I ve always thought the reference to the “flying machine in pieces on the ground” was about an earlier album titled James Taylor and the flying machine. We ll see as l listen…….
James did NOT!! record Sweet Baby James in England, that was the Original album that bombed....Sweet Baby James was recorded in L.A. in December, 1969....released in 1970........in London, that was 1968.....Sweet Baby James had not been even written...........wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy off....James became sober November 6, 1983.
Way off James has said in multiple interviews Susan died from suicide. Her parents had her committed to a mental hospital. She committed suicide. He was in London recording an album , they debated telling him because they thought it would distract his work.
I think it's a story about an old drunk man that danced on the streets and places to get money just to get by and buy liquor. Hope he may have had at one time but lost all of the hope he had to be someone . But when his dog died he lost that hope he had for he and his dog, . He probably had kids and a wife at one time and a job his wife dues he drinks a lot and his kid grow up and leave , so he was left alone with his dog , and then they traveled around with his dog and he probably wishes he would die before his dog but it didn't work like that for him or me.
Seems the Bojangles mourning the dog (a white guy) was not the famous Bill Robinson tap dancing "Bojangles" Ed Sullivan (60's TV host "..a really big show") generously payed to have buried (as Robinson, who may have been the only person of his epoch who could likely dance circles around Fred Astaire, sadly died broke), but likely appropriated the nick name after the great Bill Robinson "Bojangles"... but the story line of the song certainly fits that it could have been : which is all the more magic.
I heard this song by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band when I was 12. Im bout to hit 64. When the lyrics The dog up and died n after 20 years he still grieved I started crying. It touched me to my soul. Now as I have gotten older I some times have these private reminiscent concerts by my self. All the songs leading me down the road to where I am now. And I must say that this song is the most preeminent songs in my life. It still brings tears to my eyes after all of these years. Thank you Mo. Now I know the story behind the song that started the sound track to my life. And I am Grateful!
James did NOT!! record Sweet Baby James in England, that was the Original album that bombed....Sweet Baby James was recorded in L.A. in December, 1969....released in 1970........in London, that was 1968.....Sweet Baby James had not been even written...........wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy off....James became sober November 6, 1983.
Thank you for this presentation. I was recently in our Kroger store which has a beer/wine bar and occasionally a busker. As I passed by the young busker on duty was doing a fine job with "Mr Bojangles" . I was around in '67 when it was top-40 playlist. Liked it them but, really haven't though about it much since. I was stopped dead listening to the busker version. I became a little verklempt. This is really quite an Americana music masterpiece. It has a Steven-Foster-minstrel show-Mark-Twain-Riverboat storyline quality about it. I've since stared watching various covers. I have to say, that next to JJW's I like the Sammy Davis Jr. version best.
Love the video! I am confused about the third part after Suzanne and the addiction and what he meant, but I guess a lot of music is up for interpretation which makes it great. Thanks for the breakdown much appreciated. One of the best musicians, hope you all are having a great day wherever you are and whenever you’re reading this. ❤️❤️ spread love while you have the chance😎
The first verse was about the pssing of his girlfriend from bck in New York City - Suzanne Scnerr. The 2nd verse was about his addition. The 3rd verse is about him wondering "what's next" with his life. He wrote the bulk of his next album "Sweet Baby James" while in Austen Riggs.
Mr. Mo Will: Thanks so much for such a complete history of the song. You have a considerable talent for this. Like most other feeling people, the song delights me and also haunts my life of 75 years. My guess is that Jerry Jeff, like all good writers, takes his experience in the real world, and filters it through his subconscious and, with some luck, produces a diamond. Thanks again.
what's up Mo Will my name is Ms Joy my nickname is Mama Joy ❤️ hey 🙋🏿♀️ I remember the song Mr Bojangles song me and my baby 👶🏾 sister 👩🦱 love 💞 Mr Bojangles song we would dance 💃🏽to it my baby 👶🏾 sister 👩🦱 liked that song and I remember when I going to school 🏫 our school 🏫 a talent show and best friend was in the talent show at our school and she was dancing to the Mr Bojangles song and she won the talent show the only thing she didn't have was the steps 🪜 I am new your channel Mo Will I live in Houston Texas and I am 61 years old to the man who wrote Mr Bojangles song may he rest in peace 🕊️🕊️ Mama Joy ❤️
Nobody can ever even come close to this performance by David Bromberg from the Isle of Wight festival. As a boy, i first heard and loved the version done by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, but after hearing David's performance, never want to hear any other version, other than Jerry Jeff's own performances. David and Jerry were good friends, and played for 2 years straight together. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-muG8kDYbZ5Q.html
Interesting video and mostly accurate, one mistake though, the album he recorded with the Beatles on their newish Apple label was the self- titled album ('James Taylor') -Sweet Baby James was his second album made back in the US on the Warner Bros label which included Fire and Rain, bringing him worldwide acclaim.
Mo Will, Thank you for doing this video however misshapen it might have turned out. I think you did your honest best. As much as I enjoyed J.T. and this song I did not care for the depiction on this video. Thank you. ( You can't please everybody ) :-)
Thanks, this was great. Turns out that I smoked a joint and shot the shit with James Taylor for about an hour on some beach in Maine, mustah been 1970, I had no idea who he was, everyone called him Jay...
I just turned 71 and I would say 90% of todays music can't hold a candle to the music of the 60s and 70s, but it's more like 99%. I saw Willie Dixon and the Chicago all-stars in 73 and was more or less a blues man after that. Some bands really had class like James Brown, Grateful Dead and the Pink Floyd while other bands looked likes they only wanted the $. Steppenwolf and Led Zeppelin played so badly they didn't even get any applause at the end of the show. But the all-time worst was Taj Mahal. What a bum. He didn't even get through one song before he walked off the stage and the show was over. I have to say the best show ever was Chuck Berry. From half way through the first song the place went nuts. 30 minutes after the last encore 10,000 people were chanting "Where the f**k is Chuck. Another great show was in a small club with Ike and Tina. We had a front row table and Tina wasn't more than 4 feet in front of me pounding out that rhythm and blues.
I would enjoy sitting and sharing stories with you! You have left a most magnificent life filled with joy and vivid memories. Good for you! Never let those memories fade.
Thanks for doing this. I'm just learning to play the tune on my guitar and I wondered what it was all about. In a BBC performance, he mentioned that he wrote it in Spain and his life in Spain.
