James Taylor on how he takes a song and makes it his own

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “People often tell me, ‘It sounds like you wrote that song’ or ‘That sounds like a James Taylor song.’ And that's because basically it’s been translated into my language ” the singer-songwriter told The Associated Press in an interview this week. "Not all songs work in my language, but the ones that do — if they’re interesting or worthy of being recut — it’s because it’s nice to hear them in James Taylor.” Fans are getting more classics translated into James Taylor on Friday with the digital release of three songs — “Over The Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz,” “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” from “My Fair Lady” and “Never Never Land” from “Peter Pan.” The trio of tunes never made it to Taylor's “American Standard” album earlier this year, which contained such covers as “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” and “God Bless the Child.” Instead of leaning on a piano, they are guitar-led reinterpretations, often wistful and airy. “I am always recommending them.” Whether he's sitting down to rework someone else's song or creating one of his own, Taylor somehow evokes feeling with his voice, a process that baffles even him. He marvels that songs like “Over There” or “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” can instantly create patriotic zeal.