
79 years (June 25, 1943)Carly Simon / Age
Who did James Taylor write something in the way she moves about?
Taylor told Rolling Stone that this song is about "an early girlfriend and the calm you feel in the presence of someone who knows you really well." This rules out Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon, each of whom he later dated (he was married to Simon from 1972-1983).
Who is Carol King married to?
Rick Sorensonm. 1982–1989Rick Eversm. 1977–1978Charles Larkeym. 1970–1976Gerry Goffinm. 1959–1969Carole King/SpouseKing has been married four times, to Gerry Goffin, Charles Larkey, Rick Evers, and Rick Sorenson.
Does James Taylor have children?
Ben TaylorHenry TaylorRufus TaylorSally TaylorJames Taylor/Children
When did Fire and Rain come out?
1970Fire And Rain / Released
Does James Taylor write his songs?
James Taylor, the iconic singer-songwriter from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has penned and sung melodies and hits that audiences have loved for years. In a wide-ranging interview with Parade, Taylor shares the seven songs that he says best tell his life story.
What was Joni Mitchell's biggest hit record?
Joni Mitchell's Top 10 Songs1. “ Cactus Tree” (1968) ... 2. “ The Arrangement” (1970) ... 3. “ River” (1971) ... 4. “ A Case of You” (1971) ... 5. “ For the Roses” (1972) ... 6. “ People's Parties” (1974) ... 7. “ Raised on Robbery” (1974) ... 8. “ The Hissing of Summer Lawns” (1975)More items...•
Do people burn in a plane crash?
Small-airplane fires have killed at least 600 people since 1993, burning them alive or suffocating them after crashes and hard landings that the passengers and pilots had initially survived, a USA TODAY investigation shows.
Can a microburst cause a plane crash?
However, the most infamous crash attributed to a microburst took place 10 years later. In August 1985, Delta Air Lines Flight 191 crashed on final approach at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Like Flight 66 a decade earlier, Flight 191 was also attempting to land during a massive thunderstorm.
Can wind shear cause a plane to crash?
— Submitted by reader John Fleming, Berlin, Md. A:Wind shear can be very dangerous to a landing airplane. Until the 1990s, it caused several accidents. After the tragic accident of Delta 191 in Dallas/Fort Worth, Doppler radar became more widespread, allowing better recognition of wind shear.
Was there a plane crash in Arizona?
(AP) — Authorities say two people were killed in a plane crash in the desert on the western edge of metro Phoenix on Saturday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration say the Cessna aircraft crashed near the municipal airport in Buckeye, located about 35 miles (56 kilometers) west of downtown Phoenix.
How many verses are there in Fire and Rain?
In an interview in 2007 with Snopes.com, Taylor spoke to David Mikkelson about “Fire and Rain” and the true meaning and story behind the track: “Fire and Rain” has three verses. The first verse is about my reactions to the death of a friend.
Who is the singer of Fire and Rain?
James Taylor, an iconic American folk-rock artist and five-time Grammy award winner, released emotional track “Fire and Rain” in 1970 from his second album “ Sweet Baby James ”. However, despite the success of the track, the song is extremely emotional and very personal to Taylor.
What is the song of the century?
Songs of the Century”, where “Fire and Rain” was placed at #82. The National Endowment for the Arts as well as the Recording Industry Association of America, created a “Songs of the Century” list, which was made up of 365 songs that had “historical significance” from the years 1900 to 2000. “Fire and Rain” was placed at #85 on that list.
What does the song Fire and Rain mean?
"Fire and Rain" actually has multiple meanings, with each verse speaking to different struggles Taylor has faced in his life.
What did James Taylor say about the song "There they are"?
There was things that I needed to get rid of or at least get out of me ... either by telling somebody else or by just putting them out in a form in front of me so that I could say, `There they are.'" The 1970 classic continues to connect with audiences, too. Although Taylor admits he does not like to listen to the song when he hears it come on the radio, he still enjoys performing it for fans, calling it a "communal process."
What is the song Fire and Rain about?
Taylor wrote "Fire and Rain" in 1968. The song has three verses. One is about a friend who committed suicide, another is about Taylor's addiction to heroin, the third refers to a mental hospital and a band Taylor started called The Flying Machine.
Who played piano in Fire and Rain?
James Taylor and Carole King, who played piano on 'Fire And Rain'. James Taylor and Carole King , who played piano on 'Fire And Rain'. James Taylor now has a happy smile, and at 52, he is tall, thin and mostly relieved of hair. In the old pictures from the '70s, he has long black hair and a somber, gaunt expression. His voice hasn't changed.
When did James Taylor release Fire and Rain?
By 1971 , Taylor was on a new label and "Fire and Rain" was a hit. The enterprising (some would say exploitative) folks at the label that controlled The Flying Machine's recordings suddenly became interested in the band, and cobbled together an album from those recordings which they released in 1971 as James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine.
What is the song Sweet Baby James about?
The stark lyrics about Taylor's depression stand out on Sweet Baby James, which contains mostly lighter, uplifting songs. Taylor was surprised that such a deeply personal song would appeal to listeners, as he didn't think people were interested in his life.
What episode does James Taylor sing "Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines in Pieces on the Ground?
Taylor guest starred in The Simpsons episode "Deep Space Homer" where he performs for a space shuttle that Homer is aboard from NASA's mission control. He plays this, but after singing the line "Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground," he gasps, due to the irony of that line relating to the mission, and sings it with the revised lyrics: "Sweet dreams and flying machines flying safely through the air." >>
What is the song "The High and Low" about?
This song is about the high and low points of Taylor's life. He was only 20 when he wrote it in 1968, but was battling depression and drug addiction.
Where did James Taylor write the song "The Beatles"?
Taylor wrote this in 1968 at three different times. He started it in London, where he auditioned for The Beatles' Apple Records. He later worked on it in a Manhattan Hospital, and finished it while in drug rehab at The Austin Riggs Center in Massachusetts. In a 1972 Rolling Stone interview, Taylor explained: "The first verse is about my reactions ...
What is the real story behind Fire and Rain?
The real story behind ‘Fire and Rain,’ as I understand it, is that some friends of James were going to surprise James by bringing his girlfriend, Suzanne, to one of his concerts — unbeknownst to James. According to the story, Suzanne’s plane crashed (‘sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground’) on her way to see ...
What is the song Fire and Rain about?
Claim. The lyrics of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" chronicle his reaction to the death of his girlfriend in a plane crash.
What happened to Suzanne in Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines?
According to the story, Suzanne’s plane crashed (‘sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground’) on her way to see the concert and Suzanne dies (‘Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you’). In this fan-based interpretation, Suzanne, the girl who was now “gone,” had been Taylor’s girlfriend.
What was the third verse of Fire and Rain about?
The third and fourth verses of “Fire and Rain,” finished off during Taylor’s months at Austen Riggs, mustered his feelings about his life in and around his hospital stays, as he struggled with depression, strove against heroin addiction, and experienced the disappointment of a bad ending in his fledgling musical career.
Who was Suzanne in Fire and Rain?
The “Suzanne” mentioned in the lyrics to “Fire and Rain” wasn’t Taylor’s girlfriend or fiancée, but rather an acquaintance (Suzanne Schnerr) whom he had met while he was a teenager in New York in 1966-67, performing with friends Danny Kortchmar and Joel O’ Brien, as part of a group called The Flying Machine. As quoted in Timothy White’s biography of him, Taylor said that “I knew Suzanne well in New York, and we used to hang out together and we used to get high together; I think she came from Long Island. She was a kid, like all of us.”
Is James Taylor's Fire and Rain autobiographical?
Although James Taylor ’s song is indeed autobiographical, it doesn’t match the heart-wrenching story line of popular legend. By the time “Fire and Rain” established Taylor as an international pop ...
What is the song Fire and Rain about?
The song starts with a verse dedicated to the loss of his beloved girlfriend at the time, Susanne. At the time of her death, Taylor was recording with The Beatles in England. Being such an important time in his musical career, her death was kept a secret for a month after it happened. This is where the line, “they let me know you were gone” comes from. Susanne was in a dark place, and it was decided by her parents that she be taken to a ward. She was secluded in an isolation cell and her conditions became worse than before her parents placed her there. Sadly, Susanne ending up taking her own life. Thus came the second line, “Susanne the plans they made put an end to you.”
When did James Taylor perform Fire and Rain?
The Heartwrenching Story of James Taylor’s “Fire And Rain”. American singer-songwriter and guitarist James Taylor, 8th July 1971. He is in London to perform at the Royal Festival Hall with Carole King.
Who wrote the Giving Tree?
Author of The Giving Tree Wrote One of Johnny Cash ’s Most Famous Songs. Silverstein Was An Incredible Songwriter What few people know is, the famous author of The Giving Tree that millions have read and passed down through generations is behind some of the creation of The Man In Black’s greatest hits.
