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Rating: JAMES PLAYS THE BLUES 1972:
This is James Taylor's fourth album, following the excellent previous work "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Orizon" from 1971. "One Man Dog" is undoubtedly the most instrumental album in the artist's vast discography.
Among the tracks, there is almost never a break of silence, typical of singer-songwriter albums, but the music follows on from song to song, throughout the eighteen pieces, as if it were a single gigantic composition that changes shape and sound, increasingly pressing and growing, with a truly original effect. The instruments are numerous, rich, and are the true 'core' around which the whole album revolves. Less importance is given to the song as such and more to the music that serves as its scaffold. In fact, the pieces often lack a chorus (instead typical of the songs Taylor had accustomed us to until now) and give the clear impression of being more improvised. Moreover (another somewhat unusual fact for the artist), there are as many as three completely instrumental tracks: "Instrumental I", "Instrumental II", and the closing track "Jig". A truly unusual choice given that the American author rarely deprives his compositions of the accompaniment of his perfect and pure voice.
In short, Taylor partially sets aside his natural 'singer-songwriter nature' (as he had already done, although much less pronouncedly, in the previous "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Orizon" and as he almost never will do again), to let loose the blues soul of the strings of his legendary classical guitar (played as always divinely) and all the numerous instruments present in the record. The result may not be to everyone's liking, especially on a first listen. It also made many fans wrinkle their noses, those who loved him above all for his classic and unforgettable ballads from "Sweet Baby James" 1970. The style has indeed changed quite a bit, but the album is truly excellent, James thus made it known to the music world that his strings also contain blues notes, which can be released in enchanting form.
The best pieces: the rhythmic and driving opening track "One Man Parade", the blues-love-song "Nobody But You" (a just compromise between blues improvisation and Taylorian ballad) without chorus but with a compelling and splendid 'special' finale. Also, the beautiful "Chili Dog", perhaps the most bluesy of all, the ballad "Hymn", and finally, let the trumpets sound for the very rhythmic closing songs, joined together to form a unique pressing piece full of powerful wind instruments: "Little David", "Mescalito", "Dance", and "Jig". A separate comment deserves the most famous piece of the album, which resumes the typical classic-Taylor-style abandoning the blues soul that permeates the album: "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", a beautiful ballad that a few years later the legendary 'Black Moses' Isaac Hayes revisited, giving it a beautiful slow-soul form, undoubtedly a great and unusual encounter between black music and American singer-songwriter music (more typically white).
He will return two years later in 1974 with the less inspired "Walking Man".
Tracklist and Lyrics
08 Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (02:36)
do me wrong do me right
tell me lies but hold me tight
save your goodbyes for the morning light
but don't let me be lonely tonight
say goodbye and say hello
sure enough good to see you but it's time to go
don't say yes but please don't say no
I don't want to be lonely tonight
go away then damn you go on and do as you please
you ain't gonna see me getting down on my knees
undicided and your heart's been divided
you've been turning my world up side down
so do me wrong do me right right now baby
go on and tell me lies but hold me tight
save your goodbyes for the morning light morning light
but don't let me be lonely tonight
I don't won't to be lonely tonight no, no I don't
want to be lonely tonight
I don't want to be lonely tonight
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