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.
Johnnie Comes Back
James Taylor Lyrics
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Trying to keep her devils at bay, watching her health return.
But she always comes back for more, hanging her head and banging my door,
Johnnie comes back again.
I said, Johnnie remember, oh, Johnnie be good, "Please give me some medicine, man."
Oh Johnnie comes back again.
Where'd she get that tear in her eye?
Whoever said she could leave me, where'd she learn to say good-bye?
my medicine chest and my automobiles. Johnnie comes back again.
I said, Johnnie remember, oh, Johnnie be good, "Please give me some medicine, man."
Oh Johnnie comes back again.
Me, I'm just an evil demon, I'm playing on her weakness,
counting on her sickness to bring her home again.
To use me up and to rob me blind, I guess it shouldn't surprise me.
Fighting and flashing like a fish on a line, my God, she must despise me.
But she always comes back again, now it won't be long 'til she's gone again,
Johnnie comes back again.
I said, Johnnie remember, oh, Johnnie be good, "Please give me some medicine, man."
Oh Johnnie comes back again.
The lyrics to James Taylor's song "Johnnie Comes Back" describe the singer, Johnnie as having addiction issues that bring her back to the singer time and time again. The song reflects on how Johnnie has been trying to rid herself of her demons and maintain her health but has found it tough to break free from her addiction. Through the lyrics, the singer tries to convince Johnnie that she needs to be strong and not give in to her addiction. The singer knows that he himself is one of her addictions and that he is playing on her weakness to draw her back to him. Despite all of this, Johnnie keeps returning, looking for comfort and solace.
The chorus, "Johnnie remember, oh, Johnnie be good. Please give me some medicine, man. Oh, Johnnie comes back again," is repeated throughout the song, a plea for her to stay away for her own good, but the singer also knows he will keep enabling her. He sees himself as an "evil demon" who feeds off her sickness and addiction. Johnnie is portrayed as weak, always coming back despite her better judgment, and the singer struggles with his own feelings of guilt for contributing to her addiction.
Overall, the song highlights the deep-seated struggle of addiction and the difficulties of breaking free from it. James Taylor's use of metaphorical language and the repetition of the chorus emphasizes the cyclical nature of addiction and the long journey to recovery.
Line by Line Meaning
All last week and half of today, Johnnie has been a good little girl.
For the past week and a half, Johnnie has been trying to stay away from her vices and take care of herself.
Trying to keep her devils at bay, watching her health return.
Johnnie is struggling to resist her negative impulses and is working on improving her health.
But she always comes back for more, hanging her head and banging my door, Johnnie comes back again.
Despite her efforts to stay away, Johnnie is always drawn back to her vices and returns to the singer's doorstep.
I said, Johnnie remember, oh, Johnnie be good, "Please give me some medicine, man."
The artist is urging Johnnie to resist the temptation to indulge in her vices and is asking for her to not ask him for drugs.
Where'd she get that tear in her eye?
The artist is wondering why Johnnie is upset and crying.
Whoever said she could leave me, where'd she learn to say good-bye?
The singer is wondering why Johnnie thought it was okay to leave and why she is able to say goodbye.
She's been watching too much T.V., she only shows up for meals, my medicine chest and my automobiles. Johnnie comes back again.
The singer believes that Johnnie has been influenced by television and only returns for food, drugs, and access to the singer's cars.
Me, I'm just an evil demon, I'm playing on her weakness, counting on her sickness to bring her home again.
The artist recognizes that they are not helping Johnnie by enabling her addiction, but instead they are exploiting her weakness and illness to keep her coming back.
To use me up and to rob me blind, I guess it shouldn't surprise me.
The artist acknowledges that Johnnie is using and taking advantage of them, but they are not surprised by this behavior.
Fighting and flashing like a fish on a line, my God, she must despise me.
Johnnie is struggling with her addiction and is frustrated with the artist, potentially even hating them.
But she always comes back again, now it won't be long 'til she's gone again, Johnnie comes back again.
Despite any negative feelings or actions, Johnnie will always return to her addiction and will eventually leave again.
I said, Johnnie remember, oh, Johnnie be good, "Please give me some medicine, man."
The artist repeats their earlier plea for Johnnie to resist temptation and to not ask for drugs.
Oh Johnnie comes back again.
The refrain further emphasizes the cyclical nature of Johnnie's addiction and behavior.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind