Ten Songs You Probably Knew Were Covers: Handy Man (#7)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (62161)
United States
February 20, 2019 8:06am CST
To tell you the truth, today is a weird day in this double-barrel countdown of covers (those most people know were covers and those that might be familiar as a cover). I might have these reversed: you might not know this one was a cover but know the other one was, or know both were covers, or not know either was a cover. Oh well, that's the risk you take. Here's the one you probably did recognize as a cover.
#7: Handy Man - James Taylor
James? NO. Remember a few days ago when I mentioned "white bread" covers of R&B songs (when discussing Phil Collins' "You Can't Hurry Love")? Here you go.
Okay, I actually do like Taylor's folked up (say that slowly, please, or something you didn't intend might come out 
) rendition that was a massive hit from his 1977 classic JT. The problem is what it started: Taylor kept homogenizing R&B songs ("Up on a Roof"), and so many others (Rita Coolidge, anyone? Or the aforementioned Captain and Tennille??) followed suit. Taylor is far too good a songwriter to resort to this. He's also too good a cover singer (listen to his smoking, bluesy rendition of "Steamroller Blues," for instance).
And that takes us back to late 1959, when a soul singer named Jimmy Jones originally released this song as a single. Fun and bouncy, it hit #2 on the Billboard charts.
Jones had one other hit, "Good Timin'," in 1960. He died in 2012. Taylor is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And this song is a classic.
Handy Man
Written by Jimmy Jones and Otis Blackwell
Originally recorded by Jimmy Jones, 1959
Famously covered by James Taylor, 1977
I fix broken hearts:
) rendition that was a massive hit from his 1977 classic JT. The problem is what it started: Taylor kept homogenizing R&B songs ("Up on a Roof"), and so many others (Rita Coolidge, anyone? Or the aforementioned Captain and Tennille??) followed suit. Taylor is far too good a songwriter to resort to this. He's also too good a cover singer (listen to his smoking, bluesy rendition of "Steamroller Blues," for instance).
And that takes us back to late 1959, when a soul singer named Jimmy Jones originally released this song as a single. Fun and bouncy, it hit #2 on the Billboard charts.
Jones had one other hit, "Good Timin'," in 1960. He died in 2012. Taylor is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And this song is a classic.
Handy Man
Written by Jimmy Jones and Otis Blackwell
Originally recorded by Jimmy Jones, 1959
Famously covered by James Taylor, 1977
I fix broken hearts:
Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show. January 23, 1960. Re-posted by request.
1 person likes this
1 response
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Feb 19
There's no comparison. One is awful and it's the white guy. I never liked JT or understood his "magic." At least when he was young and had all the hair there was some chick appeal. Now he can pass as the 4th member of Peter, Paul and Mary.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62161)
• United States
20 Feb 19
Well, you have to understand the 70s were the time for the "introspective, sensitive singer/songwriter" in some regards.....
But I understand. You'd never ever know how great a guitarist Danny Kortchmar is if he'd only worked with Taylor. Even with Carole King he had more innovation.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Feb 19
@FourWalls I like Carly Simon well enough but the Mockingbird duet.....
1 person likes this
