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Walking Man

by James Taylor

Released: June 02, 1974

Soft rock, folk

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Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Chart Success.

The Album

"Walking Man" is the fifth studio album by singer-songwriter James Taylor, released in June 1974.

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James Taylor - Walking Man

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Reception

It was less commercially successful than his earlier albums, reaching only No. 13 on the Billboard Album Chart and selling around 300,000 copies in the U.S. Notably, it was the only studio album of Taylor's until 2008's Covers that did not receive gold or platinum certification from the RIAA. The title track reached number 26 on the Easy Listening chart in October 1974, with Record World describing it as a "tall, proud mansong" that could rival Taylor's earlier hit "Fire and Rain." The single "Let It All Fall Down" was praised by Cash Box for its tender lyrics, while Record World noted its "hauntingly up musical treatment." Additionally, "Hello Old Friend" gained recognition when it was used in the intro for ABC's coverage of the 1989 World Series, just before a significant earthquake interrupted the broadcast.

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The Complete Album Story

"Walking Man" is the fifth studio album by singer-songwriter James Taylor, released in June 1974. It was less commercially successful than his earlier albums, reaching only No. 13 on the Billboard Album Chart and selling around 300,000 copies in the U.S. Notably, it was the only studio album of Taylor's until 2008's Covers that did not receive gold or platinum certification from the RIAA.

The title track reached number 26 on the Easy Listening chart in October 1974, with Record World describing it as a "tall, proud mansong" that could rival Taylor's earlier hit "Fire and Rain." The single "Let It All Fall Down" was praised by Cash Box for its tender lyrics, while Record World noted its "hauntingly up musical treatment." Additionally, "Hello Old Friend" gained recognition when it was used in the intro for ABC's coverage of the 1989 World Series, just before a significant earthquake interrupted the broadcast.