Taylor, James - Up On The Roof Lyrics






When this old world starts a getting me down,
and people are just too much for me to face.
I'll climb way up to the top of the stairs and all my cares just drift right into space.
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be and there the world below don't bother me, no, no.

So when I come home feeling tired and beat, I'll go up where the air is fresh and sweet.
I'll get far away from the hustling crowd and all the rat-race noise down in the street.
On the roof, that's the only place I know, look at the city, baby.
Where you just have to wish to make it so, let's go up on the roof.

And at night the stars, they put on a show for free.
And, darling, you can share it all with me, that's what I said, keep on telling you
That right smack dab in the middle of town , I found a paradise that's trouble-proof.
And if this old world starts a getting you down, there's room enough for two
up on the roof, up on the roof, up on the roof.
Everything is all right, every thing is all right.
You got the stars above and the city lights below, let's go up on the roof.





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Taylor, James Up On The Roof Comments
  1. c.... ....

    I used to go in the attic when I was a kid when my family argued...

  2. D.... A....

    Wow....takes me back to the times I went on the roof at my house in Pacoima ca. ...Watch the planes from my near by airport when the planes went directly over the house...greatest feeling ever!!!!....Love my ghetto neighbor hood...💙💙💙...D.

  3. M.... M....

    This is a good JAM,always a smile😏

  4. B.... D....

    Take a some time

  5. A.... W....

    James Taylor puts me in my happy place 🙂

  6. S.... B....

    James' voice will make you forget every problem.

  7. p.... f....

    Stockbridge to Boston

  8. p.... f....

    Stockbridge to Boston

  9. L.... F....

    😍💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

  10. T.... M....

    "At night the stars, they put on a show for free,.. and darlin you can share it all with me!" Great lyrics, James,... but they're not your lyrics,..... and BTW,..... Carly wont be "Coming Around Again!"

  11. G.... P....

    EVERYBODY KEEPS SAYIN....GROUND YOURSELF!!!!

  12. G.... P....

    ALWAYS GROUNDED.

  13. G.... P....

    4 TIMES.

  14. G.... P....

    I USED TO SIT ON MY ROOF...STEP RIGHT OUT OF MY WINDOW TO THE ADDITION...TO SMOKE WEED. I GOT CAUGHT.

  15. G.... P....

    ALWAYS 🌹

  16. A.... M....

    Tames Tayler were friends with Gerry Goffin, Carole King who wrote the song along with many other hits (Link id you want to react don't watch).

  17. R.... A....

    238 people never went up on the roof.

  18. t.... l....

    Unusually magical.I listen to this whenever I feel depressed.Don't believe in God-but nonetheless this feels like the voice of God..

  19. K.... ....

    Only one James Taylor. As much of a thrill to see him in concert as it is to see Paul McCartney. They both bring tears to my eyes. It is terribly moving and I could have a good cry over the beauty and pain and memory they present. Lucky me. Lucky us.

  20. S.... H....

    Who’s chilling and listening to this beautiful song with me here in October 2019??? Timeless tunes. I needed this today. Perfect timing.

    S.... H....

    Me in November 😍 love this old beautiful😙

    S.... H....

    Nov 30, 2019 - lovin' and chillin'

    S.... H....

    me too...thx. bro.

    S.... H....

    Estou ouvindo em dezembro de 2019!

    S.... H....

    Feb 14 2020

  21. C.... K....

    “Look at the City Baby”

  22. J.... K....

    the ear worm

  23. J.... M....

    Like this version better than the Drifters...go figure

    J.... M....

    I think it’s really a matter of musical tastes changing. The original version was really a product of the doo-wop era and this was the 70s where music was more focused on singers, songwriters and arrangements.

  24. J.... T....

    The live version is even better

  25. S.... M....

    Fantastic song of James...!!!

  26. A.... L....

    As a child I used to go up on the roof to escape a very dysfunctional family. I became a Firefighter and most of my career was on a ladder Truck getting up on roofs. This song reminds me of the IRONY of destiny.

  27. M.... ....

    Waspy baby boomer anthem. I still sorta like it.

  28. p.... ....

    I like James Taylor and love this song but his 1973 concert has to be one of the all time worst concerts I’ve ever seen. He was absolutely pitiful. I had talked two friends to go with me and I had told them how amazing he was. After the concert all I could do was apologize over and over to them. Just like myself, they both thought it was a pitiful concert. Why am I sharing this negative comment? It’s because I’ve heard so many people talk about how great Mr. Taylor is in concert and yet his amateurish 1973 concert doesn’t even rank as a professional performance. So, did anyone else see him at his worst and know what I’m referring to?

  29. o.... ....

    Trump 2020!

  30. L.... A....

    I Love this Song I worked on Roofs For 25 Years

  31. t.... l....

    A brilliant song.I often turn to it.JT survived addiction and personal tragedy.When he sings "everything is alright" I am enormously comforted and consoled..

  32. T.... G....

    Gee. I still have a cassette tape of this in my drawer right now. There's always a room enough for two (or even more) up on the roof, a paradise!
    Thanks for the upload

  33. S.... R....

    James Taylor
    "Up On The Roof"
    1979.

  34. W.... W....

    "Got the stars above and the city lights below" are nice lyrics, but they don't make sense. Any religious stargazer knows that the city lights always drown out a starry sky. It's best to stargaze far away from light pollution provided by city lights.

  35. T.... B....

    Used to sit up on the tin roof when I was a young girl. I loved it in the country on the rooftop!

  36. K.... W....

    Right into SPACE

  37. J.... H....

    When this old world starts a getting me down
    And people are just too much for me to face
    I'll climb way up to the top of the stairs
    And all my cares just drift right into space
    On the roof, it's peaceful as can be
    And there the world below don't bother me, no, no
    So when I come home feeling tired and beat
    I'll go up where the air is fresh and sweet
    I'll get far away from the hustling crowd
    And all that rat-race noise down in the street
    On the roof, that's the only place I know
    Look at the city, baby
    Where you just have to wish to make it so
    Let's go up on the roof
    And at night the stars they put on a show for free
    And, darling, you can share it all with me
    That's what I said, keep on telling you
    That right smack dab in the middle of town
    I found a paradise that's trouble proof
    And if this old world starts a getting you down
    There's room enough for two, up on the roof
    Up on the roof, up on a roof
    Everything is alright, everything is alright
    Come on
    But so do enter the night and climb up the stairs
    We can see
    We got the stars above and the city lights below
    Up on the roof, now

  38. K.... W....

    221 dislikes. Y. Not too good. Or not good e nuf. Or. ?

  39. M.... L....

    I was climbing on the roof of a chicken house in Middle of Nowhere, NC—my hometown—belting this one out, not knowing all the words. 1979. A gem. Favorite song.

  40. K.... H....

    Awesome as usual, when God made James he used a bit more of everything!

  41. D.... T....

    There's room enough for two up on the roof

  42. 6.... ....

    This sucks! He sounds like he's dying . Give me the ORIGINAL. The Drifters. Why do people "cover" a song if they can't at least do it AS well or better. This STINKS!

  43. K.... W....

    Up on the rooooof. !!!!!!

  44. K.... S....

    100% right

  45. K.... S....

    You're going to find out I'm goddamn right

  46. S.... R....

    People need sometime for themselves to think.relax appriciating what nature have.this song exactly fitted on it

  47. J.... S....

    Forget what you're doing tonight and climb up the stairs with me PLEASE!!! Come Onnnnnn!

  48. s.... ....

    This song originally was a single from his album Flag I believe.

  49. B.... ....

    When I was a kid when this song came out, I though he was singing about his pet kangaroo (Up on a 'roo).

  50. A.... M....

    Too ,any ads!

  51. P.... D....

    The lyric just puts me at ease when I get frazzled. Just such a nice idea. Love this song.

  52. P.... M....

    Great memories! As kids we would climb up on the roof and gaze at the stars, good times! Last night my grown son and I grabbed a ladder and climbed up on the roof! So fun, the world is so much prettier and peaceful there!

  53. G.... S....

    James your dreams are my dreams. You are the best.

  54. L.... F....

    Saw James in concert with my Mom! 💋

  55. L.... F....

    My most favorite! If it’s even possible 💋

  56. m.... ....

    Let's go all up on the roof 💖

  57. C.... A....

    WIKIPEDIA: "James Taylor, who had played guitar on Carole King's cover of "Up on the Roof" and who had dueted with King on the song at her Carnegie Hall concert of June 18, 1971, remade "Up on the Roof" for his 1979 album release Flag. Issued as the album's lead single, Taylor's version of "Up on the Roof" peaked at number 28 in July 1979. Although Taylor would reach number 11 in 1981 with his duet with J.D. Souther entitled "Her Town Too", "Up on the Roof" remains Taylor's final Top 40 hit as a soloist to date. Rearranged around Taylor's trademark acoustic guitar playing and vocal accents and interjections, his version of "Up on the Roof" became a concert staple, often with a star-lit urban dreamscape presented behind the stage halfway through the number as his band played unison ascending notes to echo the song's theme. It was included on his 1993 live album (LIVE) and his 2000 Greatest Hits Volume 2 compilation and was played at The Concert For New York City following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, where he introduced it as representing his and the writers' positive feelings for the city. Taylor and King performed the song together, switching back and forth from one's arrangement to the other, as the first encore during their 2010 Troubadour Reunion Tour shows."

  58. P.... B....

    Carole King wrote fantastic songs

  59. S.... u....

    If you listen closely you will here me give a fuc*

  60. H.... C....

    This is a PERFECT example of how radio turns a cover into a ripoff, by overplaying it to death.

  61. L.... A....

    Me & My Older Brother Did Roofs For Years He died 7 years Ago This Song Makes Me Cry

  62. B.... D....

    I..miss. the roof

  63. R.... B....

    Sounds good to me.
    I subscribe and you share the good music.
    Deal!

  64. C.... M....

    I’ve seen the Sesame Street version back in the 70’s when he was a guest there.

  65. T.... A....

    Love time by myself I can think and Jesus listens to all my Hope's dreams and troubles

  66. D.... H....

    Thank you, for opening my heart to new horizons. I am forever grateful for your passion for sharing your gift, of voice with me, and the rest of the human race. Love this song

  67. R.... B....

    Ah, esses adictos. Sensíveis e geniais.

  68. U.... ....

    I dont feel the emotion of living a tough life and finding relief up on the roof. It's just not there. This song feels peaceful from start to finish.

  69. B.... H....

    I listened to the Drifters sing this at a nightclub in Chesterfield (UK) in the 70s and loved it then ,but our James has his more touching version I now can live my earlier years again now I am in my 60s that I thank him for

  70. B.... d....

    One of the Greatest artist of all time!

  71. J.... A....

    Esta cancion la escuche por vez primera alla por 1985...venia en un casette junto con otras ...El casette se llamaba los elegidos...Como me gustaba...y aun me encanta...❤

  72. S.... U....

    😍LCSM

  73. d.... m....

    I’ve been through a lot of recent personal issues, loss of my Mum, Dad and brother and this song is my “go too” song love it. I’m not sure young people pre mobile get it, I hope I’m wrong.

  74. A.... D....

    Essa música é simplesmente perfeita .....uma viagem no tempo 😍

    A.... D....

    Saudades de tempo bom que não volta☺

  75. T.... S....

    Basically most people don't know he's talking about getting high but like so many songs made back in 70's & 80"s has an ulterior meaning behind it ...Love this song

  76. F.... C....

    James is the number one. Stop 🤚

  77. L.... B....

    How could anyone not love James Taylors music a remake, Yes! Buy I oh my, if it comes outta his mouth, his voice is just spectacular! Better now I think than in his youth!Thank you, I T

  78. L.... F....

    My absolute favorite by Him xxxooo..love Lisa

  79. N.... H....

    Qué joya de canción!!!.....me saca las lagrimas chingao!
    Mil gracias Carole King-James Taylor!!!!!

  80. H.... C....

    This is a PERFECT example of how radio turns a cover into a ripoff by overplaying it to death.

  81. P.... S....

    Beautiful song from way back love it

  82. C.... T....

    Don’t fall off

  83. k.... t....

    Walking on a roof is detrimental to the integrity of roof shingles. Jus' sayin'

  84. W.... D....

    I just heard this song for the first time ever today. At first I wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics, but once the song started getting catchy towards the end I listened in and I was like wait a minute, this song is definitely about depression. I can relate. And now I’m back here listening to it again.

  85. T.... Z....

    I was just a teenager with a happy go lucky attitude then. Full of dreams, and hope, and looked at everything through innocent eyes. I truly miss the 70's.

  86. E.... C....

    Another pure beautiful classic! Love this one.

  87. o.... p....

    Great artist.. Too bad he turned out to be a total moonbat.

  88. S.... C....

    Man, just to be up on the roof... Right now...with not a care in the world...😍😍😍

  89. B.... H....

    Pretty good, but the Drifters can’t be equaled.

  90. F.... W....

    I really like James Taylor music!

  91. L.... A....

    I love this Song So Much I Worked on Roofs for 20 Years with my Older Brother R.I.P. Billy I miss you Awful

  92. B.... R....

    Just caught my 16 year old boy listening in the shower!! How beautiful is that, come to find out any JT is good for him especially in the school gym. It clears his mind he says

  93. G.... t....

    Perfect

  94. L.... A....

    I Love This Song I worked on Roofs for 20 Years With My Older Brother R.I.P. Billy

  95. p.... h....

    Fantastic song!

  96. I.... S....

    My teacher is making us write a memoir based on this song ;)