Secret O' Life

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"Secret O' Life"
Single by James Taylor
from the album JT
ReleasedJune 1977
Recorded1977
GenreSoft rock
Length3:34
LabelColumbia Records
Songwriter(s)James Taylor
Producer(s)Peter Asher
James Taylor singles chronology
"Everybody Has the Blues"
(1976) 		"Secret O' Life"
(1977) 		"Handy Man"
(1977)

"Secret O' Life" is a song written by

Broadway musical Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life and has been covered by many other artists, including Art Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Nancy LaMott, Rosemary Clooney, Shirley Horn
and Ricky Peterson.

Lyrics and music

Although not released as a single,

Allmusic critic William Ruhlmann considered "Secret O' Life" to be the key track on JT with its message that the secret of life is "enjoying the passage of time."[1] Authors Don and Jeff Breithaupt deemed the theme of the song to be the importance of "living in the moment."[2] Self-help book authors Pete Forantale and Bill Ayres regard the song as giving the listener permission to meditate, reflect and daydream.[3] Taylor regards it as a spiritual song.[4] He has said that he used the title "Secret O' Life" rather than "Secret of Life" because the latter seemed too presumptuous and preposterous.[4][5] He felt that the "O" would make it seem a little more irreverent, evoking the names of Life Savers candy flavors such as "Pep O Mint" and "Wint O Green," and offset some of the presumptuousness of announcing the secret of life.[4][5][6]

Taylor recalls having written the song at his home in Martha's Vineyard during the late spring with the sun shining in.[5][7] He recalls that the song, or at least the first verse and the refrain, came to him quickly and he felt lucky to have been playing his guitar at the time.[5][7]

Despite the positive lyrics, "vivacious" music, and the fact that Taylor claims he felt "great" while writing the song, Taylor's father, Dr. Isaac M. Taylor heard a different message when he heard the song.[5][7] Dr. Taylor heard a note of apprehension in the song, and felt that James Taylor was "wondering where his career was leading" when he wrote it.[5] Taylor biographer Mark Robowsky similarly notes that although the lyrics are generally optimistic, the optimism is undercut by the line "Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill/But since we're on our way down, we might as well enjoy the ride."[8]

But Taylor told an interviewer "the 'way down' that that refers to is actually entropy in the universe."

Theory of Relativity
as it pertains to time: "It's all in your point of view"—because measurements of time differ depending on the observer.

Reception

Music critic

Beaver County Times pointed to "Secret O' Life" as a prime example of the fact that Taylor is an introspective writer and is at his best when he allows his songs to reflect that.[12] Holly Gleason of The Palm Beach Post described the song as "understated."[13] Fornatale and Ayres regard Taylor's vocal performance on "Secret O' Life" as being "better than ever."[3] Robowsky describes it as a "beautiful ballad" and "an unapologetic toast to simple truths."[8] Taylor regarded it as one of the few songs he wrote in the late 1970s that was as good as the songs on his first album.[4]

"Secret O' Life" has been a staple of Taylor's live concerts at times, and has been included on the

live albums Live and One Man Band.[14][15] It has also been included on the compilation albums Greatest Hits Volume 2 and The Essential James Taylor.[16][17] A version Taylor performed on Saturday Night Live was included on the multi-artist compilation album Saturday Night Live: 25 Years, Vol. 1.[18]

Cover versions

"Secret O' Life" was used in the

musical revue Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, which appeared on Broadway in 2005.[19]

Singer

Allmusic critic Scott Yarrow regarded the song as one of the weakest on her 1998 album 70: A Seventieth Birthday Celebration but colleague Richard S. Ginelli, reviewing her 1999 album Songs from the Girl Singer: A Musical Autobiography described it as an "affectionately sung capsule of philosophy."[21][22]

Shirley Horn recorded a jazz version"Secret O' Life" for the 2001 album Sketches of James.[23][24] JazzTimes critic Kilarie S. Grey described her version as "world-weary" and "striking."[25]

Nancy LaMott included a version of the song on her 1995 album Listen to My Heart and her 2005 album Live from the Tavern Green.[26][27]

Art Garfunkel included the song on his 1997 album Songs from a Parent to a Child.[28] Secret O' Life was also featured in the 3rd Rock from the Sun pilot "Brains and Eggs".

Ricky Peterson included the song on his 1995 album A Tear can Tell.[29]

The Orville: New Horizons, first aired August 4, 2022.[30]

References

  1. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2012-06-25.
  2. ISBN 9780312198213
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 0684845296
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 9780312034863
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 9780857120069
    .
  6. ^ Greene, Andy (August 13, 2015). "James Taylor: My Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 23, 2021 – via James Taylor Official Site.
  7. ^ a b c d White, T. (December 5, 1988). "A Portrait of the Artist". Billboard. p. 18. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  8. ^
    ASIN B01FE6R7J6
    .
  9. ^ "JAMES TAYLOR: The Bluerailroad Interview". 5 July 2009.
  10. ^ Christgau, R. "James Taylor". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  11. ^ Holden, S. (June 28, 1979). "Flag". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  12. Beaver County Times
    . p. C-14. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  13. ^ Gleason, H. (December 23, 1985). "James Taylor's Music Warms Crowd". The Palm Beach Post. p. A8. Retrieved 2014-06-26.[permanent dead link]
  14. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  15. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  16. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  17. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  18. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  19. ISBN 9781557837189
    . Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  20. ISBN 9780199798575
    .
  21. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  22. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  23. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  24. ^ Padletta, M., ed. (January 27, 2001). "Reviews & Previews: Albums". Billboard. p. 27. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  25. ^ Grey, H.S. (May 2001). "Currents". JazzTimes. p. 110. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  26. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2012-06-25.
  27. ^ Bessman, J. (April 9, 2005). "Reissues Keep Cabaret Singer's Flame Alive". Billboard. p. 38. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  28. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  29. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2018-05-31.
  30. ^ "The Orville: Secret o' life". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
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