Song of the Day 2/13: Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, “You Can Close Your Eyes”

The Senate Republican caucus could adopt this as a theme song, but their voices wouldn’t — ahem — do it justice.

James Taylor’s wrote this bittersweet lullaby for his then-girlfriend Joni Mitchell. He was in New Mexico in 1970 filming a movie, Two-Lane Blacktop, about drag racers taking on challengers across the country (Taylor played the driver; Beach Boy Dennis Wilson played his mechanic). When Taylor and Mitchell sang it together at London’s Paris Theater in October that year, an event taped for DJ John Peel’s show, she took the melody.

The first recorded version was by a Taylor, but not James. His sister’s debut LP, Sister Kate, included a heavily produced version, drenched in piano and strings.

Taylor finally got to sing the lead part when he recorded it for 1971’s Mud Slide Slim LP.

Covers are legion, but this female vocal group’s rendition is easy on the ears.