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THE REVIEW
James Taylor is the quintessence of musical sensitivity.
A sensitivity that must have led him to suffer a lot in his life, as he was already a heroin addict at less than 20 years old and ended up in a mental health clinic to treat his addiction. Here in 1975, at the age of twenty-seven, he still had huge drug addiction problems. Hence the title track "Gorilla" (a term used to denote an addict), which speaks of the difficult return to normal life, the tough abandonment of the 'Gorilla' state... 'no no no... c'mon baby... you're still a Gorilla'... Including a self-ironic imitation of a gorilla's sound at the end of the song.
The album contains wonderful songs, destined to become James's hit songs: "Mexico", the legendary dream destination of freedom at the beginning of the album, and the beautiful version of "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" which will become a must in concerts. But it is in the delicate ballads that we find the best of this album, where Taylor's voice gently caresses the harmonies of his guitar: "Music", "Wandering" - the beauty is to never stop being amazed, says James, "Love Songs" and the beautiful closing "Sarah Maria". The artist also finds space to pluck the strings of the classical with more vigor and produces a vigorous blues: "Angry Blues".
The most fun, catchy, and 'sticky' refrain of the album can be found in "I Was A Fool To Care", a splendid ballad about unrequited love, which is still love and as such should neither be forgotten nor despised...
"I was a fool to care, I was a fool to care, Yeah But I don't care, even if I was a fool, I'm still in love with you..."
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Summary by Bot
James Taylor's 1975 album Gorilla captures his deep musical sensitivity shaped by his struggles with addiction and recovery. Featuring hits like "Mexico" and "How Sweet It Is," the album balances catchy, fun songs with delicate ballads. Noteworthy tracks include the introspective title song "Gorilla" and soulful pieces like "I Was A Fool To Care." This classic showcases Taylor’s gentle voice, heartfelt lyrics, and a touch of blues and classical influences.Tracklist Lyrics
James Taylor
James Taylor (born 1948) is an American singer-songwriter known for his warm, intimate vocal style and acoustic-guitar-centered songwriting. He emerged in the late 1960s (recording for the Beatles’ Apple label) and became a key figure in the singer-songwriter era, with major albums spanning the 1970s through later acclaimed releases like “Hourglass” (1997).16 Reviews
