Fun fact, find the answer at the bottom of this email.

This song was written about new found happiness, a romantic relationship with a famous singer-songwriter. Who was she?

Isn’t it amazing a man like me can feel this way?

For those who know the blissful experience of love

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Read time: 5 minutes

Lyrics

Whenever I see your smiling face
I have to smile myself
Because I love you
And when you give me that pretty little pout
It turns me inside out
There's something about you, baby
I don't know

Isn't it amazing a man like me
Can feel this way
Oh, tell me how much longer
It can grow stronger every day

What a way to start a song, “Whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself, because I love you”.

I should write that on one of my cards for my husband Paul, I mean, who wouldn’t want someone to say that (and mean it!).

This entire song is such a joyful celebration of love!

All this giddiness didn’t warrant an all positive feedback from music critics.

Rolling Stone critic Peter Herbst described it as being "unabashedly happy", which begs the question; can someone ever be too happy? I don’t think so. Let the rays of happiness shine!!!

Lyrics

And I thank my lucky stars
That you are who you are
And not just another lovely lady
Sent down to break my heart

This stanza is my favorite part of the song lyrically. His lucky stars sent her to him. She is all the things that makes him feel like a billion bucks. She isn’t going to break his heart, in fact, their love will “grow stronger everyday” as he shares in the chorus.

Doesn’t it feel so good to experience that level of hope?

By the way, who knew James Taylor could hit those low bass notes during “it can grow stronger everyday, yeah” in the second chorus. Wow!

Lyrics

No one can tell me that I'm doing wrong today
Whenever I see you smilin' at me
Nobody can tell me that, tell me that I'm doing wrong today
Whenever I see you shining everything my way

Musically, this is my favorite part of the song. That bass line grabs me, I love it. Unlike the bass walk-down during “Isn’t it amazing a man like me..” which marches us into the heart of the chorus, this “buh-doop” bass line in the bridge has me nodding me head and smiling hard. Then, we get to the vocal falsetto, that James Taylor couldn’t always hit in live shows, but it’s truly next level!

If this song doesn’t put you in a good mood, nothing will.

Think about this…

Do you remember the joy you felt when you first fell in love with your sweetheart?

What do you do to feel this joy now?

Key Take Aways

• This song puts you in a good mood

• Love is joyful!

• We should strive to make one another feel like a billion bucks, and that our love will grow stronger in time

Fun Fact Trivia:

This song was written about new found happiness, a romantic relationship with a famous singer-songwriter. Who was she?

Answer: Carly Simon. They were together from 1970-1983, married for 11 of those years and have two children together.

Love is the greatest adventure!

~LaDena

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