Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the No. 3 single "Fire and Rain" and had his first No. 1 hit the following year with "You've Got a Friend", a recording of Carole King's classic song. His 1976 Greatest Hits album was certified Diamond and has sold 12 million US copies. Following his 1977 album, JT, he has retained a large audience over the decades. Every album that he released from 1977 to 2007 sold over 1 million copies. He enjoyed a resurgence in chart performance during the late 1990s and 2000s, when he recorded some of his most-awarded work (including Hourglass, October Road, and Covers). He achieved his first number-one album in the US in 2015 with his recording Before This World.
He is known for his popular covers of other people's songs, such as "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" and the aforementioned "You've Got A Friend", as well as originals such as "Fire and Rain".
Taylor's four siblings (Alex, Livingston, Hugh, and Kate) have also been musicians with recorded albums. Livingston is still an active musician; Kate was active in the 1970s but did not record another album until 2003; Hugh operates a bed-and-breakfast with his wife, The Outermost Inn in Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard; and Alex died in 1993 on James's birthday.
After his divorce from Carly Simon in 1983, Taylor married actress Kathryn Walker on December 14, 1985 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. She had helped him get off heroin, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.
On February 18, 2001, at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Boston, Taylor wed for the third time, marrying Caroline ("Kim") Smedvig, the director of public relations and marketing for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.[81] They had begun dating in 1995, when they met as he appeared with John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra. Part of their relationship was worked into the album October Road, on the song "On the 4th of July". The couple reside in the town of Washington, Massachusetts, with their twin boys, Rufus and Henry, born in April 2001. Henry shares James' intrest and talents.
Sally and Ben, his children with Carly Simon, have also embarked on musical careers. After they were born, Taylor moved with his family to Lenox, Massachusetts.
05 Bartender's Blues
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't like my work
But I don't mind the money at all
I see lots of sad faces
And lots of bad cases
Of folks with their backs to the wall
But I need four walls around me
To hold my life, to keep me from going astray
To keep me from slipping away
I can light up your smokes
I can laugh at your jokes
I can watch you fall down on your knees
I can close down this bar
I can gas up my car
And I can pack up and mail in my key
But I need four walls around me
To hold my life, to keep me from going astray
And a honky-tonk angel to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away
Now, the smoke fills the air
In this honky-tonk bar
And I'm thinking 'bout where I'd rather be
But I burned all my bridges
And I sank all my ships, now I'm stranded at the edge of the sea
I still need four walls around me
To hold my life, to keep me from going astray
I need some honky-tonk angel to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away
James Taylor's song "Bartender's Blues" explores the life of a bartender and the struggles associated with the job. The singer, who is also the bartender, is frank about his lack of enjoyment in his work. But the money he earns from it is what keeps him going. The patrons who frequent the bar are often sad and dealing with difficult situations. Though the singer is not immune to the struggles of life himself, he has a job that allows him some distance from his own problems.
The singer speaks of needing "four walls around" him to keep his life in order and to prevent himself from "going astray." He also relies on the presence of a "honky-tonk angel" to keep himself grounded. These lines suggest that the singer has a difficult time staying on the right path and needs the support of others to keep him from slipping.
The smoky, dingy atmosphere of the bar is described in detail, and the singer reveals that he's "thinking 'bout where [he'd] rather be." Although he knows he's stuck with his current job, he longs for something better. The metaphor of burning bridges and sinking ships suggests that the singer has made mistakes in the past that have left him with limited options. The final line of the song suggests that music, specifically the sound of a honky-tonk angel's voice, might be the only thing that can keep the singer from losing himself entirely.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I'm just a bartender
I work as a bartender but don't find it enjoyable.
And I don't like my work
I don't like my job, but it pays well enough.
But I don't mind the money at all
The money I make from my job is the only good thing about it.
I see lots of sad faces
As a bartender, I encounter many people dealing with sadness.
And lots of bad cases
I witness a lot of unfortunate situations in this line of work.
Of folks with their backs to the wall
I come across people who are in dire situations and feel hopeless.
But I need four walls around me
I need a stable environment to guide my life.
To hold my life, to keep me from going astray
In order to keep my life on track, I require consistency and structure.
And a honky-tonk angel to hold me tight
I seek the love and companionship of someone who understands my lifestyle.
To keep me from slipping away
Without guidance and support, I may lose sight of my goals and aspirations.
I can light up your smokes
As part of my job, I can provide simple favors for customers such as lighting their cigarettes.
I can laugh at your jokes
I am able to join in on the fun and humor that my customers bring to the bar.
I can watch you fall down on your knees
Unfortunately, I have witnessed many customers get overly intoxicated and lose balance.
I can close down this bar
At the end of the night, it is my duty to close up and clean the bar.
I can gas up my car
After work, I am free to leave and go on my own adventures.
And I can pack up and mail in my key
I have the option to quit my job and move on.
Now, the smoke fills the air
The bar is usually filled with smoke from cigarettes and cigars.
In this honky-tonk bar
The type of bar I work at is known for its country music and enjoyable atmosphere.
And I'm thinking 'bout where I'd rather be
Despite the fun atmosphere, I still contemplate other places and experiences.
But I burned all my bridges
I have distanced myself from important people or opportunities in the past and regret it now.
And I sank all my ships, now I'm stranded at the edge of the sea
I sabotaged my own opportunities and now feel stuck or restricted.
I still need four walls around me
Despite everything, I still require a stable and secure environment.
To hold my life, to keep me from going astray
These four walls represent the stability and guidance that I require to stay on the right path.
I need some honky-tonk angel to hold me tight
I seek a significant other who understands my lifestyle and provides love and support.
To keep me from slipping away
Without love and support, I may lose sight of my goals and aspirations.
Lyrics Š Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Drumlover16
Absolutely outstanding. Two of the greatest talents alive!
Karon Passow
If these two heroes ruled the planet, what a wonderful world this really would be.
Ronnie Green
I like their singing...but lets not get carried away.
Mare Tomaski
perfectly said I agree!!!!
Kalle Backstrom
You got a very good point there judge
Catherine S. Todd
Karon, read some biographies and interviews. Heroes on stage are different than heroes at home; they have their own conflicts and problems. But if God made "peace" with music to help us, these two have surely done that!
Catherine S. Todd
Wow! One of the best renditions yet... just gorgeous. Thanks for posting. Would love to hear more duets from these two!
Richard Fitzgerald
Truly a great song, and done beautifully.
Donna Doble-Brown
That was cool! Well done boys . . đ
Matt Man
I absolutely love James Taylor. My foster father used to play him in the car when I was a kid. Saw him live in concert when I was 18 I was 21 years ago. Still love sweet baby James. Vince gills awesome too