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.
Before This World / Jolly Springtime
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before the land and sea were formed at all
Before the stars were made to burn and shine
Little love of mine, darling one
Who can pretend to understand at all
No one can both inside and outside be
Who can suppose he knows the way this goes
Little lamb, never mind
So let us love and let us not delay
The world is old and it will never last
Our share of joy is in this moment past
Will you come away, come away
Fall into Jesus baby child
Give up the love that takes and breaks your heart
Let go the weight of all that holds you here
Little love of mine, darling one
Oh the jolly springtime
In the merry month of May
Oh the heavenly hours
Oh the come again day
Let the day run long
Let the river run high
That tomorrow may live
So must yesterday die
Let the resin risin' up in the tree
Make the green leaf bud
The bird and the bee and the fish in the sea
Feeling it in my blood
Oh the jolly springtime
All in the merry month of May
Oh the heavenly hours
Oh the come again day
Yes the winter was bitter and long
So the spring'll be sweet
Come along with a rhythm and a song
Watch creation repeat
Thin thin the moment is thin
Ever so narrow the now
Everybody say got to live in today
Don't nobody know how
Oh the jolly springtime
In the merry month of May
Oh the heavenly hours
Oh the come again day
The lyrics to James Taylor's song "Before This World / Jolly Springtime" have a dual meaning that speaks to the cyclical nature of life. The first verse speaks to the mysteriousness and wonder of creation, before the world as we know it came to be. It emphasizes the limited understanding we have of life and the universe. However, the second verse speaks to the importance of living in the "now," of cherishing the moment and not dwelling on the past or future when our time is limited. The chorus, with its focus on the springtime and joyous renewal, emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and how everything is constantly coming to an end and beginning again.
The song uses imagery of nature, such as the river running high and the resin rising in trees, to illustrate the idea of rebirth and renewal. The repeated phrase "little love of mine, darling one" emphasizes the importance of holding onto loved ones in the fleeting time we have together. Overall, James Taylor seems to be sending a message to live fully in the moment, embracing the beauty and lightness of life amidst its transience.
Line by Line Meaning
Before this world was as we know it now
Long before our present world existed
Before the land and sea were formed at all
Before the earth's landscape and oceans were created
Before the stars were made to burn and shine
Before the stars in the sky ignited and illuminated
Little love of mine, darling one
Affectionately calling someone dear or beloved
Who can pretend to understand at all
Nobody can claim complete comprehension
No one can both inside and outside be
It's impossible to see things from every angle
Who can suppose he knows the way this goes
Thinking one knows the future or fate is folly
Little lamb, never mind
Comforting an innocent or vulnerable person
So let us love and let us not delay
Emphasizing the significance of loving without procrastination
The world is old and it will never last
The world is aging and cannot endure forever
Our share of joy is in this moment past
Our portion of delight is contained in this fleeting present
Will you come away, come away
Invitation to leave behind previous circumstances for something better
Fall into Jesus baby child
Putting trust in a higher power
Give up the love that takes and breaks your heart
Forgoing relationships that cause heartache
Let go the weight of all that holds you here
Releasing burdensome baggage and attachments
Oh the jolly springtime
Happy and cheerful arrival of spring
In the merry month of May
During the festive month of May
Oh the heavenly hours
Beautiful, blissful times
Oh the come again day
Anticipating returning favorable occurrences
Let the day run long
Allowing for lengthy, enjoyable days
Let the river run high
Encouraging lively and ebullient flowing waterways
That tomorrow may live
To cultivate growth and promise for coming days
So must yesterday die
In order to move forward, the past must be left behind
Let the resin risin' up in the tree
Welcoming new life and vitality in nature
Make the green leaf bud
Nurturing new beginnings and growth
The bird and the bee and the fish in the sea
Acknowledging the interconnectedness of life on earth
Feeling it in my blood
Sensing the vibrancy of life and growth
Yes the winter was bitter and long
Acknowledging difficult and unforgiving times
So the spring'll be sweet
Understanding that after harshness comes rejuvenation and renewal
Come along with a rhythm and a song
Moving forward with positive energy and a joyous attitude
Watch creation repeat
Observing the cyclical nature of regeneration and rebirth
Thin thin the moment is thin
Realizing the fleeting and transient nature of time
Ever so narrow the now
Time is finite and the present is always passing
Everybody say got to live in today
Encouraging focus on the present instead of worrying about the future or dwelling on the past
Don't nobody know how
No one can perfectly understand the mysteries of life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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