Dad Loves His Work

Last updated
Dad Loves His Work
James Taylor - Dad Loves His Work.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1981 (March 1981)
RecordedSeptember 5, 1980 – January 18, 1981 (1980-09-05 1981-01-18)
Studio Record One, Los Angeles
Genre Soft rock
Length38:49
Label Columbia/Legacy
Producer Peter Asher
James Taylor chronology
Flag
(1979)
Dad Loves His Work
(1981)
That's Why I'm Here
(1985)
Singles from Dad Loves His Work
  1. "Her Town Too"
    Released: February 1981
  2. "Hard Times"
    Released: May 1981

Dad Loves His Work is the tenth studio album by James Taylor, released in 1981. The album includes the duet with J. D. Souther titled "Her Town Too", which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The album was certified Platinum in the United States. It was his first album without any covers.

Contents

Background

The album's title was a response by Taylor to then-wife Carly Simon, who had issued an ultimatum to Taylor regarding his constant touring, leaving her home with their two children, Benjamin and Sally. Simon informed Taylor in 1980 that unless he curtailed his schedule to be home more with his family, that she would divorce him. Shortly before the album's release, the pair separated, officially dissolving their 11-year marriage in 1983. Taylor, who was still struggling with a lengthy history of drug abuse, later admitted that he was ill-equipped to be a family man at that time in his life and put his career before his family.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
MusicHound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Rolling Stone wrote that "the tunes are simple and memorable—you can sing along with most of them after two listens." [5]

Track listing

All songs by James Taylor unless otherwise noted.

Side one
  1. "Hard Times" – 3:13
  2. "Her Town Too" (Duet with J.D. Souther) (Taylor, J. D. Souther, Waddy Wachtel) – 4:34
  3. "Hour That the Morning Comes" – 2:56
  4. "I Will Follow" – 4:19
  5. "Believe It or Not" – 3:53
Side two
  1. "Stand and Fight" (Taylor, Jacob Brackman) – 3:10
  2. "Only for Me" – 4:55
  3. "Summer's Here" – 2:43
  4. "Sugar Trade" (Taylor, Jimmy Buffett, Timothy Mayer) – 2:48
  5. "London Town" – 3:56
  6. "That Lonesome Road" (Taylor, Don Grolnick) – 2:22

Personnel

Choir on "That Lonesome Road"

Production

Charts

Chart (1981)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] 23

Notes

  1. link
  2. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  3. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide . Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p.  1125. ISBN   1-57859-061-2.
  4. "James Taylor: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  5. Shewey, Don (May 28, 1981). "Dad Loves His Work". Rolling Stone.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 305. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.

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