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"You Can Close Your Eyes" is a song written by James Taylor that was first released on his 1971 album ''Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon''. It was also released as the B-side to his #1 single "You've Got a Friend." It has often been described as a lullaby. It has been covered by many artists, including Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Maureen McGovern, Richie Havens, Sheryl Crow, Sting, Eddie Vedder with Natalie Maines and the King's Singers. ==James Taylor's version== Taylor wrote "You Can Close Your Eyes" about a year before it was recorded in early 1971.〔 Taylor regards it as "a secular hymn."〔 Author Dave Thompson considers it one of the best songs Taylor had written up to that point.〔 Allmusic critic Bill Janovitz describes "You Can Close Your Eyes" as "a beautiful lullaby", and ''Rolling Stone Magazine'' critic Ben Gerson similarly calls it "an exquisite lullaby." Critic Al Rudis goes further, saying that the song "continues () hold on the world championship of lullaby composers." Allmusic's William Ruhlmann describes it as a "moving" song that affirms romance. Martin Charles Strong describes it as being "lovely" and "more affecting" than "You've Got a Friend." Gerson compares the song's melody to that of Cat Stevens' "Here Comes My Baby."〔 Janovitz points out a duality in the lyrics, however. The lyrics attempt to comfort the singer's lover, possibly after a fight.〔 But the lyrics also sound a possibly ominous note, in that he sings "But I can sing this song/And you can sing this song when I'm gone," suggesting that he may be leaving her soon, although it is not specified whether "I'm gone" refers to ending the relationship or just going away for a while.〔 Gerson notes that the themes in the song of farewell and that this could be the singer's last song are themes that run throughout the ''Mud Slide Slim'' album, calling "You Can Close Your Eyes" "the song which repudiates songs."〔 Authors including Thompson and Sheila Weller have suggested that the song was written to Taylor's one-time girlfriend Joni Mitchell.〔〔 Mitchell is one of the backup singers on the recording.〔 The song was written while Taylor and Mitchell were staying in a hotel in Tucumcari, NM as Taylor was filming "Two-Lane Blacktop." The only instrumentation is Taylor's acoustic guitar.〔 Janovitz praises Taylor's "exquisite" guitar playing, particularly noting the "Renaissance-meets-country-folk riff" at the beginning and end of the song.〔 He also praises Taylor's "vulnerable" "quiet" singing.〔 Taylor has performed "You Can Close Your Eyes" in live concerts many times, including accompanied by other singers. He performed it with Mitchell during the early 1970s.〔 One such performance, from October 16, 1970, is included on the 2009 album ''Amchitka''. A performance with Carole King is included on the 2010 album ''Live at the Troubadour''. A solo live performance leads off the 1998 video ''Live at the Beacon Theater'' and a different solo live performance closes the 2007 live album ''One Man Band''. A live performance is included on ''The Essential James Taylor''. A live version was also included on the Japanese release of the compilation album ''Greatest Hits Volume 2''. The studio version was included on the compilation album ''The Best of James Taylor''. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「You Can Close Your Eyes」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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