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.
Hangnail
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need me some money to have me some fun
Gonna pick up my guitar and write me some hits
Build me some houses and blow 'em to bits
Gonna furnish them boldly with style and with taste
Generate truckloads of solid waste
Hangnail, hangnail, hangnail, hangnail
Hangnail, hangnail, hangnail
Oh money, oh money, oh where have you gone?
I need me some money to have me some fun
Gonna pick up my guitar and write me some hits
Hangnail, hangnail, hangnail, hangnail
Have you ever seen a man with a hangnail?
Hangnail, hangnail, hangnail
Oh money, oh money, oh where have you gone?
At first glance, James Taylor's song Hangnail appears to be a simple tune about the search for money and a desire for a good time. However, when examining the lyrics in more depth, it becomes clear that there is a deeper meaning behind the words. The repetitive chorus of "hangnail, hangnail" is an interesting choice, as it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the song's themes. A hangnail is a small, painful piece of skin near the base of the nail that is easily torn off, causing discomfort. It's a minor issue that is easily fixable, yet it can cause significant discomfort.
When compared to the rest of the song, it seems that the hangnail is used as a metaphor for the search for money and happiness. The verses talk about searching for money to "have some fun," and the desire to write "hits" and "blow 'em to bits," leading to massive amounts of excess waste. The chorus, with its repetitive mention of the hangnail, may be a way of expressing the idea that the search for money and happiness can be like a hangnail – it's something small and seemingly insignificant, yet it can cause considerable pain and discomfort.
Overall, James Taylor's Hangnail is a song that delves into the complexities of the search for happiness and money. It suggests that while they may seem like small, insignificant things, they can cause great pain and discomfort, much like a hangnail.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh money, oh money, oh where have you gone?
The singer is lamenting the absence of money in their life and wondering where it has gone.
I need me some money to have me some fun
The singer believes that having money is necessary for them to have fun in life.
Gonna pick up my guitar and write me some hits
The singer plans to make money by writing and producing hit songs with their guitar.
Build me some houses and blow 'em to bits
The artist plans to invest their money in buying real estate, only to destroy them later for their own pleasure.
Gonna furnish them boldly with style and with taste
The houses the artist plans to buy and destroy will be decorated with expensive and stylish furniture and decor.
Generate truckloads of solid waste
The singer will produce a large amount of waste and garbage from their destructive activities.
Hangnail, hangnail, hangnail, hangnail
The repetition of this line may suggest a feeling of annoyance or frustration that the singer is experiencing.
Have you ever seen a man with a hangnail?
The artist is changing the topic from money and destruction to a meaningless question about hangnails, which could suggest a lack of direction or focus in the artist's thoughts.
Hangnail, hangnail, hangnail
The repetition of this line continues to express frustration or annoyance, which could be related to the artist's lack of money or direction in life.
Contributed by Xavier K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.