Search - Chip Taylor :: Seven Days in May

Chip Taylor: The Real Thing returns triumphantly!

Roger D. Kirkpatrick | Abilene, Texas USA | 09/16/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A young girl leaves her father's farm for the first time and visits the city of the wise, handsome, wealthy and beloved king of the land. When the king beholds the beautiful young visitor, he becomes deeply infatuated with her and sets his heart on winning her love. The young girl, however, is in love with a shepherd boy back home. She withstands the king's amorous overtures and returns home to her heart's true love. Many will recognize this story as the Song of Solomon from the Bible. However, it is also, essentially, the story of Seven Days in May. Chip Taylor, the legendary songwriter and winning gambler of considerable success, is the king's counterpart. Florence, a lovely Parisian beauty visiting Taylor's Manhattan stomping grounds for seven days in the spring of 1996, shares the experience of the fabled young farmer's daughter. Taylor pulls out all the stops, writing a collection of lovely melodies and heartwrenching lyrics in an all out effort to win Florence's love. In short, he fails, and she returns to her true love waiting at home in France. Rather than being a sad ending, this really chronicles the happy prologue to a bigger story- the enduring friendship of Taylor with Florence and her 'shepherd boy', Guillaume. All the songs are wonderful. If I had to pick a few favorites, I'd pick I Will Be Standing Again, a testament to Taylor's eternal optimism; Through Their Mother's Eyes, and, If I Don't Know Love, two lovely duets featuring Lucinda Williams; and, One Hell of a Guy, a duet featuring Guy Clark, paying tribute to Florence's French Romeo. Taylor wrote Seven Days in May as a tribute to Florence; but it also gives the listener a chance to peer into the fine character of Taylor, himself, apparantly, One Hell of a Guy! During Taylor's tour of Texas to promote Seven Days in May, Governor George W. Bush was sufficiently impressed that he commissioned Taylor as an Honorary Texan. Senator Tom Haywood opined, "Not bad for a boy from Yonkers!" Buy this cd and listen to it in the dark with someone you love!"

A Masterpiece.

Jonathan Lyness | New York, NY United States | 07/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simply a masterpiece. A hauntingly beautiful album, one of the best I've ever heard. I bought this because of Lucinda Williams' (her duet on "Through Their Mother's Eyes" with Chip Taylor, track 3, brings tears to my eyes) and Rick Danko's contributions, but instantly became a Chip Taylor fan -- simply some of the best and most heartfelt songwriting I've ever heard, complemented perfectly by Taylor's vocals (reminiscent of Willie Nelson's, but quite distinctive in their own right) and playing. It's rare to hear a man be this emotional and sincere in writing songs -- a truly adult (in the most positive sense) album. I've loaned this CD & bought it as a gift for friends and family, and everyone I've shared it with has been as moved as I was. If you are a fan of folk, blues, country, rock or any kind of passionate singer/songwriter work, you will love this."

Heartbreaking and beautiful

E. Foster | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 01/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow. Chip Taylor does it again. I got into his music after hearing about him and Carrie Rodriguez on NPR. This earlier album is at least as good as the stuff he's doing now.



The emotion evident on listening to these songs is so real, so deep, that one almost feels guilty for intruding on the writer's private thoughts. The songs are beautiful, both in lyrics and music. The duets with Lucinda Williams are lovely.



Buy it. You won't regret it. Only problem may be finding it, since it appears to be nearly out of circulation."