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.
Bittersweet
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you want me to
'Cause every time I try
Something always changes with you
First it's cold baby
And then there's too much heat
One minute I'm up in heaven
And the next I'm down in the street
'Cause we got a love
That's bittersweet
I said we got a love
It's bittersweet, yeah
Sometimes when I'm with you
It's like you're just not there
When I look into your eyes
I see that thousand yard stare
Then you're back in love with me
Like you can't get enough
Rough into smooth
And the smooth back into the rough
Oh help me now
We got a love
That's bittersweet
We got a love, oh darlin'
That's bittersweet
I don't know anybody
Anybody like you
I never met anybody
Could make me feel the way you do
I wish that I could love you
The way you want me to
So scared you'll pull out the rug
Darling if I do
It's cold it's cold
And now there's too much heat
One minute I'm up in heaven
And the next, I'm walking the street, oh
We got a love
That's bittersweet
You know we got a love
That's bittersweet
We got a love, we got a love, we got a love
That's bittersweet
You know, we got a love, oh darlin'
That's bittersweet
Flamin' hot
Then not
Oh, bitter memory
I said we got, we got a love, oh
We got a love
James Taylor's "Bittersweet" is a song about the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. Throughout the song, Taylor sings about how he wishes he could love his partner the way they want him to, but he always seems to fall short. The lyrics depict the conflicting emotions that come with being in love with someone who is sometimes there and sometimes not. At times the relationship is like a rollercoaster, with one minute they are up in heaven and the next they are down in the street. The song refers to the love between the two characters as "bittersweet" because it can be both wonderful and painful at the same time.
The chorus repeats the phrase "We got a love that's bittersweet" several times throughout the song, emphasizing the mixed feelings that come with being in a love like this. Taylor's vocals are filled with emotion, capturing the highs and lows of the relationship. The song ends with Taylor singing "Flamin' hot, then not, oh, bitter memory," which speaks to the way the relationship is fleeting and unpredictable.
Overall, "Bittersweet" is a poignant depiction of a relationship that is both beautiful and difficult. It speaks to the universal experience of loving someone who has the power to both uplift and devastate us.
Line by Line Meaning
No I don't know how to love you
I am uncertain about how to love you
The way you want me to
As you prefer
'Cause every time I try
Whenever I attempt
Something always changes with you
A change in you always happens
First it's cold baby
It begins cold, my dear
And then there's too much heat
Then it progresses with excessive warmth
One minute I'm up in heaven
Occasionally, I feel ecstatic
And the next I'm down in the street
But then I feel crushed and dejected
'Cause we got a love
The love we have
That's bittersweet
Is both pleasant and painful
I said we got a love
I repeat, we have
It's bittersweet, yeah
It's both joyful and agonizing, yes
Sometimes when I'm with you
Certain times when I'm with you
It's like you're just not there
It's as though you're absent
When I look into your eyes
As I gaze into your eyes
I see that thousand yard stare
I detect a distant look
Then you're back in love with me
But you soon love me again
Like you can't get enough
Like you crave me
Rough into smooth
The turbulent turns into the calm
And the smooth back into the rough
But soon, the calm becomes turbulent again
Oh help me now
I plead for your assistance right now
We got a love
The love we share
That's bittersweet
Is both pleasurable and unpleasant
We got a love, oh darlin'
Yes, my dear, we have a love
That's bittersweet
That's both happy and sad
I don't know anybody
I don't know anyone
Anybody like you
Anyone similar to you
I never met anybody
I never encountered anyone
Could make me feel the way you do
Who could arouse the emotions you bring about in me
I wish that I could love you
I yearn to love you
The way you want me to
As per your desire
So scared you'll pull out the rug
I am frightened that you will leave me heartbroken
Darling if I do
My love, if I do leave you heartbroken
It's cold it's cold
It turns frigid, it's frigid
And now there's too much heat
And then it's overly warm
One minute I'm up in heaven
Sometimes, I feel overjoyed
And the next, I'm walking the street, oh
But then I feel sad again
You know we got a love
My love, you know we have
That's bittersweet
A love that's both happy and sorrowful
We got a love, we got a love, we got a love
We have a love
That's bittersweet
Both pleasant and unpleasant
You know, we got a love, oh darlin'
You know, we have a love, my dear
That's bittersweet
That's joyful and distressing
Flamin' hot
Burning hot
Then not
Then not as much
Oh, bitter memory
A painful recollection
I said we got, we got a love, oh
I said we have a love
We got a love
A love that we share
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cecil Phillip
No I don't know how to love you
The way you want me to
Coz everytime I try
Something always changes with you
First it's cold baby
And then there's too much heat
One minute I'm up in heaven
And the next I'm down in the street
Coz we got a love
That's bittersweet
I said we got a love
It's bittersweet
Sometimes when I'm with you
It's like you're just not there
When I look into your eyes
I see that thousand yard stare
Then you're back in love with me
Like you can't get enough
Rough into smooth
And the smooth back into the rough
Ohhhh help me now
We got a love
That's bittersweet
We got a love, oh darlin'
That's bittersweet
I don't know anybody
Anybody like you
I never met anybody
Could make me feel the way you do
I wish that I could love you
The way you want me to
So scared you'll pull out the rug
Darling if I do
It's cold it's cold
And now there's too much heat
One mnute I'm up in heaven
And the next, I'm walking the street
We got a love
That's bittersweet
You know we got a love
That's bittersweet
We got a love
That's bittersweet
You know, we got a love, oh darlin'
That's bittersweet.
Flamin' hot
Then not.
Ooooooooh, bitter memory
I said we got a love, oooh,
We got a love.
Sarah Graham
Such beautiful lyrics, and beautifully sung.
Kaleb Schulz
This song in my opinion is on par with some of Taylor's best I love it so so much
Leslie Shaw
Agreed!
Daniel Hetue
Favorite modern James Taylor song of all time
Kris Kiritsis
I love this song!!!
Jacqueline Ganem
Que melodia delicinha de ouvir é igual a chicletes cola no juízo não esquece mais amo demais inspiradora prazerosa um brinde 🍹💋♥️🌷👍
Sherry Brookshire
This is a old song, becoming my new favorite songs. I just love JT
colin berg
It should also note that the co-writer is John Sheldon, formerly of the Van Morrison Controversy (1968) and then Bead Game with two LPs by that band.
Martin gardner
@colin berg also JT’s old friend and the brother of phoebe Sheldon?
ORIONBNASTY
My favorite james Taylor song