James Taylor - Suzanne Lyrics






Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night beside her
And you know that she's half crazy
But that's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her
That you have no love to give her
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And she lets the river answer
That you've always been her lover
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind.

And Jesus was a sailor
When he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching
From his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said "All men will be sailors then
Until the sea shall free them"
But he himself was broken
Long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human
He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
And you want to travel with him
And you want to travel blind
And you think maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind.

Now Suzanne takes your hand
And she leads you to the river
She is wearing rags and feathers
From Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbour
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind.





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James Taylor Suzanne Comments
  1. D.... S....

    This is good, but Judy Collins' version is the definitive version to me.....

  2. T.... L....

    dude why show those pics during a magical, romantic song...

    T.... L....

    See Its Only The River Keith Wigley On Youtube ..no pictures here ..and my other Song ..Their God I don't Understand .. Boogie It On Down For You And Others To See ..

  3. P.... N....

    Really well done!

    P.... N....

    See Their God I don't Understand Keith Wigley On Youtube ..Its Only The River Another of fdxdf..cats just gone across keys ? my songs ..boogie it on down and others to see ..

  4. R.... B....

    How could James not cover Leonard Cohen’s song about a woman of the same name who inspired him to write “Fire and Rain”. There is much more to this story. Does anybody in the public know even small parts of it?

    R.... B....

    This is not the same Suzanne who is mentioned in "Fire and Rain." That Suzanne was James Taylor's childhood friend.

    R.... B....

    You are right. I think the difference in time of the songs written about Suzanne makes it imposible for them to have been written about the same woman. However, I will venture to guess that JT was thinking about his Suzanne when he covered Cohen’s “Suzanne".

    R.... B....

    I went to check my source, “The Journey of a Song” by Warren Sellers. Here is what he said about JT’s “Suzanne”: “Suzanne struggled...badly. Who knows the hurt and emptiness that go into suicide? Well, for one - Suzanne. She was a friend to a singer-songwriter who was going through a bunch of struggles himself. He'd been fighting a long battle with depression, substance abuse, and the lack of a direction. The Loss of his band, The Flying Machine, didn’t help. But now he was getting his shot...flying solo in England. He was going to record on The Beatle’s Apple Records label, and he was seeing a little light in the tunnel. So, his friends didn’t dare tell him about Suzanne’s death. He had been so fragile, they thought it might derail him and send him spiraling, so they waited six months and then broke the news. It hit hard. He understood her struggle. The next day, he got up, took guitar in hand, put pen to paper and poured out his feelings... ...James Taylor, started a song with the opening lyrics directed right at her: “Just Yesterday morning they let me know you were gone...Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you”. The song. “Fire and Rain” was born.” Warren Sellers

    R.... B....

    Actually, if you have heard every album he's made, you'll find some tribute to his first love Suzanne. (a complaint of Carly Simon, that he could never shake her off and away). She left him abruptly, having committed suicide. He was too young and unstable for dealing with such and well, so it goes.

  5. R.... B....

    I love Taylor's music and Cohens too. But this is really  awful...sorry

    R.... B....

    See Their God I don't Understand Keith Wigley on Youtube ..and other videos to see ...All The Best Rui..

  6. G.... E....

    This is my 2nd favorite version - beautiful The best is Roberta Flack, still.  

    G.... E....

    see Their God I don't Understand Keith Wigley On Youtube And Other Videos To See..

  7. G.... ....

    Where are the rest of the songs on this Album?  This is not complete!

    G.... ....

    @GoldenLadyLinda
    I will try to get to them, Linda, but it will not be for a few weeks. I will let you know.

    G.... ....

    @catman916
    I have uploaded "Witchita Lineman" and sent it to you, Linda.

    G.... ....

                     Thank u so much!

    G.... ....

    @GoldenLadyLinda You're welcome, Linda. I will do some additional songs from the album for you later.

    G.... ....

    Well not on this but .... Their God I don't understand Keith Wigley ...Suzanne cover ... Its Only The River ..Boogie It On Down For You And Others To See On Youtube ..

  8. L.... R....

    I agree. Touching.

  9. P.... D....

    Best version I've heard. Voice, guitar, piano, cello--all wonderfully sensitive.

  10. I.... V....

    Love it thank you