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.
Ananas
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
see'est pour toujours means I always will.
Tu me manquais trop means I missed you much,
Je fait ce qu'il faut means I'll do what I must.
Me voici a ta fenetre tous les gens me voient ici.
Here I am at your window darling
For all your people to see me.
Ananas laisse moi une fois laisse moi te voir,
Let me one more time, Ananas.
Ananas, I'm loping along, hoping you're home,
Open up and let me on in.
Maybe I rise and maybe I fall,
Maybe you lie underneath it all,
I ain't got nothing but for what you see,
Even my own heart don't belong to me.
Got your river running in my blood,
Got your fire burning in my heart.
You got me falling like a shooting star,
Just like some tragic work of art.
Ananas laisse moi une fois laisse moi te voir,
Let me one more time, Ananas.
Ananas, I'm loping along, hoping you're home,
Open up and let me on in.
Here I am at your window baby,
For all your people to see.
Howling like a dog in the moonlight,
Won't you have pity on me?
The lyrics of James Taylor's song Ananas convey a sense of longing and unrequited love. The song is French-inspired and features several French phrases, adding to the romantic and nostalgic tone of the song.
The song opens with the phrase "Je t'aime encore" which translates to "I love you still" and "see'est pour toujours" which translates to "I always will". These words express a deep and abiding love that persists despite time and distance. The next line "Tu me manquais trop" meaning "I missed you much" is a sentiment familiar to anyone who has experienced a separation from a loved one. The final line of the verse "Je fait ce qu'il faut" meaning "I'll do what I must" is a promise to stay dedicated to the relationship despite any obstacles that may arise.
The chorus of the song introduces the title "Ananas" which is the French word for pineapple. The significance of the word is unclear, but it adds a whimsical and exotic quality to the song. The chorus repeats the refrain "Let me one more time, Ananas" which seems to express a desperate desire to have one more chance at love. The imagery of the singer "loping along, hoping you're home" and howling like a dog in the moonlight adds to the sense of desperation and vulnerability.
Overall, the song is a poignant expression of longing and devotion, with the French language adding to the romantic and nostalgic tone.
Line by Line Meaning
Je t'aime encore means I love you still,
Even though time has passed, I still have love for you which remains unchanged.
see'est pour toujours means I always will.
My love for you is eternal, and will never fade.
Tu me manquais trop means I missed you much,
I longed for you, and missed you dearly during our time apart.
Je fait ce qu'il faut means I'll do what I must.
I am willing to do whatever it takes to reunite with you.
Me voici a ta fenetre tous les gens me voient ici.
I am standing outside your window where everyone can see me.
Ananas laisse moi une fois laisse moi te voir,
Please let me see you again, Ananas, just one more time.
Ananas, I'm loping along, hoping you're home,
I am walking slowly, hoping that you are home.
Open up and let me on in.
Please open the door and let me come inside.
Maybe I rise and maybe I fall,
I may have ups and downs, but my love for you remains strong.
Maybe you lie underneath it all,
Perhaps you hold the key to my joy and happiness.
I ain't got nothing but for what you see,
I have nothing to offer except for my true self.
Even my own heart don't belong to me.
My heart belongs to you.
Got your river running in my blood,
Your presence runs deep within me, like a river coursing through my veins.
Got your fire burning in my heart.
My passion for you is like a fire that burns within my heart.
You got me falling like a shooting star,
I am falling deeply and quickly in love with you.
Just like some tragic work of art.
Perhaps our love is fated to be beautiful yet tragic, like a work of art.
Here I am at your window baby,
I am still here, waiting outside your window.
Howling like a dog in the moonlight,
I am crying out to you, like a dog howling at the moon.
Won't you have pity on me?
Will you please have mercy and let me in?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
WILLARD FRANKLIN
What a groove,song never leaves the pocket. And background vocals...tight! JT, with that melodious voice, pulls it all together.
Randall Ulmer
You should thank Jimmy Johnson (b) and the late Carlos Vega (d) and .. meter masters !! :)
Stewart Brodie
James Taylor's voice lends itself effortlessly to soul music.
Alicia Cass
LOVE James Taylor. Such a classic
GIB
Hourglass was (IMHO) James last really great album. I know I'll get flamed for that, but nobody was more of a JT fan than I was from 1978 onward. Every album from then to this was outstanding. Thats why Oct Rd and BTW was so disappointing to me. I guess I expected too much.
marymaryquitecontrary
Hourglass and October Road are my two favorite albums of his. I love September Grass. It's possible October Road is up there for me because it was the first album of his that I listened to independent of my parents; my thoughts about it aren't connected to memories of growing up. I agree with you about BTW. (Though I like Montana.)
PerthTowne
No flaming. You are entitled to your opinion. But I enjoyed songs on both October Road and Before This World. Everyone has a different perspective and we are not always going to agree.
Victor Terry
I love this song, it has rhythm and blues all wrapped into a JT Folky kind of thing. Youngsters can't get into this. Too bad for them.
Andy C.
Tired of the blatant ageism. "Youngsters can't appreciate this. Music today sucks. We had the best music."
Let's all get over ourselves and just enjoy the music. Quit judging.
Stewart Brodie
Youngsters can certainly get into this