You see the faces in the audience during this song and you know you’re not alone.

When he puts his gurtair behind him and sings without the music!!! Hot DAM

Have seen this talented musical genius three times in concert. My mom was dying with ovarian cancer and oncologist where we live suggested Duke Univ. Hospital. I drove her there and we listened to his album. Carolina on my mind played and she loved it. I replayed it several times for her on five hours drive that early June day in 1992. She was taken to her Heavenly home in August of that year. I play this song and have my unforgettable memories of just the two of us bonded in suffering and a mother/daughter love and dread of what the future held...

When one man and an acoustic guitar can bring down the house you know that you are dealing with superstar quality.

❤ MOST MAGNIFICENT SONG 🎵 EVER CREATED

Don't want to imagine a world without this man and his music

The message of this song transcends absolutely everything there is, or ever was.

"Portions of the next song were prerecorded". It still gives me chills and makes my eyes wet. A true writer, performer, and storyteller.

I want James Taylor to live forever and keeping singing.

The older I get, the truth of this song rings more clearly. Give me the strength to apply this advice and sentiment. Thanks James so much!!

i can NEVER get through this song without crying. ..

This song never gets old. Hello from May 2020! Shower the people you love with love 💕

I have seen many live versions of this song but I think this one is still, by far, the best. Just James and his guitar...and some backup singers on tape. Nothing else needed. Pure magic.

Wow is all I can say. One man captivating an entire audience with one voice, one guitar and one tape recorder. The recording is great, but this version has such an emotional, intimate and melancholy sound. A lot of emotion was poured into this performance and seeing the audience reaction was very moving. True talent right here. Love you James Taylor!

This man. His songs. His voice. His integrity. His being. I’m a life-long fan and I love him.

I remember seeing this on tv and I stunned by this beautiful, sincere version of this song.

Nobody sings better LIVE than J.T. He is Amazing!

Never, ever, EVER gets old.

Hello folks. I posted this (and several other JT videos) some years ago and I pop back and check the comments every now and then. I haven't visited this video in a long time. Watching it again and reading your appreciative comments reminds me just how wonderful this song is and.....why I posted it ! Keep showering the people you love with love...show them the way that YOU feel ! Kind regards to you all and keep posting. I really appreciate it. Ken 16-Nov-2016

Greetings, Guillermo, thanks for your kind words. And to all of you who have posted here, thank you once again. Whenever I'm feeling a little bit down, I read the lovely messages that you have sent here, then I watch JT sing this song, and suddenly, life is great once again. Stay safe and well, folks...... best wishes to all. Ken

This song needs to be played before going to war, before protests, before the United Nations.❤

I'll never stop listening to this particular live version of this amazing song

A sweet, sad, beautiful song, so relevant to all of us

Amazingly smooth and good. The part where he puts his guitar down and just sings, wow

I've listened to his music all my life. And I'll listen til the day i die.

This whole show I think was one of his most amazing performances .

Next to the Beatles, my favorite songwriting hero, and i cry every time I watch this. Just beautiful.

James Taylor is amazing. My father recently passed away, and Taylor was his favorite singer. Growing up with this guy was awesome, his style is so calming. And this is definitely his best song. JT is the man!

James had an addiction for years but managed to kick it for good in the 80's.

.Don't worry, those goose bumps will go away in about 30 minutes.

It’s an existential message. Delivered like a lullaby ❤

One of my favorite of JT's songs. I have to say how shocked I was at how ... polite? quiet? the audience was. Every time I've seen JT in concert, the audience is always on their feet, swaying, clapping & singing along with this one.

I've experienced this live in Berlin. mega grateful! Thanks for sharing this wonderful song!

Beautiful! I saw James play this with his reel to reel in 1977, my very first concert in a high school gymnasium for a benefit.

One of my favorites. early on ! Paula Montana. - Fresno , California

this song is so beautiful

I saw him do this reel-to-reel version of this song live. Very cool! Thanks for posting.

What another Great Song by James Taylor and Live Performance by Him!!☺👏👏👏✌👌👍

Some things in life should just make you smile. I you did nothing else in your life other than "shower the people you love, with the love", you wouldn't be too shabby a person. Thanks James

This is such a superstar that can sing any song👌 👍 ☺

this song is gold

Love you, James. Hugs and kisses from Argentina.

I love this song! I listen to it everyday.

I saw James in San Jose 84 he used the same reel and had a conversation with it,the tape said your looking good he replied oh thanks after a bit of banter they started the song he said one the tape two he said three and they started and kept passing the vocals back and forth it was awesome!

The magic and joy this music brings to everyone attending this gifted AMERICAN ARTIST is an inspiration to the power of love that we all have to give today and every day lift someone then only then will you have lifted thyself .28 from earon earth just like you peace

One of the prettiest songs and voices.

This melody "NEVER" gets old!! October 2020! Healing music for the world! Peace, Love, and Blessings!✌♥️🙏

I was born in 1987, I was just a baby when this was recorded. Over 30 years later this is one of my favourite songs by one of my all time favourite artist. The words are still relevant today if not even more so.

2023 and this song still sounds wonderful, and it is as relevant now as it was then. JT's music transcends generations and time itself.

Took me to church and he was the whole damn choir. Wow

🥀Beautiful Song! Thanks for posting this video it's priceless and unbelievable🥀✌🥀☝️

When I heard the song of shower the people you love with love, I fell in love with the song and when Arnold McCuler sang the background solo, I got chills all over. Now you can understand. I was watching a movie the other night and I heard his voice and I began to cry. What an impression on me. I am 72 years old and what can I say.

I love this song so much. Every single part. It's just so beautiful.

I love this version...it's so real to real

I love this! He used the reel to reel on SNL too... and it was an obvious homage to the singer on the tape... he loves the voice and/or the person attached to it so much, he did not want to just hire any old singers. He was showering the guy with love!

I come back to watch this year after year. Very emotional version as seen by the audience reactions. Love it!

I saw him perform this song at Lake Placid, NY in 1983 and he used the tape recorder.

beautiful work from a master performer and lyricist

Imagine what a beautiful man he is. This song tells you alot about his heart and who he is. Thank you James- We love you.. ( Thank you Ken)

James Taylor is The music Man

One of the greatest acoustic players ever

Love this song It touches me every time I hear it it brings tears and what a wonderful message

he has a way of making you feel happy and sad at the same time. his words/ lyrics cut through the heart :)

This guy is incredible. Some of tunes are moving

multi-talented, gifted and humble... a rare combo. Man can hit three octaves at the age of 18

I was there. The recorder was indeed a nice touch.

The universal messsge for everyone. . God's has always said love God, love people. . Nothing fancy James Taylor has said all in this beautiful, timeless song Just saw him perform this in concert in Cleveland . . Absolutely magical ❤

Sweet song. I wish it for all the people. Be happy.

music these days doesn't give me chills but this did. really awesome

Beautifully pure performance. My very favourite JT song.

Brilliant musician, amazing song, beautiful voice!

Miraculous performance

anyone who doesn''t feel this song must have a heart of stone . .

One, one of his best pieces of work.

Beautiful!!

I could actually cry.....wow....!! heard it about 10000000 times...hypnotic... one of the best songs ever written....

Awesome Ken. Thanks for posting this. JT performed this on Saturday Night Live in 1976 the same way, with backing vocals on a tape deck!

What a delightfully analog solution to bring Carly Simon’s and his own background vocals to every show. By doing it in such an obvious and playful way, it never feels deceptive or cheap. As this sort of thing became easier to do with digital workstations, ‘flying in’ prerecorded background and even lead vocals has been heavily criticized. But this just seems so touching no matter how many times I see it. Thanks for posting.

Impossibly beautiful. A life lesson for all ✌️

Lovely ❤ Shower the people you love with love.

This should be at 460 million views

What a lovely song this is, and what a great message. Thank you too for sharing this video.

I saw in 84 in L.A. and he used a real to real then as well. I will never forget that concert it was amazingly good!

Just a man and his guitar with a tape deck in front of hundreds of people. He sure amazed the audience that night.

ha ha ha ha the last 10seconds is video magic!!!! so funny. This is such a beautiful song.

I remember watching this live tgst night.

James Taylor is an angel.

I have commented on this video before,........ a long time ago,........what a performance!. @3:25 when James shoulders his guitar and just belts out his vocals with the backing track. .........just MAGIC!!!

kentheguru, I can’t thank you enough for posting this version of JT singing this classic. I’ve been searching for so long for it and never found till today. Made my day, man, you have no idea. This version is the one that made me truly fall in love with the song. I’d known the song my whole life but it never really meant as much to me until I actually got to see him perform it here, live, years ago when I caught it on tv. It’s the only version I know of that’s on KZfaq where he actually sings, himself, the part he now-a-days let’s McCuller take. While McCuller does it some beautiful justice, there really is just something so very, VERY special to me about hearing James sing that part himself. He’s starting to do it again, more and more these days when he does a live performance, however, he lowers the key when he sings the “love, love, love is sun shine” part. This performance that you posted, here, never fails to fill my eyes with tears of jubilance because he sings that part with the same passion and in the same key, you hear in the original recorded version. I totally relate to that girl in the audience whose eyes are also brimming with tears. She totally gets what James is laying down there and it’s pure magic, man. So transcendent, so moving. This is the only live performance, that I know of, that’s here on KZfaq, where he does this. If I’m wrong and there are more out there, PLEASE pass on the links, folks, because I would L🤤VE to hear. Thank you, again, so very much for posting this!

i love the feel of this version

JT is just amazing!!! I have always loved him (since I was a teenager)!

I see it6those days without digital age,what a recording 😂🤣🤑😝😛,at least modern music can't beat the old lyrics,arrangements and overall song!,never mind the technology involved in today's music. AWESOME! GIVE IT TO THEM JAMES.electronic music will never beat the best arranged lyrics and comps😍

❤Number One

pure magic

Sing it JT! Make it rain ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

i wud love to see if any of todays artists cud sing that good, play guitar that good, and sing in perfect harmony to backing vocals that have been pre recorded!! what a super talented musician james taylor is. fair do's

people, this is one of the best things to see in youtube (and in the life, in general)!

What fascinates me about this singing with the tape machine is how he starts the song at the exact same tempo as the recording. If the recorded tempo were different (even slightly) from his live singing, the listener would pick that up immediately when the tape starts. Amazingly, the synchronization of tape starts and stops, and recorded tempo, match up perfectly with the live performance - not easy to pull off, even for a skilled musician. Then again, JT is a genius. If anyone has the skills to pull that off, it's JT.

SUCH A BRILLIANT, SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL WAY TO DO THE BACKGROUND VOCALS. WHAT A PERFECT TUNE!

great song by one of the all-time greats...frankly I could've lived without showing people in the audience mouthing the words and ooooooh look they're so touched...... (:gag:), but oh well. always great to hear him live, a legendary live performer.