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.
Brighten Your Night With My Day
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And alive just as though
You could touch a star.
But sunset seems to leave you weary,
Alone and wondering who you are.
Don't deny that lonely feeling, babe,
That keeps stealing on you from deep down inside.
Hey, can't you see that it's no good
When you can come home to me,
Yes, I'm happy to hear
What you've got to say to me, baby, all the way.
Girl, you can count on me,
Watch those shadows fade away,
And brighten your night with my day.
Daybreak, sunset, hot and cold
Running smiles and tears.
A bright outside to match your foolish pride,
But not a word for the lonely years.
Please come back home to me,
Now you won't have to say
That you'll stay with me, baby,
No, it's not that way.
Just come back home to me,
Watch those shadows fade away,
And brighten your night with my daybreak,
Sunset, you don't have to cry no more.
Now, everything's gonna be just fine,
Watch out, baby, here it comes,
Right around the corner, here it comes,
Just brighten your night with my day.
The song "Brighten Your Night With My Day" by James Taylor is a heartfelt plea to a loved one who seems to be struggling with their identity and the ups and downs of life. The song begins with the image of the person being full of vitality and optimism in the morning, but then becomes weary and lost as the day goes on. Taylor recognizes that the person is feeling lonely and encourages them to stop hiding their true feelings, acknowledging that it is no use trying to conceal the hurt.
The chorus is an offer of support and a promise to be there for the person whenever they need it. Taylor's tone is gentle and reassuring, wanting to ease the person's pain and bring light to their darkness. He reminds the person that life is full of ups and downs, but that they need not be alone in facing them. By coming back to him, they can find a safe haven where they can be themselves and leave their troubles behind.
Overall, the song is a beautiful and emotional expression of love, support, and understanding. It acknowledges the difficulties of life and relationships, but encourages the listener to face those challenges head-on with the help of those who care about them.
Line by Line Meaning
Daybreak finds you up
You wake up in the morning feeling energized and positive.
And alive just as though
You feel an indescribable aliveness, as if you could accomplish anything.
You could touch a star.
You feel a sense of possibility and wonder.
But sunset seems to leave you weary,
As the day goes on, your energy and positivity fade.
Alone and wondering who you are.
You feel lost and unsure of yourself.
Don't deny that lonely feeling, babe,
It's important to acknowledge and address your feeling of loneliness.
That keeps stealing on you from deep down inside.
Your loneliness is something that comes from within and can be hard to shake.
Hey, can't you see that it's no good
Ignoring your loneliness will only make it worse.
Concealing a feeling it hurts you to hide?
Trying to hide your loneliness is painful and counterproductive.
When you can come home to me,
You have someone to come to who will provide comfort and support.
Yes, I'm happy to hear
This person is willing to listen and empathize.
What you've got to say to me, baby, all the way.
They want to hear everything you have to say and be there for you completely.
Girl, you can count on me,
This person is reliable and trustworthy.
Watch those shadows fade away,
By being with this person, the darkness and negativity in your life will lessen.
And brighten your night with my day.
They will bring light and positivity into your life.
Daybreak, sunset, hot and cold
Life can be full of ups and downs, lightness and darkness.
Running smiles and tears.
You experience both happiness and sadness in life.
A bright outside to match your foolish pride,
You may project an image of happiness and confidence to the outside world, regardless of what you are feeling inside.
But not a word for the lonely years.
You may hold back from sharing your true emotions with others, particularly when it comes to feelings of loneliness.
Please come back home to me,
This person wants you to be with them.
Now you won't have to say
They will understand your needs without your having to express them verbally.
That you'll stay with me, baby,
This person does not want to impose any conditions or expectations on you.
No, it's not that way.
They are willing to support you no matter what your needs are.
Just come back home to me,
They want you to come back to them for comfort and support.
Watch those shadows fade away,
They will help you overcome your negative emotions.
And brighten your night with my daybreak,
They will bring light and positivity into your life.
Sunset, you don't have to cry no more.
They want to bring an end to your sadness and pain.
Now, everything's gonna be just fine,
They are reassuring you that things will get better.
Watch out, baby, here it comes,
They are optimistic about the future.
Right around the corner, here it comes,
They believe good things are coming your way.
Just brighten your night with my day.
They will bring light and positivity into your life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR, JAMES V TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind