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Boomer Ballads: Fire and Rain by James Taylor

Just yesterday mornin’, they let me know you were gone
Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I just can’t remember who to send it to

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I’d see you again

Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus
You’ve got to help me make a stand
You’ve just got to see me through another day
My body’s aching and my time is at hand
I won’t make it any other way

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I’d see you again

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun
Lord knows when the cold wind blows, it’ll turn your head around
Well there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I’d see you baby, one more time again, now

Thought I’d see you one more time again
There’s just a few things coming my way this time around now
Thought I’d see you, thought I’d see you, fire and rain now

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I’d see you baby, one more time again, now

Thought I’d see you one more time again
There’s just a few things coming my way this time around now
Thought I’d see you, thought I’d see you, fire and rain now

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Richard June 12, 2019, 12:37 PM

    Grief can be very seductive. The challenge is in not letting it swallow you whole.

  • Rob De Witt June 12, 2019, 3:33 PM

    This was everywhere on the radio when my daughter was taken from me. I still can’t listen to it.

    My condolences for your loss.

  • Anonymous June 12, 2019, 3:39 PM

    From the movie “The Counselor” 2013 Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt part of the extended dialogue beginning about 2:10:40 (movie available on youtube):

    I don’t mean to offend you, but reflective men often find themselves at a place removed from the realities of life. In any case, we should all prepare a place where we can accommodate all the tragedies that sooner or later will come to our lives.

    But this is an economy few people care to practice. When it comes to grief, the normal rules of exchange do not apply, because grief transcends value. A man would give entire nations to lift grief off his heart. And yet, you cannot buy
    anything with grief, because grief is worthless.

    Pitt also starred in “Meet Joe Black” a remake of the old “Death Takes a Holiday” story. Terry Pratchett also wrote a variation on the theme called “Repeater Man” in the sci-fi genre.

    Best wishes for remembering the good and diminishing the bad.

  • Mary Ann June 13, 2019, 7:14 AM

    Paraphrasing J. M. Barrie (from a photograph in a 1998 magazine, the year my Mama passed) “God gave us memory so we could have roses in winter and mothers forever” . You will miss her always. She is always a part of you. Thank you so much, as we’ve all said, for sharing her with us.

  • Strelnikov June 13, 2019, 9:10 AM

    Supposedly written in prison.

  • March Hare June 17, 2019, 4:54 PM

    According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_and_Rain_(song)), Taylor wrote the song in 3 parts while in London, reflecting three events in his life: the suicide of a childhood friend, his drug addiction, and dealing with came.