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.
Going Around One More Time
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I shuttered up my windows and I bolted tight my door.
Then I took one look at you and I nearly lost my mind.
Now I'm going 'round going 'round, going 'round going around one more time.
Yes I'm going 'round going 'round, going 'round going around one more time.
Betty was a little heartbreaker, it didn't quite work out.
I said that's it, I'm through, I quit, then Juanita, she looked so fine.
Now I'm going 'round going 'round, going 'round going around one more time.
Yes I'm going 'round going 'round, going 'round going around one more time.
'Round and 'round in a circle, it's always the same.
One moment you swear you've had enough, the next you've got to know her name.
All on my own, it wasn't that bad, I was getting by as I could get.
I stopped into a drug store for one pack of cigarettes.
She didn't have a quarter, had to call her cousin Kate
and could I lend her maybe one thin dime?
Now I'm going 'round going 'round, going 'round going around one more time.
Yes I'm going 'round going 'round, going 'round going around one more time.
The lyrics of James Taylor's song ‘Going Around One More Time’ describe a process of heartbreak, self-doubt, and then newfound hope after meeting someone new. The first verse tells of the singer's previous heartbreak and their tendency to close themselves off from love. However, upon seeing the new love interest, they feel a shift in their mindset, hence ‘nearly losing their mind’. The chorus emphasizes the theme of ‘going around one more time’ which could be a metaphor for the cycle of heartbreak, recovery, and giving love another chance.
The second verse mentions specifically a past relationship with Betty that left the singer feeling low. They almost gave up on love but then Juanita appeared, causing the singer to reconsider. The repetition of "going round" indicates a kind of lack of control over one's love life, as if each new relationship is a cycle of expectation and disappointment. The bridge of the song echoes this sentiment, describing how falling in love can feel like being on a carousel that never stops.
Overall, ‘Going Around One More Time’ highlights the cyclical nature of the human experience with love; the joy, sadness, and ultimately, the hope that emerges when one is willing to take the risk once more.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart had been broken and I couldn't take no more.
I had experienced a heartbreak that had left me feeling unable to cope any longer.
I shuttered up my windows and I bolted tight my door.
I closed myself off from the world and became reclusive.
Then I took one look at you and I nearly lost my mind.
When I saw you for the first time, I was struck with intense emotions that overwhelmed me.
Now I'm going 'round going 'round, going 'round going around one more time.
I am finding myself in the same cycle of heartbreak and hope as I have experienced in the past.
Betty was a little heartbreaker, it didn't quite work out.
I had a romantic interest named Betty who ultimately was not interested in a long-term relationship.
She did a number on my confidence, I was riddled with self doubt.
My experience with Betty had a negative impact on my overall self-esteem and self-assurance.
I said that's it, I'm through, I quit, then Juanita, she looked so fine.
I had decided to give up on romance, but then I met Juanita, who caught my eye.
'Round and 'round in a circle, it's always the same.
I find myself experiencing the same pattern of romantic attraction, heartbreak, and hope repeatedly.
One moment you swear you've had enough, the next you've got to know her name.
Sometimes I feel like I'm done with romantic relationships, but then I find myself drawn to a new person.
All on my own, it wasn't that bad, I was getting by as I could get.
When I was alone, I was able to manage okay and keep myself going.
I stopped into a drug store for one pack of cigarettes.
I went to the drug store to purchase cigarettes.
She didn't have a quarter, had to call her cousin Kate and could I lend her maybe one thin dime?
The woman in the drug store did not have enough money to make a phone call and asked if I could lend her ten cents.
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