He wrote this song for his nephew because they named there son James, after Uncle James!✌

James actually wrote this song as a lullaby for his nephew whom he was on his way to from New Jersey to North Carolina to meet for the first time. The child was the son of James’ brother who had named his newborn son after his Uncle James. I used to sing this to my daughter when she was a baby. Miss those days.

I'm a 63 year old American , born and raised in the Northeast , James Taylor songs are ingrained in my brain .

It IS a lullabye, written for his little baby nephew, who was named after him (uncle James). The cowboy he mentions in the song is a cowboy, not a farmer. Like you see in cowboy movies, cow boys, work with cows, like the name implies. They have to take the cattle to market to sell and it could take many days to get there, so at night they stop and make some dinner on the fire, drink some coffee and lie down to sleep under the stars. It's a lonely trip and at night they may think about the life they miss, beer and ladies and so on. In a DVD I have of one of his concerts just a few years ago, he tells this story and in the background you see a picture slide of the little kid and of him grown up now and everybody goes "awww !" Since I learned the story, this song always gets me teary eyed .

Right on ,it is a lullaby , and about the baby's uncle

My mom used to sing this song to me when I was a baby. It was the song we danced to at my wedding. Not a dry eye in the place. Brings a tear to my eye now.

This is one of my favorite JT songs!! I were borned in 1956, which allowed me to grow up with the greatest music ever written, performed, and recorded!!

My mother named me after James Taylor and this was my lullabye as a child. She taught herself to play the guitar just so she could sing this song to me. We danced to this song at my wedding.

You are so perceptive! James did write Sweet Baby James as a melody for his new nephew, James. He was on his way down to visit James when he wrote this song, so the bits about the turnpike being covered in snow describe his trip there. Love this song. My oldest cat is (sweet baby) James. Love James forever; he has such a sweet pure voice and is a great songwriter.

Great Song! He's a cowboy herding cattle. Great Song! Thank you!

Sang this song to our two sons Jim and Jake every night, Changed for Jake.... After books in the lap, when they were tucked in.....

James Taylor is one of the best songwriters. He knows how to tell a story for sure. Just mellow and soothing.

Carolina in my Mind is another great song.

Oh Angela, your such a city girl! Haha! Sweet Baby James is ia cowboy, not a farmer! 😁 Thanks for reacting to this. He wrote this on the way to see his new born nephew who was named after him. Cool song.

I’m seeing James Taylor in concert tomorrow night!! Have loved his music since the 1970s! I even won one of his albums in a radio contest.

It is indeed a lullaby. I sang this to both of my babies 25yrs ago. One of the first albums I ever bought in the early 70's.

Shower The People is one of his best.

JT wrote this song as a lullaby for his nephew James who was named after JT, thus the title "Sweet Baby James"

The Great James Taylor!!!!!!! 😎👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 He’s not a farmer, he’s a rancher! Big difference. 🥴 Cattle, Horses, Range.

He's a different kind of pop singer. Part folk part modern, but catchy and relatable on some level. Have a great day.

Time in a bottle by Jim Croce is a song I think you would enjoy. I love your reactions.

Have been listening to James Taylor since the late 60s great reaction

A beautiful llulaby song...

I got to see James and Karla Bonoff at Red Rocks Ampitheater outside Denver in the 80s. It was one of my most memorable concert experience. No teenagers barfing on my shoes, a light rain misting down in the dark, both artists had the entire audience captured - truly beautiful.

James Taylor has one of the most beautiful voices in the world. So glad you are checking him out and hope he will continue to.

I used to sing this to my niece and nephew when they were little.

Yep songwriter legend. JT. Try Jim Croce "Operator" or "Time in a Bottle" loved it!

Its youtubers are the ones who are going to keep this music alive long after the artistes are gone. I grew up listening to James Taylor and it brings back memories of days way back when. TQ for the reaction.

Sweet Baby James....love it

you have to listen to voctave. pure harmony. Disney princess medley. 😍😍

He wrote this as a cowboy lullaby for his brothers baby they named James.

Sweet song for his nephew also named James. I agree with some comments, check out You Can Close Your Eyes by JT in which he is singing to his woman and it sounds very lullaby and tender. I too, highly recommend a reaction for that and also my personal fave upbeat, energetic hit by JT You're Smiling Face to add to list 💗

Not a farmer... He's a cowboy 🤠 herding cows from winter pasture to summer pasture. No crops involved. 👍🏻😁

Btw "while the doggies retire" the doggies are the cattle. "You can close your eyes" is a beautiful JT song

walking man, going to carolina in my mind, how sweet it is, fire and rain, shower the people and mexico are just a few others to listen to

What a poet

I can only imagine as an outsider, but it seemed to have James Taylor, and Carly Simon as family would be a wonderful thing.

“Copper-line” is another feel good life story song!

It's a waltz.

JAMES taylor great voice and songs, do some of the 2 best bands ever "YES" and The "BEATLES"

Did you know that it was the Beatles who gave James Taylor his big break in the music business

Sweet baby Angela 🥰😍

Yes, it's a lullaby written for his baby nephew James. I sing the second verse of this song when I see the signs for Stockbridge and the Berkshires on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Excellent as always, Angela!

He wrote this song to sing as a lullaby to his first baby nephew.

It's about a young cowboy.Even says it in t he first lyrics.

Great song pick Angela. As others have said, this isn't really about a farmer. The first verse is about a cowboy, alone on the range with his horses and cows, singing himself to sleep under the stars. The second verse expands the theme to a lonely trucker driving through a blizzard on the road from Stockbridge (in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts) to Boston "with ten miles behind me and 10,000 more to go", and then says there's "a song that they sing when they take to the highway" or "take to the sea." Very evocative lyrics that paint a picture of anyone doing a job that takes him or herself far away from loved ones, comforting him or herself by singing a lullaby.

One of my favorites songs is a song JT wrote to this pet pig. Its called "Mona". Also love "never die young" and "the frozen man"

He wrote this song in drug rehab. His sister called and said I just had a baby and I named it after you.

Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan or Old Man by Neil Young. Either one of these artists can keep you busy for the next year, lol..........

I love James songs, but this is really the only one that makes me tear up. So tender and sweet.

I used to rock my sons to sleep singing this song.

SRV will blow your mind!

Recommendation for an artist and several of his songs to listen/react from an old fogey: Artist: Gordon Lightfoot. Songs to review, in following order: (1) If You Could Read My Mind; (2) All the Lovely Ladies; and (3) Carefree Highway. Gordon Lightfoot can be best described as a folksong artist (who hails from Canada), who has created/performed a wonderful suite of music, most of which were ballads, often based on his personal life/experiences, and many of which were hits in the late 60's and 70's. He has a wonderful voice, and his music is composed so very well.

If you want to hear a JT and Carley Simon lullaby check out Close Your Eyes.

Ive alawys loved James Taylor's style. If you get a chance to watch Eva Cassidy sining Somewhere over the rainbow I think you will absolutely love it.

Right down the line ,or Baker street by Gerry Rafferty. Both good songs. I think you'll really like them.

He's a drover herding cattle on the range... Nice review!

It's the lilting 3/4 time that makes this work so well, along with the lyrics that are pretty and charming rather than deep. Indeed, a lullaby for adults. I hope you get around to my personal JT favourite one day, 'Shower the People', preferably the Live at the Beacon version. There's also a fine performance of it by the Dixie Chicks at a tribute concert with James in the audience well worth tracking down. Btw, cowboys out on the open range didn't grow crops or take their 'produce' to market. And the song isn't really about cowboys anyway, it's just a romanticised image for the song's lyrical theme. In the second verse he sings about travelling from Stockport to Boston with a frosting of snow on the Berkshires, hardly Wild West territory. It's all very whimsical and not literal.

Stevie ray Vaughan. Texas flood. Live at El mocombo. Thank you

he wrote this for his new born son on the drive home its about cowboys as well and the heard they are looking after

I first heard this song on DC's Legends Of Tomorrow great song

This was written for his brothers newborn baby boy so good guess

Loved your reaction. Please react to Elvis Presley (King of Rock & Roll). He sang different type of musics such as rock, romantic, and his Grammy winning gospel musics. Please react to “In the Ghetto” performing live in a white outfit, “Can’t Help falling in Love with you”, and “Suspicious Mind”. In his Grammy winning Gospel music “How Great Thou Art” and “Crying in the Chapel. Keep up the great reactions!

If you really want to go retro, Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack

Actually, it sounds like a lullaby because it IS a lullaby, and he's not a farmer, but a cowboy... ok, someone else said already. Now I want you to try SHOWER THE PEOPLE.

Hi Angela, You need to play "How bout us" by Champaign it is about your favourite word "Love"

💝💖👍

You need to listen to James Taylor's future wife, Carly Simon, singing "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be", then listen to their duet "Mockingbird"

Listen to “Lullaby” by Billy Joel.

Can you please do my reaction i have been waiting so long I don't even know if its been forgotten...its burn for you by John Farnham

Hello, place reaction "July morning" Uriah Heep

Cowboy dear not a farmer

Hey, you picked a song i requested! This was actually not nearly as good as his live version. Hope it wasnt too terrible.

Listen to (old man)

Watch Sweet Baby James from 2009 North Sea Jazz as much better version and live Ben though he is much older.

If someone is not banging a drum like mad man it is a lullaby. to you? BTW......lullaby.. was originally "Lilith be gone" (bye)... Lilith being a demo, it was of course eventfully shorten to lullaby. So, originally you sang a lullaby to a baby to chase away any demons that may hold sway over your baby

you're over analyzing it. Just a song in honor of his nephew James birth.

They requested this because a lot of modern music is junk

You are so perceptive! James did write Sweet Baby James as a melody for his new nephew, James. He was on his way down to visit James when he wrote this song, so the bits about the turnpike being covered in snow describe his trip there. Love this song. My oldest cat is (sweet baby) James. Love James forever; he has such a sweet pure voice and is a great songwriter.