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.
Company Man
James Taylor Lyrics
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Lonely and free.
Looking to make yourself known, same as me.
Well I see you in the public eyes,
I see you're looking fine.
The boy would be a businessman
And he signs the bottom line.
Do what you can with my name.
Rock and roll man, here I am,
I'm staking my claim to fame.
He's got the smiling face of a friend,
Still you're not quite certain you know him.
The smile turns into a grin,
What do you owe him?
You know you owe him.
So if there's something you do well,
Something you're proud of,
Better to save some for yourself
If that's allowed.
The crowd will never know you,
You'll hardly know yourself,
They'll turn you round
And blow you up till
You think you're someone else.
Singing company man,
Do what you can with my name.
Rock and roll man, here I am,
I'm staking my claim to fame.
He can turn your time to gold,
You better make as much as you can my friend.
Cause his money will turn you old
And they need a young man.
The job takes a young man.
In "Company Man," James Taylor explores the pressures and traps of business and fame. The song speaks to the experience of a person who is determined to be successful, but finds that he is becoming someone he doesn't recognize in order to get ahead. Taylor speaks from a place of empathy, as someone who has himself watched the industry chew up and spit out many talented individuals over the years.
Taylor opens the song by addressing someone who seems to be on a similarly ambitious path. Both he and the person he's addressing are looking to make themselves known, though it's clear that they're pursuing different roads to that goal. Taylor paints a picture of someone who looks good on the surface, but underneath is a bit of a mystery. His friendly smile turns into a somewhat disconcerting grin, and Taylor questions what the cost of this person's ambition might be.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems you've been living on your own,
You appear to have been living independently, without much support from others,
Lonely and free.
While you may have freedom, you're also feeling lonely and isolated.
Looking to make yourself known, same as me.
You're searching for recognition and attention, just like I am.
Well I see you in the public eyes,
I've observed you often in the public domain.
I see you're looking fine.
You seem to be doing well and feeling good about yourself.
The boy would be a businessman
It appears that he is destined to become a businessman.
And he signs the bottom line.
He eagerly signs any document without thoroughly reading and understanding it.
Singing company man,
Addressing someone who is committed to their corporate career,
Do what you can with my name.
Use my reputation however you like.
Rock and roll man, here I am,
I'm a musician, and I'm making myself known.
I'm staking my claim to fame.
I intend to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry.
He's got the smiling face of a friend,
Although he has a friendly visage, you can't be sure whether he is trustworthy.
Still you're not quite certain you know him.
You question your familiarity with him despite being well-acquainted.
The smile turns into a grin,
His initial smile soon evolves into a grin – a sign of his maliciousness.
What do you owe him?
What kind of debt do you owe him as a consequence of his benedictions?
You know you owe him.
You're acutely aware of the significance of the favor he's done for you.
So if there's something you do well,
If there's something you're exceptionally good at,
Something you're proud of,
If it's a matter of great pride for you,
Better to save some for yourself
It's wise to preserve a portion of it for yourself,
If that's allowed.
If it is acceptable within the confines of the corporate setting.
The crowd will never know you,
You will remain largely anonymous to the general public,
You'll hardly know yourself,
You might lose touch with your own self due to the impacts of external factors.
They'll turn you round
They'll manipulate and control you,
And blow you up till
Until you're an exaggerated version of yourself,
You think you're someone else.
And you start seeing yourself as someone else altogether.
He can turn your time to gold,
He can help you make the most of your time and acquire wealth.
You better make as much as you can my friend.
Make as much money as possible while you still can.
Cause his money will turn you old
His wealth will erode your youthfulness and vitality over time,
And they need a young man.
They desire someone young and energetic to perform the job.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind