Apple Records: Something In The Way She Moves

By the title of this post, I imagine a number of folks will expect that I am featuring George Harrison’s composition released by The Beatles that has a similar title. Today’s post, however, is an album cut from James Taylor’s only album on the Apple label. There is a connection between the two songs, as George Harrison was inspired to write his tune because of the title of Taylor’s song.

James Taylor was signed to Apple Records by the label's A&R Director Peter Asher – a man who could have been Paul McCartney’s brother-in-law had things turned out differently between Paul and Jane Asher. Asher also was the Peter of Peter and Gordon who released four Beatles compositions (“World Without Love,” “Nobody I Know,” “I Don’t Want to See You Again,” and “Woman”) as singles. Peter Asher produced the album which began his journey from performer to producer.


A friend  of Taylor's delivered a demo to Asher who played the tape for McCartney and both agreed that Taylor was to be signed to the budding record label. His self-titled debut was recorded at London’s Trident Studios during the same time period as The Beatles’ “White Album” was being recorded in a studio in the same complex. The album was released in the US in February 1969. It contained a gatefold cover that was issued with flimsier cardboard than most Capitol pressings.

While “Carolina in my Mind” was the single release, I prefer “Something in the Way She Moves.” The working title for the song was “I Feel Fine,” but Taylor changed it to avoid confusion with The Beatles’ song of the same name. That didn’t stop George Harrison from borrowing the line, “Something in the Way She Moves” for his composition. Taylor’s album only peaked at #62 in the US.