James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter … Read Full Bio ↴James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

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.

Go Tell It on a Mountain
James Taylor Lyrics

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Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens

There shone a holy light

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed the Savior's birth

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Overall Meaning

The song "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Taylor is a traditional Christmas gospel song that tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The first verse calls on everyone to spread the good news of Christ's birth throughout the world by going to the mountaintops and sharing the news over the hills and everywhere. The second verse describes the scene of the Shepherds keeping watch over their flocks when suddenly a holy light shone throughout the heavens. The angels appeared and sang a chorus that proclaimed Christ's birth. The third verse details how the Shepherds were full of fear and trembling when the chorus rang out, but they later went to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus in the manger. It was said that God sent us salvation on a blessed Christmas morn.

The song exemplifies the Christmas spirit of joy, hope, and praises to God. The lyrics also call for people to share the news of salvation with enthusiasm and with urgency to all corners of the globe. The words are set to an upbeat melody that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, and the song is usually sung with handclapping and toe-tapping rhythms.

Line by Line Meaning

Go, tell it on the mountain
Share the news of Jesus' birth with joy and enthusiasm

Over the hills and everywhere
Spread the word far and wide, to all people

That Jesus Christ is born
The Savior has arrived, hope and salvation are here

While shepherds kept their watching
As the shepherds were guarding their flock

Over silent flocks by night
It was dark and still, the world was asleep

Behold throughout the heavens
Suddenly, there was a sight to see

There shone a holy light
A divine glow illuminated the sky

The shepherds feared and trembled
The shepherds were full of fear and awe

When lo! above the earth
Suddenly, from above the earth

Rang out the angels chorus
The angels sang a beautiful song

That hailed the Savior's birth
Celebrating the birth of the one who will bring salvation to all