American Standard

The New Album Timeless Songs Classic James Taylor February 28, 2020

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Lyrics

My Blue Heaven

Day is ending, songbirds are wending

Back to the shelter of each little nest they love

Nightshades falling, lovebirds are calling

What makes this world go ‘round?

Nothing but love

When whippoorwills cry and evening is nigh

I hurry to my blue heaven

I turn to the right a little white light

That leads me to my blue heaven

You’ll see a smiling face a fireplace, a cozy room

A little love nest nestled where the roses bloom

Just Molly and me and baby makes three

We’re happy in my blue heaven

You’ll see a smiling face a fireplace, a cozy room

Just a little love nest nestled where the roses bloom

Just Molly and me and baby makes three

We’re happy in my blue heaven

My blue heaven

Moon River

Moon River, wider than a mile

I’m crossing you in style some day

You dream maker, you heart breaker

wherever you’re going I’m going your way

Two drifters off to see the world

There’s such a lot of world to see

We’re after the same rainbow’s end

waiting ’round the bend

My huckleberry friend

Moon River and me

Two drifters off to see the world

There’s such a lot of world to see

We’re after the same rainbow’s end

It’s waiting ’round the bend

My huckleberry friend

Moon River and me

You and me

Teach Me Tonight

Did you say I’ve got a lot to learn?

Well don’t think I’m trying not to learn

Since this is the perfect spot to learn

Teach me tonight

Starting with the a-b-c of it

Right down to the x-y-z of it

Help me solve the mystery of it

Teach me tonight

Oh, the sky’s a blackboard high above you

And if a shooting star goes by

I’ll use that star to write I love you

A thousand times across the sky

One thing isn’t very clear my love

Should the teacher stand so near, my love

Graduation’s almost here my love

Teach me tonight

The sky’s a blackboard high above you

And if a shooting star goes by

I’ll use that star to write I love you

A thousand times across the sky

One thing isn’t very clear my love

Should the teacher stand so near, my love

Graduation’s almost here my love

Teach me tonight

As Easy As Rolling Off A Log

As easy as rolling off a log

I found it easy, baby

To fall in love with you

It was as easy as rolling cigarettes

If that ain’t easy

Maybe there’s simpler things to do

For instance, let’s cuddle

I love to cuddle

Get in a huddle

It’s easy with you

As easy as rolling off a log

I really tumbled, baby

But what else could I do?

It’s so easy to fall in love with you

I know that it’s as easy as rolling off a log

It must be easy baby

to say the sweet things you do

As easy as rolling off a log

I must be crazy baby

But you make me think it’s true

Cause if I do say

I’ve heard a few say

The things that you say

So help me it’s true

This love stuff has got me in a fog

The guys all say they love you

No wonder that they do

It’s so easy to fall in love with you

Almost Like Being In Love

What a day this has been

What a rare mood I’m in

Why it’s almost like being in love

And there’s a smile on my face

for the whole human race

Well it’s almost like being in love

All the music of life seems to be

like a bell that is ringing for me

From the way that I feel

when that bell starts to peal

I could swear I was falling

It feels like I’m falling

It’s almost like being in love

Like being in love

When we walked out that day

Not a word did we say

It was almost like being in love

But your hand there in mine

made this world kind o’ fine

I could swear I was falling in love

All the music of life seems to be

like a bell that is ringing just for me

And from the way that I feel

when that bell starts to peal

I could swear I was falling

It feels just like falling

It’s almost like being in love

Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat

I dreamed last night I got on the boat to heaven

And by some chance I had brought my dice along

And there I stood, and I hollered “Somebody fade me”

But the passengers all knew right from wrong

For the people all said sit down,

Sit down, you’re rockin’ the boat

The people all said sit down,

Sit down you’re rockin’ the boat

And the devil will drag you under

By the sharp lapel of your checkered coat,

Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down,

Sit down you’re rockin’ the boat

I sailed away on that little boat to heaven

And by some chance found a bottle in my fist

And there I stood, nicely passin’ out the whisky

But the passengers were bound to resist

For the people all said beware,

You’re on a heavenly trip

The people all said beware

Beware, you’ll scuttle the ship

And the devil will drag you under

By the fancy tie ’round your wicked throat

Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down

Sit down, you’re rockin’ the boat

And as I laughed at those passengers to heaven

A great big wave came and knocked me over board!

And as I sank, and I hollered “Someone save me!”

That’s the moment I woke up

Thank the Lord

And I said to myself, sit down,

Sit down, you’re rockin’ the boat

I said to myself sit down,

Sit down, sit down you’re rockin’ this boat

And the devil will drag you under

With a soul so heavy you’d never float,

Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down

Sit down, stop rockin’ the boat

The Nearness Of You

It’s not the pale moon that excites me

That thrills and delights me, oh no

It’s just the nearness of you

It isn’t your sweet conversation

That brings this sensation, no no

It’s just the nearness of you

When you’re in my arms

and I feel you so close to me

All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights to enchant me

If you would only grant me the right

To hold you ever so tight

And to feel in the night the nearness of you

When you’re in my arms

and I feel you so close to me

All my wildest dreams, I see them all come true

I need no soft lights to enchant me

If you would only grant me the right

To hold you ever so tight

And to feel in the night the nearness of you

You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught

You’ve got to be taught

To hate and fear

You’ve got to be taught

From year to year

It’s got to be drummed

In your dear little ear

You’ve got to be carefully taught

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid

Of people whose eyes are oddly made

And people whose skin is a different shade

You’ve got to be carefully taught

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late

Before you are six or seven or eight

To hate all the people your relatives hate

You’ve got to be carefully taught

You’ve got to be carefully taught

God Bless The Child

Them that’s got shall get

Them that’s not shall lose

So the Bible said and it still is news

Mama may have, Papa may have

God bless the child that’s got his own

So the strong get more

While the weak ones fade

Empty pockets don’t seem to make the grade

Mama may have, Papa may have

God bless the child that’s got his own

That’s got his own

You’ve got money, you’ve got lots of friends

Hangin’ all around your door

When it’s all gone and the spending ends

No they don’t come around no more

Rich relations bring

Crusts of bread and such

You can help yourself

Just don’t take too much

Mama may have, Papa may have

But God bless the child that’s got his own

That’s got his own

Rich relations bring

Crusts of bread and such

You can help yourself

Just don’t take too much

Mama may have, Papa may have

But God bless the child

that can stand up and say

I’ve got my own

Pennies From Heaven

Back a long, long time ago, a million years BC

All the best things in this life were absolutely free

But no one appreciated a sky that was always blue

And nobody anticipated a moon that was always new

So it was planned and they would vanish now and then

And we must pay before we get them back again

That’s what storms were made for

You shouldn’t be afraid for

Every time it rains it rains pennies from heaven

Don’t you know each cloud contains pennies from heaven

You’ll find your fortune falling all over town

Make sure that your umbrella is upside down, will ya

Trade it for a package of sunshine and flowers

If you want the things you love child you must have showers

So when you hear it thunder don’t run under a tree

There’ll be pennies from heaven for you and for me

You’ll find your fortune falling all over town

Be sure that your umbrella is upside down

Trade it for a package of sunshine and flowers

If you want the things you love you must have showers

So when you hear it thunder don’t run under a tree

There’ll be pennies from heaven for you and for me

My Heart Stood Still

I laughed at sweethearts I met at schools

All indiscreet hearts they seemed romantic fools

A house in Iceland it was my heart’s domain

I see your eyes now castles rise in Spain!

I took one look at you that’s all I meant to do

And then my heart stood still

My feet could step and walk my lips could move and talk

And yet my heart stood still

Though not a single word was spoken I could tell you knew

That secret touch of hands told me so well you knew

I never lived at all until the thrill of that moment

When my heart stood still

Though not a single word was spoken I could tell you knew

That secret touch of hands told me so well you knew

I never lived at all until the thrill of that moment

When my heart stood still

Oh that moment when my heart stood still

Ol’ Man River

There’s an old man called the Mississippi

Now that’s the old man that I’d like to be

Oh, what does he care if the world’s got troubles?

What does he care if the land’s not free?

Ol’ man river

That ol’ man river

Well he must know somethin’

But he don’t say nothin’

He keeps on rollin’

He just keeps rollin’ along

Man, don’t plant taters

And he don’t plant cotton

Yes and them that plants them is soon forgotten

He keeps on rollin’

He just keeps rollin’ along

OH, you and me we’re just the same

Bodies all achin’ and wracked with pain

Tote that barge, better lift that bale

You get a little drunk and you land in jail

I get weary

And sick of tryin’

Till I’m tired of livin’

And I’m scared of dyin’

But ol’ man river he keeps rollin’

Ol’ man river he just keeps on rollin’

I said that Ol’ man river

He keeps on rollin’ along

Ol’ Man River

It’s Only A Paper Moon

Well, it’s only a paper moon

Sailing over a cardboard sea

But it wouldn’t be make-believe

If you believed in me

It’s only a canvas sky

Hanging over a muslin tree

But it wouldn’t be make-believe

If you believed in me

Without your love

It’s a honky-tonk parade

Without your love

It’s a melody played in a penny arcade

It’s a Barnum and Bailey world

Just as phony as it can be

But it wouldn’t be make-believe

If you believed in me

Without your love

It’s a honky-tonk parade

Without your love

It’s a melody played in a penny arcade, baby

It’s a Barnum and Bailey world

Just as phony as it can be

But it wouldn’t be make-believe

If you believed in me

The Surrey With The Fringe On Top

When I take you out tonight with me

Honey, here’s the way it’s gonna be

You will sit behind a team of snow white horses

In the slickest gig you’ll ever see

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry

When I take you out in the surrey

When I take you out in the surrey with the fringe on top

Watch that fringe and see how it flutters

When I drive them high steppin’ strutters

Nosy folks they’ll peek through the shutters

and their eyes will pop!

The wheels are yellow, the upholstery’s brown

The dashboard’s genuine leather

With Isinglass curtains you can roll right down

In case there’s a change in the weather

Two bright side lights winkin’ and blinkin’

Ain’t no finer rig I’m a thinkin’

You can keep your rig if you’re thinkin’

that I’d keer to swap

For that shiny little surrey with the fringe on the top

Now would you say the fringe was made of silk?

I wouldn’t have no other kind but silk

Has it really got a team of snow white horses?

One’s like snow, the other’s more like milk

I can see the stars gettin’ blurry

When we ride back home in the surrey

Ridin’ slowly home in the surrey

With the fringe on top

I can feel the day gettin’ older

Feel a sleepy head near my shoulder

Noddin’, droopin’, close to my shoulder

Till it falls kerplop

The sun is swimming on the rim of a hill

The moon is taking a header

And just when I’m thinking all the earth is still

A lark wakes up in the meader

Hush, you bird my baby’s a sleepin’

Maybe got a dream worth a keepin’

Whoa, you team just keep on a creepin’

at a slow clip clop

Don’t you hurry little surrey with the fringe on the top