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.
Enough To Be On Your Own
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just the same as on a birth,
The way it shines on everything
That happens here on Earth.
It rolls across the western sky
And back into the sea
And spends the day's last rays upon
This fucked-up family, so long old pal.
The last time I saw Alice,
She was leaving Santa Fe
With a bunch of round-eyed Buddhists
In a killer Chevrolet.
Said they turned her out of Texas, yeah,
She burned them down back home,
Now she's wild with expectation
On the edge of the unknown.
Singing oh, it's enough to be on your way,
It's enough just to cover ground,
It's enough to be moving on.
Home, build it behind your eyes,
Carry it in your heart,
Safe among your own.
They brought her back on a Friday night,
Same day I was born.
We sent her up the smokestack, yes,
And back into the storm.
She blew up over the San Juan Mountains,
She spent herself at last.
The threat of heavy weather,
That was what she knew best.
Oh, it's enough to be on your way,
It's enough to cover ground,
It's enough to be moving on.
Home, build it behind your eyes,
Carry it in your heart,
Safe among your own.
It woke me up on a Sunday,
An hour before the sun.
It had me watching the headlights
Out on highway 591.
Till I stepped into my trousers,
Till I pulled my big boots on,
I walked out on the Mesa
And I stumbled on this song
Oh, it's enough to be on your way,
It's enough just to cover ground,
It's enough to be moving on.
Home, build it behind your eyes,
Carry it in your heart,
Safe among your own.
So long, old gal.
"Enough to Be On Your Way" is a song by James Taylor that begins by likening a funeral to a birth because the sun shines on both equally. The sun rolls across the western sky and sets on a dysfunctional family, suggesting that life goes on regardless of the challenges one might face. The singer then recalls his last encounter with a woman named Alice, who had joined a group of Buddhists and was now traveling with them. Alice, however, was kicked out of Texas and burned down her home before leaving. Now, she is exhilarated to be on the verge of the unknown, and the chorus repeats, emphasizing the simplicity of being on one's way.
In the second verse, the singer describes how they buried their loved one's ashes upon bringing them back home. They then provide more detail about their birth and how it coincided with the return of Alice's ashes. The final verse talks about the impact this event had on the singer. The night before waking up to write this song, they had watched the headlights of the highway, keen to get back home. It emphasizes the importance of having a safe space among one's own people, regardless of the challenges that are faced.
Overall, the singer-songwriter James Taylor wrote "Enough to Be On Your Way" about the unpredictability of life, loss, and the importance of listening to your instincts. The song employs simple metaphors and subtle imagery to convey that what is important is to keep moving forward and to find your way home to the people who love you.
Line by Line Meaning
So the sun shines on his funeral
The world doesn't stop for anybody's death, the sun still shines on the day of a funeral, just like it does on any other day.
Just the same as on a birth,
The sun shines just as bright on a day of birth as it does on a day of death.
The way it shines on everything
The sun shines equally on all aspects of life, regardless of their nature.
That happens here on Earth.
The sun shines on everything that occurs on Earth.
It rolls across the western sky
The sun sets in the western sky after moving across it throughout the day.
And back into the sea
The sun appears to set into the ocean when it actually just disappears beyond the horizon.
And spends the day's last rays upon
The sun shines its last natural lights on
This fucked-up family, so long old pal.
The sun reflects on the family and friends mourning the death of the pal who passed away, who had a lot of demons in life.
The last time I saw Alice,
The preceding moment James spent with Alice.
She was leaving Santa Fe
Alice was departing from Santa Fe.
With a bunch of round-eyed Buddhists
Alice was with a group of people who were observing their surroundings with wonder and surprise.
In a killer Chevrolet.
Alice was in a powerful Chevrolet car.
Said they turned her out of Texas, yeah,
Alice was injected out of Texas.
She burned them down back home,
Alice did some significant damage in Texas.
Now she's wild with expectation
Alice is infused with ambitiousness and a crazy sense of excitement.
On the edge of the unknown.
Alice is standing on the cusp of the uncertain.
Singing oh, it's enough to be on your way,
Alice is comfortable with departing from somewhere or something.
It's enough just to cover ground,
Alice is pleased with simply making progress.
It's enough to be moving on.
Alice is content with moving forward.
Home, build it behind your eyes,
Alice believes home is a place that can be envisioned with the mind's eye.
Carry it in your heart,
Alice believes that people carry the essence of home in their hearts, wherever they go.
Safe among your own.
Alice feels safe when she is surrounded by the people she holds dear.
They brought her back on a Friday night,
Someone brought Alice back on a Friday evening.
Same day I was born.
This was the same day that James was born.
We sent her up the smokestack, yes,
They cremated Alice and sent her ashes up the smokestack at a crematorium.
And back into the storm.
Alice's ashes were scattered into the stormy winds.
She blew up over the San Juan Mountains,
Alice's ashes were blown over the San Juan Mountains by the wind.
She spent herself at last.
Alice finally spent all that she had.
The threat of heavy weather,
Alice knew that heavy weather was impending.
That was what she knew best.
Alice was well-known for being able to predict the arrival of heavy weather.
It woke me up on a Sunday,
On a Sunday morning, James was woken up.
An hour before the sun.
This happened an hour before sunrise.
It had me watching the headlights
James became fixated on the headlights of vehicles passing by.
Out on highway 591.
The headlights James was observing were on highway 591.
Till I stepped into my trousers,
James stepped into his trousers before leaving.
Till I pulled my big boots on,
James put on his big boots before setting off.
I walked out on the Mesa
James went walking on the Mesa.
And I stumbled on this song
While on the Mesa, James came across a song that he stumbled upon.
So long, old gal.
James bids farewell to Alice.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tomschuch5768
I was in this video, hired as background to play one of the mourners at the cemetery (dark suit). Before the shoot, the background actors were in the wardrobe trailer and James Taylor walks in to introduce himself. It was a surprise. He took the time. After the shoot we were back in the trailer signing out and he came back in and thanked us all for being there. He was very gracious and thoughtful. It's always a thrill to meet someone like James Taylor who has achieved great success and fame to find out he is also a really nice person.
@cindyp1395
How wonderful for you to have met James and be part of this shoot. I love this song. It makes me think of my mom.. she passed this year * I loved her so much and miss her beyond words.♥️
@tmo7734
Thanks for this insightful thoughtful message, Tom. So much sadness has touched the Taylor family.
@pat9575
I have a couple connections to this video. An old friend of mine was Kate Markowitz boyfriend for several years some time ago. She's one of JT's backup singers and has been for many years. Met her for the first time at a wedding in Tucson and she's also in the video with dark shades and beige colored dress. I also babysat for Barbara Hershey's son named 'Free' at the time in early 70's while on location when she filmed a western drama called 'Last Hard Men'. After filming I gave her a ride to the airport from Rio Rico, AZ to Tucson in a 55' Pontiac Star Chief listening to tunes on an 8 track tape player. I discovered this video by accident a few years ago and couldn't believe the similarities to my experiences.
@hdrk59
This song always gets me.
Thank you for the insight.
@jw893
Not sure why you were blown away. He’s talented, but he is just a guy like you. Did you get paid?
@thomasgallipoli8376
Most people will never know how fortunate we are to live in the same time as this national treasure.
Thankfully we fans do. Thank you for such a legendary career of nothing but great music and memories
@georgebarrett686
RIP Cary Pugh. The best friend and mentor I ever knew. A wanderlust at heart but grounded in faith and in family
@localafh
Life is so hectic, but James Taylor is one of only a handful of recording artists/singers that put me at peace almost immediately. So glad he’s been and always will be a part of my musical life. ‘Love Always’ Immanuel!
@trysometenderness7466
They don't call him a living legend for nothing.