Bones lay scattered all about, bleached pure white

And that orange, it made me so happy, As ordinary things often do Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park. This is peace and contentment. It’s new.

The rest of the day was quite easy. I did all the jobs on my list And enjoyed them and had some time over. I love you. I’m glad I exist.

Bad News Bear

Originally released on James’ 1971 album Mud Slide Slim & The Blue Horizon, “You Can Close Your Eyes” has been covered dozens of times, most notably by Linda Ronstadt in 1974. James has also performed it with Carole King and Bonnie Raitt among others over the years, and one of his 3 live duets with Joni Mitchell (a 1970 John Peel session) has rightly become virtually canonical.

But this is the one that’s been missing from your life. Recorded at James and Carly’s Martha’s Vineyard home in 1977, the best part of this performance may be the privilege of watching Carly Simon’s face light up when she sings. You’ve never seen anything quite like it. Even though they’ve invited us into their home to witness it, it still feels almost too intimate to bear.