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.
12 Steamroller Blues
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm bound to roll all over you
Yes, I'm a steamroller for your love, baby
I like nothing better than a roll all over you
I'm gonna inject your soul with some sweet rock 'n roll, oh
And shoot you full of rhythm and blues
Well, I'm a, well, I'm a cement mixer, baby
Yeah, I'm a cement mixer for you, baby
A churning urn of burning funk
Well, I'm a demolition derby, baby
A hefty hunk of steaming junk, I got the blues for you and me, so wait and say nothing
Well, I'm a napalm bomb for her
Stone guaranteed to blow your mind, honey
I'm a napalm bomb for you, babe, gotta tell you one more time
To sit down, stand up, go home back to L.A.
Stone guaranteed to blow your mind, yeah
And if I can't have your love for my own to take home and keep me warm
There won't be nothing left behind
Oh, bookin' on, boogin' on
I just don't seem to can't lose
They say low-down
Nowhere, half-life, freeze-dried, fat-fried, chicken-choking
Mother-father-king
Oh, roll on over, I got those steamroll blues
The lyrics to James Taylor's "Steamroller Blues" portray a confident and lustful persona. The persona compares himself to a steamroller, cement mixer, and demolition derby, emphasizing his powerful and unstoppable nature. He claims that he wants to roll all over his lover, injecting her with rock 'n roll and rhythm and blues. The persona's reference to napalm bombs and mind-blowing sensations adds to the intensity of the song.
Overall, the song depicts a persona asserting his dominance and expressing his desire for physical intimacy. However, the persona's tone and lyrics can also be interpreted as problematic and aggressive towards his partner. The repetitive use of power imagery and steamroller metaphors may suggest a lack of consideration for his lover's feelings and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm a steamroller, baby
I am a powerful force that will dominate and crush anyone who stands in my way.
I'm bound to roll all over you
I will not stop until I have completely conquered you.
Yes, I'm a steamroller for your love, baby
I will use my power and force to win your affection and devotion.
I like nothing better than a roll all over you
Rolling over you is my ultimate goal and greatest pleasure.
I'm gonna inject your soul with some sweet rock 'n roll, oh
I will fill you with the passion and energy of rock 'n roll music.
And shoot you full of rhythm and blues
I will also infuse you with the emotion and soulfulness of blues music.
Well, I'm a, well, I'm a cement mixer, baby
I am a complex and dynamic being, like a cement mixer that churns different elements together.
A churning urn of burning funk
I am a fiery and intense force, like a urn of burning funk that never stops moving.
Yeah, I'm a cement mixer for you, baby
I will use my complexity and dynamism to create something new and exciting just for you.
Well, I'm a demolition derby, baby
I am also unpredictable and chaotic, like a demolition derby that smashes and crashes without warning.
A hefty hunk of steaming junk, I got the blues for you and me, so wait and say nothing
Although I may seem like a mess of emotions and contradictions, I still have a deep connection to the blues and to you, so just let me be.
Well, I'm a napalm bomb for her
I am like a dangerous and explosive weapon that can destroy everything in my path, especially when it comes to her.
Stone guaranteed to blow your mind, honey
I will overwhelm and amaze you with my power and intensity.
I'm a napalm bomb for you, babe, gotta tell you one more time
I am still that dangerous and explosive force that will leave you speechless.
To sit down, stand up, go home back to L.A.
You need to figure out what you want from me and make a choice, whether it's to stay, leave, or go back home.
Stone guaranteed to blow your mind, yeah
Again, I will completely captivate and astound you with my power and intensity.
And if I can't have your love for my own to take home and keep me warm
My desire for your love is so intense that I want to possess you and keep you close to me.
There won't be nothing left behind
If I can't have you, there will be no meaning or purpose to anything else in my life.
Oh, bookin' on, boogin' on
I will keep moving and grooving, no matter what obstacles may come my way.
I just don't seem to can't lose
I am so powerful and confident that I never believe I can fail or lose.
They say low-down
Others may criticize or judge me, but I will not let it affect me.
Nowhere, half-life, freeze-dried, fat-fried, chicken-choking
I am not easily classified or defined, as I am a mixture of many different elements and experiences.
Mother-father-king
I am a strong and powerful force, like a king who rules over everything and everyone around me.
Oh, roll on over, I got those steamroll blues
I will keep rolling and crushing everything in my path, even if it makes me feel a little blue.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@John-mg7fb
No auto tune. No computer sounds. No timing software. Just a man and a guitar. Real raw absolute talent. James Taylor is one of the all time greats.
@CoCotheTurtle
Well, he does cheat with that capo...
@Ceeby
Absoultey! 🎶🎶
@jasonsnusberry3654
@@CoCotheTurtle If a capo is cheating then I guess most guit-artists are cheaters
@andrewgibson1991
You said it
@sleepyjean4275
Thank goodness we have you tube otherwise, my record got warped in the sun.
@bobscott4909
In his early 20s, James Taylor is a better guitar player than me if I was in my mid 500s!!! Wow!!! Thanks James for sharing your joyous gift!!!
@angel1329us
He is so freakin' handsome and charismatic here, I believe I swooned.
@jerryhoward8133
This man is an amazing musician with one of the best voices in the business. He has battled so many personal demons and challenges that would take most mortals out, that being said he is an iconic legend.
@MrButch629
Wow..timeless song by one of the greatest..so unique voice good looks and a monster in playing the guitar..james taylor..😊❤🇵🇭