b o o t l e g s

This bootleg list is designed merely to inform James Taylor fans of his many ROIO's (Recordings of Illigitimate Origin) which exist mostly in European countries. This page offers no suggestions on how to obtain these releases, and cannot definitely advise as to their legality. This list does not include any of the numerous live tapes that are passed among JT fans, only those recordings that have been released on LP or compact disc. The titles below are listed according to release date.

James Taylor and The Original Flying Machine
Label: Euphoria #EST-2 (LP)
Origin: USA
Released: 1971
Quality: 8

This is not technically a bootleg, but an album that was never supposed to be released. It is made up of studio demos recorded in 1967 with Danny Kortchmar (guitar), Al Gorgoni (harpsichord), Zachary Wiesner (bass), and Joel O'Brien (drums). It is now available on CD.

1. Night Owl
2. Brighten Your Night With My Day
3. Kootch's Song (instrumental)
4. Knocking Round the Zoo (Danny Kortchmar, vocal)
5. Rainy Day Man
6. Knocking Round the Zoo (James Taylor, vocal)
7. Something's Wrong (instrumental)

Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again
Rubber Dubber Records (2-LP)
Origin: USA
Released: 1971
Quality: 5

A mediocre audience recording taped at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA on March 21, 1971. The band included Carole King (piano), Danny Kortchmar (guitar), Leland Sklar (bass), and Russel Kunkel (drums). This recording was re-released later (slightly reshuffled) as Live at the Anaheim Convention Center and Tailor Made. (See below.)

Record One

1. Sweet Baby James
2. I Feel Fine (Something In the Way She Moves)
3. Hey Mister, That's Me Up On the Jukebox
4. Sunny Skies
5. Chili Dog
6. Riding On a Railroad
7. Places In My Past
8. You Can Close Your Eyes
9. Soldiers
10. Carolina In My Mind
11. Long Ago and Far Away

Record Two

1. Country Road
2. Fire and Rain
3. Sixteen Candles
4. Love Has Brought Me Around
5. Woh, Don't You Know
6. Steamroller Blues
7. Come On Brother, Get On Up and Help Me Find This Groove
8. The Promised Land
9. Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again

Tailor Made
TMI Records (2-LP)
Origin: USA
Released: 1972
Quality: 5

A second double-album bootleg of the same 1971 performance used for Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again. Also includes an extra four songs from a JT's appearance on an early '70s Johnny Cash TV special called "On Campus."

Record One

1. Sweet Baby James
2. I Feel Fine (Something In the Way She Moves)
3. Hey Mister, That's Me Up On the Jukebox
4. Sunny Skies
5. Chili Dog
6. Steamroller Blues
7. Riding On a Railroad
8. Places In My Past
9. You Can Close Your Eyes
10. Soldiers
11. Carolina In My Mind
12. Long Ago and Far Away

Record Two

1. Country Road
2. Fire and Rain
3. Sixteen Candles
4. Love Has Brought Me Around
5. Woh, Don't You Know
6. Come On Brother, Get On Up and Help Me Find This Groove
7. The Promised Land
8. Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again
9. Fire and Rain*
10. Country Road*
11. Oh Susannah (duet with Johnny Cash)*
12. Sweet Baby James*
(*from the TV special "On Campus")

A King and Two James
Carnaby Records (3-LP)
Origin: UK
Released: 1972
Quality: 5

Yet another release of the same 1971 performance used for Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again, but this time in a 3-LP Box from Newcastle, England, the third album consisting of Carole King live at the Troubador, Los Angeles, 1971. It's interesting to note that this is the performance where James first heard Carole play "You've Got a Friend". After the show, he told her how much he loved the song and she told him he should record it himself.

Record One (Carole King)

1. I Feel the Earth Move
2. Whispering Wind
3. Child of Mine
4. Beautiful
5. It's Too Late
6. Smackwater Jack
7. So Far Away
8. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
9. Up On the Roof
10. You've Got a Friend
11. You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman

Record Two

Record Three

Rainy Day Man
Label: ? (LP)
Origin: USA
Released: 1972
Quality: 8

This is a bootleg version of the album James Taylor and The Original Flying Machine, released on Euphoria Records a year earlier. (See above.) It features the same material as the legitimate release.

Live in New York, November 1972
Label: none listed (2-LP)
Origin: USA
Released: 1973
Quality: 6

A very listenable audience recording, mostly JT solo acoustic. Issued in a plain white sleeve with a poorly xeroxed sheet of paper, including a photo and track list (with plenty of title errors). Still, possibly the rarest of the JT bootleg LP's and nearly impossible to find. Features a great rare performance of the standard "Makin' Whoopee".

Record One

1. Sweet Baby James
2. Makin' Whoopee
3. Matrimonial Song (Riding On a Railroad)
4. Long Ago and Far Away
5. Lo and Behold
6. Anywhere Like Heaven
7. Daybreak (Brighten Your Night With My Day)
8. I Feel Fine (Something In the Way She Moves)
9. Highway Song
10. Sunny Skies
11. Carolina In My Mind
12. To Cry (Rainy Day Man)
13. Instrumental (from "One Man Dog")
14. Hymn (from "One Man Dog")
15. Fanfare (from "One Man Dog")

Record Two

1. Nobody But You
2. You've Got A Friend
3. Chili Dog
4. New Tune (from "One Man Dog")
5. Back On My Feet Again
6. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
7. Country Road
8. One Man Parade
9. Steamroller Blues
10. Fire and Rain
11. Close Your Eyes

Hello Old Friend
Hammard TV Productions Pty Ltd. (LP)
Origin: Australia
Released: 1980

This Australian release is a collection of songs taken directly from JT's Warner Bros. albums.

1. You've Got a Friend
2. Something in the Way She Moves
3. Me and My Guitar
4. Hello Old Friend
5. I Was a Fool to Care
6. Fool For You
7. Carolina On My Mind
8. Shower the People
9. Riding On a Railroad
10. Fire and Rain
11. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
12. Sweet Baby James
13. Country Road
14. Family Man
15. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
16. Steamroller

Live In Rio
Som Livre (SIGLA/GLOBO) #530.038 (LP)
Origin: Brazil
Released: 1986
Time: 46:34
Quality: 7

Not really a bootleg, but a rare import released in Brazil only. A fairly distorted soundboard recording taped at the Rock In Rio festival, January 12 and 14, 1985. Features Dan Dugmore (guitar), Leland Sklar (bass), Billy Payne (keyboards), Rick Shlosser (drums), Arnold McCuller (vocals), and Rosemary Butler (vocals). Released on CD (with a slightly different cover) in 1990 as CBS #700.060.

1. Long Ago and Far Away
2. Carolina In My Mind
3. Up On the Roof
4. You've Got a Friend
5. Shower The People
6. Fire and Rain
7. Mexico
8. Walking Man
9. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
10. Knock On Wood
11. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

Close Your Eyes
Living Legend #LLRCD 121 (CD)
Origin: Italy
Released: 1991
Time: 64:00
Quality: 9

Soundboard recording of an October 29, 1970 BBC radio performance with Joni Mitchell. Originally released in the 1970's on bootleg LPs titled In Perfect Harmony and Takes Two to Tango.

1. That Song About the Midway (Joni)
2. The Gallery (Joni)
3. Rainy Day Man (JT)
4. Steamroller Blues (JT)
5. The Priest Song (Joni)
6. Carey (Joni)
7. Carolina In My Mind (JT)
8. California (Joni)
9. He Played Real Good For Free (Joni)
10. The Circle Game (duet)
11. You Can Close Your Eyes (duet)

You've Got a Friend
M Records Ltd. #CJESD 1 (CD)
Origin: Germany
Released: 1992
Time: 51:46
Quality: 10

An engineer/producer named Roman Bias took 14 of his favorite JT hits and remixed them with additional overdubs of percussion, drum machines, saxophone, harmonica and keyboards. The result is not as offensive as you might guess; in fact, many tracks are actually enjoyable in their "fresh new" form.

1. Something In The Way She Moves
2. Carolina In My Mind
3. Fire and Rain
4. Sweet Baby James
5. Country Road
6. You've Got a Friend
7. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
8. Walking Man
9. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
10. Mexico
11. Shower The People
12. Letter In the Mail
13. Everyday
14. Steamroller (live)

Homeless Children's Medical Benefit Concert
Yellow Cat #YC 013/14 (2-CD)
Origin: Italy
Released: 1993
Time: 58:22 (Disc 1), 65:23 (Disc 2)
Quality: 8

From a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden December 13, 1987. JT performs "Looking For Love On Broadway" and "Carolina In My Mind." He also sings backup for Dion on "Teenager In Love" and in the finale "Rock and Roll Music." This 2-CD set also features performances by Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and others.

Dad Lives His Work
Great Dane #9410 (CD)
Origin: Italy
Released: 1994
Time: 57:23
Quality: 7

Stereo FM broadcast recording from a live show at the Atlanta, Georgia Civic Center in 1981. Although originally mixed through a soundboard, the radio broadcast makes this CD a little distorted and muddy. Features Don Grolnick (piano), Dan Dugmore (guitar), Waddy Wachtel (guitar), Leland Sklar (bass), Rick Marotta (drums), David Lasley (vocals), and Arnold McCuller (vocals).

1. How Sweet It Is
2. Stand and Fight
3. Up On the Roof
4. Fire and Rain
5. Steamroller Blues
6. Daddy's All Gone
7. Her Town Too
8. Mexico
9. Country Road
10. Money Machine
11. You've Got a Friend

Got Some Friends
Royal Sound Music #RSM 064 SQ (CD)
Origin: Germany
Released: 1994
Time: 77:37
Quality: 10

Excellent stereo soundboard recording taped August 25, 1994 at Great Woods, Massachusetts. Originally recorded for FM broadcast on the "Columbia Records Radio Hour." Features Bob Mann (guitar), Jimmy Johnson (bass), Don Grolnick (piano, accordian), Clifford Carter (organ), Carlos Vega (drums), David Lasley (vocals), Valerie Carter (vocals), Dorian Holley (vocals), and Kate Markowitz (vocals).

1. Lo and Behold
2. Mexico
3. Promised Land
4. Gotta Stop Thinkin' Bout That
5. Rainy Day Man
6. Frozen Man
7. Your Smiling Face
8. Copperline
9. Carolina In My Mind
10. Wandering
11. Memphis
12. Not Fade Away
13. Never Die Young
14. Up On the Roof
15. You've Got a Friend
16. Steamroller Blues
17. How Sweet It Is
18. Sweet Baby James

He's Got a Friend Called Joni
Arriba #94 094 (CD)
Origin: Germany
Released: 1994
Time: 73:29
Quality: 10

This one wins the prize for Worst Title. The CD is an odd pairing of 15 tracks from the same 1994 recording as Got Some Friends (above) with two tracks from the same 1970 Joni Mitchell BBC session as Close Your Eyes.

1. Mexico
2. Up On the Roof
3. Never Die Young
4. Not Fade Away
5. Wandering
6. Memphis
7. Lo and Behold
8. Copperline
9. Gotta Stop Thinkin' Bout That
10. Promised Land
11. Carolina In My Mind
12. Your Smiling Face
13. How Sweet It Is
14. Sweet Baby James
15. You've Got a Friend
16. The Circle Game*
17. You Can Close Your Eyes*
(*1970 duet with Joni Mitchell)

Roses For Carole
Main Street #MST104 (CD)
Origin: Italy
Released: 1995
Time: 64:00
Quality: 9

Recording of JT's 1970 show at the Berkeley Community Theatre. Features Carole King (piano and vocals), Leland Sklar (bass), and Russ Kunkel (drums). This is also available as disc two of Alone Together, released in 2001.

1. For Free
2. Carolina In My Mind
3. Okie From Muskogee
4. Sweet Baby James
5. Circle Round the Sun (erroneously titled I Love My Babe)
6. Greensleeves
7. Blossom
8. Up On the Roof (lead vocal by Carole King)
9. Country Road
10. Night Owl
11. Something's Wrong (titled That Restless Feeling)
12. Long Ago and Far Away (titled Where the Golden Rainbows End)
13. Riding On a Railroad
14. Highway Song
15. Fire and Rain
16. You Can Close Your Eyes

Not Fade Away
My Phenix Co. # ZA 39/40 (2-CD)
Origin: Japan
Released: 1995
Time: 66:19 (Disc 1), 64:04 (Disc 2)
Quality: 8

Live double-CD audience recording of a March 15, 1995 show at San-Plaza Hall, Tokyo. Featuring Bob Mann (electric guitar), Jimmy Johnson (bass), Carlos Vega (drums), Don Grolnick (piano, accordian), Clifford Carter (keyboards), Valerie Carter (vocals), Arnold McCuller (vocals), and Ben Taylor (vocals on "Shower the People").

Disc One:

1. Sweet Baby James
2. Secret O' Life
3. Mexico
4. The Promised Land
5. Copperline
6. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
7. (I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' Bout That
8. Never Die Young
9. Frozen Man
10. Handy Man
11. Your Smiling Face
12. Shower the People
13. Country Road
14. Riding On a Railroad
15. Something In the Way She Moves

Disc Two:

1. Carolina In My Mind
2. Not Fade Away
3. Up On the Roof
4. You've Got a Friend
5. How Sweet It Is
6. Fire and Rain (encore 1)
7. Steamroller (encore 1)
8. You Can Close Your Eyes (encore 2)
9. Not Fade Away*
10. Up On the Roof*
11. You've Got a Friend*
12. Only One*
(*"bonus tracks" from March 14, 1995)

Carnegie Hall
KTS #537 (CD)
Origin: Italy
Released: 1996
Time: 53:36
Quality: 8

Stereo soundboard recording taped live at Carnegie Hall, May 1974. Features Don Grolnick (piano, keyboards), David Spinozza (guitar), Hugh McCracken (guitar), Andy Muson (bass), Ricky Marotta (percussion), and Carly Simon (duet vocal on "Mockingbird").

1. You Can Close Your Eyes
2. Riding On a Railroad
3. Blossom/band intro
4. Long Ago and Far Away
5. How Sweet It Is
6. You've Got a Friend
7. Promised Land
8. Let It All Fall Down
9. Brighten Your Night With My Day
10. One Man Parade (mistakingly listed as Walking Man)
11. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
12. Fire and Rain
13. Mockingbird
14. Ain't No Song
15. Sweet Baby James

I've Got Friends
Skull Records #SK 001-2 (CD)
Origin: EEC
Released: 1997
Time: 71:38
Quality: 10

A collection of mostly duets from other artists' albums. Each track is a direct copy from the original CD, with no loss of sound quality. Also, a second volume is supposedly coming soon.

1. Devoted To You (with Carly Simon)
2. City Lights (with Livingston Taylor)
3. He Will Break Your Heart (with Alex Taylor)
4. It's In His Kiss (with Kate Taylor)
5. Mockingbird (with Carly Simon)
6. (What A) Wonderful World (with Simon & Garfunkel)
7. Crying In The Rain (with Art Garfunkel)
8. Only A Dream In Rio (with Milton Nascimento)
9. Lighthouse (from "Gorilla")
10. I Think It's Gonna Work Out Fine (with Linda Ronstadt)
11. Her Town Too (from "Dad Loves His Work")
12. L'Air De La Louisiane (with J.D. Souther & Jimmy Buffett)
13. New Star Shining (with Ricky Skaggs)
14. Night Owl (remix version from "Original Flying Machine" CD)
15. One Morning In May (from "One Man Dog")
16. You've Got A Friend (live 1971) (with Carole King)
17. The Water Is Wide (with Karla Bonoff)
18. Perfect Love (with Marc Cohn)

Storytellers
Another Original Soundboard Recording (CD)
Origin: USA
Released: 1998
Time: 62:55
Quality: 7

A sub-par recording from the TV broadcast of part one of James' May 1997 "VH1's Storytellers" performance, plus seven tracks live in San Paulo, Brazil 1986.

1. Copperline
2. Frozen Man
3. Riding On a Railroad
4. Hangnail
5. Fire and Rain
6. Another Day
7. Line 'em Up
8. Valentine's Day
9. Mud Slide Slim
10. There We Are*
11. Carolina In My Mind*
12. Handy Man*
13. Country Road*
14. Fire and Rain*
15. How Sweet It Is*
16. Your Smiling Face*
(*live in San Paulo, Brazil 1986)

You're So Vain
Killing Floor #00033/34 (2-CD)
Origin: Japan
Released: 1999
Time: 135:40
Quality: 5

A poor quality audience recording, live at Koseinenkin-Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan. February 9, 1973.

Disc One:

1. Sweet Baby James
2. Blossom
3. Riding On A Railroad
4. Long Ago And Far Away
5. Greensleeves
6. Hey Mister, That's Me Up On The Jukebox
7. Lo And Behold
8. Something In The Way She Moves
9. Highway Song
10. Instrumental
11. Sunny Skies
12. Carolina In My Mind
13. Instrumental II
14. Hymn
15. Fanfare
16. Country Road
17. You've Got A Friend
18. Nobody But You

Disc Two:

1. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
2. Steamroller
3. Fire And Rain
4. You're So Vain (with Carly Simon)
5. You Can Close Your Eyes
6. Introduction*
7. Second Degree*
8. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay*
9. Sparadisc*
10. Vacume*
(*the last five tracks are performed by James' backing band, The Section, without James.)

Johnny Cash: Duets
Stay Tuned (CD)
Origin: USA
Released: 2000
Time: 62:11
Quality: 6 to 8

This disc features eight duets with various artists (in mono) from Johnny Cash's 1969-71 ABC TV show, including the track "Oh Susannah" with JT on guitar and vocals. This is the same recording as featured on the Tailor Made LP above, but the sound quality is better here.

1. Pretty Woman (with Roy Orbison)
2. I Still Miss Someone (with Joni Mitchell)
3. Long Black Veil (with Joni Mitchell)
4. Girl From the North Country (with Joni Mitchell)
5. Matchbox (with Carl Perkins and Derek & the Dominoes)
6. Get Rhythm (with Stevie Wonder)
7. Oh Susannah (with James Taylor)
8. Deep Water (with Linda Ronstadt)
Tracks 9-23 are solo Cash demos recorded in Rick Rubin's living room in L.A., May 17-20, 1993.

James Taylor featuring Carole King: Alone Together
Polar Bear #PB-088/089 (2-CD)
Origin: Japan
Released: 2001
Time: 70:21 and 64:04
Quality: 9

Two separate JT concerts from 1970, both with very good sound quality. Disc two had been previously released as the boot Roses For Carole in 1995, while disc one has been floating around on CDR for years (although here about four minutes of guitar tuning and dead space have been edited out). The casual solo Syracuse show is especially notable for its inclusion of ten non-album tracks*, including two excellent Beatles covers.

Disc One: Syracuse, NY, Feb. 5, 1970 late show

1. Pretty Boy Floyd*
2. Yesterday*
3. Steamroller
4. Country Road
5. Duncan and Brady*
6. Hushabye
7. Something In the Way She Moves
8. Taking It In
9. If I Needed Someone*
10. Sweet Baby James
11. People Get Ready*
12. Sunshine Sunshine
13. Coca Cola Commercial*
14. Knockin' Around the Sun
15. Snuff Commercial*
16. Circle Around the Sun
17. Rainy Day Man
18. Satisfied Mind*
19. Hallelujah I Love Her So*
20. Carolina In My Mind
21. Diamonds In the Rough*

Disc Two: Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA 1970 (with Carole King on piano and backing vocals)

1. For Free
2. Carolina On My Mind
3. Okie From Muskogee
4. Sweet Baby James
5. Circle Round the Sun
6. Greensleeves
7. Blossom
8. Up On the Roof (lead vocal by Carole King)
9. Country Road
10. Night Owl
11. Something's Wrong
12. Long Ago And Far Away
13. Riding On the Railroad
14. Highway Song
15. Fire and Rain
16. You Can Close Your Eyes

Baby James By The Bay
Polar Bear #20402 (CD)
Origin: Japan
Released: 2002
Time: 63:02
Quality: 9

Previously available on the CDR trading circuit, this excellent recording of a 1972 Oakland, CA show was originally planned as an official live release by Warner Brothers. Collectors will note that this CD omits 25% of the planned double-album, as it was mastered from only three available reels of the original four-reel set.

1. Sweet Baby James
2. Something In the Way She Moves
3. Greensleeves
4. Tube Rose Snuff
5. Sunny Skies
6. Chili Dog
7. Rainy Day Man
8. Highway Song
9. On Broadway
10. Fire and Rain
11. Love Has Brought Me Around
12. Woh, Don't You Know
13. Steamroller Blues
14. Help Me Find This Groove
15. Promised Land
16. You Can Close Your Eyes