Flag (James Taylor album)

Last updated
Flag
James Taylor - Flag.svg
Studio album by
James Taylor
ReleasedMay 1, 1979 (1979-05-01)
RecordedJanuary 4 – March 25, 1979 (1979-01-04 – 1979-03-25)
Studio Sound Factory (Hollywood)
Genre Rock
Length42:52
Label Columbia/Legacy
Producer Peter Asher
James Taylor chronology
JT
(1977)		Flag
(1979)		 Dad Loves His Work
(1981)
Singles from Flag
  1. "Up on the Roof"
    Released: 1979

Flag is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor released on May 1, 1979. The album included songs ("Millworker", "Brother Trucker") from Taylor's music score to Stephen Schwartz's Broadway musical, Working , based on the book by Studs Terkel.

Contents

The album was not well received, but it did provide a hit in Taylor's cover version of the Gerry Goffin–Carole King composition "Up on the Roof" (Taylor's most recent top 40 hit as a solo artist).

"Rainy Day Man", which first appeared on Taylor's self-titled debut album, was re-recorded.

The signal flag that makes up the cover of the album is "O (Oscar)", standing for man overboard.

On the May 12, 1979, episode of Saturday Night Live , Taylor was the musical guest, and performed three songs from the album, "Up on the Roof", "Millworker", and "Johnnie Comes Back".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide C+ [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
MusicHound Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Rolling Stone (favorable) [5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]

The New York Times wrote that Taylor's "vulnerable tenor and the glossy production Peter Asher gives his record conspire to court blandness." [7]

Track listing

All songs by James Taylor unless otherwise noted.

Side one

  1. "Company Man" – 3:47
  2. "Johnnie Comes Back" – 3:55
  3. "Day Tripper" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) – 4:25
  4. "I Will Not Lie for You" – 3:16
  5. "Brother Trucker" – 4:01
  6. "Is That the Way You Look?" – 1:59

Side two

  1. "B.S.U.R. (S.U.C.S.I.M.I.M.)" – 3:23
  2. "Rainy Day Man" (Taylor, Zach Wiesner) – 3:02
  3. "Millworker" – 3:52
  4. "Up on the Roof" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 4:21
  5. "Chanson Française" – 2:05
  6. "Sleep Come Free Me" – 4:43

Personnel

Production

Charts

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References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Allmusic review". AllMusic . Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: T". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved March 15, 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ "Rolling Stone review". RollingStone.com. March 29, 2010. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  6. ↑ "James Taylor: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  7. ↑ Palmer, Robert (23 July 1979). "Pop: Sunny James Taylor". The New York Times. p. C17.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4500a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Charts.nz – James Taylor – Flag". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – James Taylor – Flag". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  12. ↑ "James Taylor Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6920". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1979". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
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