You Can Close Your Eyes - James Taylor - MP3 instrumental karaoke

Singer-songwriter James Taylor’s 1971 single “You’ve Got a Friend” is one of the most popular songs in history, but its B-side “You Can Close Your Eyes” is just as interesting. The song is a tender folk lullaby written by James Taylor as a sort of “secular hymn,” taking influences from worship music and applying them to a romantic relationship. It was produced by Peter Asher. Though James Taylor would release the song as the B-side to “You’ve Got a Friend” as well as part of his 1971 album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, it was originally written by James Taylor’s sister Kate Taylor for her 1971 album Sister Kate. A demo of Joni Mitchell singing the song along with James Taylor as a duet in 1970 was released as part of her compilation The Joni Mitchell Archives. The song has been recorded by many artists such as Sting, Linda Rondstadt, Richie Havens, Carly Simon, Sheryl Crow, and many more. “You Can Close Your Eyes” has also been performed live along with Carole King on the 2010 album Live at the Troubadour.