My fave part of the James Taylor concert

It’s always thrilling for me to travel east on Highway #401 to Toronto, especially coming from the small city of Chatham where folks rarely honk their horn and rush hour is a rush “minute”. From as long as I can remember, the big city has promised a good time and Friday night was no exception. My husband, Andrew and I both have birthdays in the summer and as we prefer experiences over stuff, our kids gifted us with tickets to see James Taylor at the Budweiser Centre. I hadn’t been to a big concert in a long time and sitting among 15,000 people all swaying to the oldies was magical.

What brings such a throng to hear the 77 year old geezer sing? Nostalgia? For sure. The band? Absolutely! They were exceptional and included Lou Marini (who played with Blood, Sweat and Tears as well as the original Saturday Night Live band) and singer, Arnold McCuller who lent his vocals backing up Linda Ronstadt, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Carly Simon, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Neil Diamond.

But the highlight for me came when Taylor recounted how his hit single “Fire and Rain” was the catalyst for Carole King’s song, “You’ve got a friend”.

I had no idea.

“Fire and Rain” was written in 1968 when Taylor was only 20 years old. He has said it was cathartic to write about his struggle with heroin and the loss to suicide of his girlfriend. One of the verses says,

“I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain. I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end. I’ve seen lonely nights when I could not find a friend. But I always thought that I’d see you again.”

He played it for his friend, Carole King, who then wanted to comfort him and reassure him. So she penned her response to his pain in the song, “You’ve got a friend”. Both King's and Taylor's versions of the song became major hits, showcasing the power of their songwriting and friendship and selling millions of copies. Taylor jokingly remarked during the concert that when he first sang the song, he didn’t know he’d be singing it every night for the rest of his life!

Who wouldn’t want a friend like that? One who truly “gets you” and connects with you in a way that makes you feel loved. One who understands your love language and responds in kind, bringing comfort and understanding.

By the way…

One of my favourite books on the shelf is called, “The five love languages” by Dr. Gary Chapman. These love languages or ways of showing love include: words of affirmation, giving gifts, quality time, physical touch and affection, and acts of service. Ask your family and friends “which of these languages make you feel the most loved?” This question may bring surprising answers and lead to greater intimacy and connection with your people. Maybe your wife would prefer an act of service rather than the gift of flowers. Or your child may thrive on words of affirmation but squirm away from hugs. Or maybe your husband just wants to get away and spend some undistracted quality time with you.

Learning how your people love to be loved is a game changer!