Let’s start with the I-IV-V chord progression thing. Taylor also wrote “Any Way That You Want Me”, which was a hit for The Troggs. The following version, by Evie Sands, is pretty cool. If you’re a songwriter and you ever think you’ve reached the end of the line with the use of the I-IV-V chord progression, think again!
Taylor, I learned, also wrote my favorite Hollies song, “I Can’t Let Go”. This one’s a little different than the straight I-IV-V device used in other hits, and before I generalize unfairly about the guy’s songwriting palette, he also wrote distinctive hits for everyone from Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings to Janis Joplin.
Janis Does Chip
Waylon Does Chip
That’s enough music info to get you going the next time Talyor’s name pops up at a party full of music geeks (or more likely at the front counter of a record store). Here are a few more things you may want to know:
There was a New Yorker profile on Taylor in the last month or two with all of this info. The writer must have researched it on wikipedia as well.
One other fact that I seem to recall is that he wrote “Wild Thing” while a student here in central Connnecticut at the University of Hartford.
Thanks for pointing out my incredibly shoddy research, Al. I think that’s important to note and key to just this sort of fact-finding mission.
Yeah, I got my copy of next month’s Mojo in the mail today, too. Gonna write about the White Album next?
Don’t overlook the analysis I provided, Great One.
My friend Bob’s brother actually played drums on one of his albums.
Diskojoe wrote:
See how this works? Yet another thing to keep in mind next time you’re at a cool party or record store and Taylor’s name comes up. Now you’re equipped with a “friend of a friend’s brother” story!