Though James Taylor's self-titled debut introduced his mellow melodicism and affecting songcraft, Sweet Baby James was the album that rocketed him to national recognition. With Sweet Baby James, Taylor abandoned the slightly psychedelic structural ambition of his first record (the first side was composed as a suite), and settled fully into the folk and country styles to which he is best suited. The top ten hit "Fire and Rain," for instance, a deeply personal story-song based on the artist's
