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.
Like Everyone She Knows
James Taylor Lyrics
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Waiting on an answer, ready for a change.
And everywhere she goes, she's just a little bit on the lookout.
A day might mean tomorrow, questions still remain.
It's not that she's so sad, she always was a happy soul.
But lately she gets to wonder to herself, what's the good of going on anymore?
I see her in her room, sitting at the window,
She thinks of going home, giving up on the city,
Maybe moving back down to Mobile, it's not that far to fall.
I know she won't see me but I might just say anyhow,
If I could be right there right now as I myself was told.
Hold tight to your heart's desire, never ever let it go.
Let nobody fool you into giving it up too soon.
Tend your own fire, lay low and be strong, wait awhile, wait it out,
Wait it on out, wait it out, it'll come along.
I know she won't see me but I might just say anyhow,
If I could be right there right now as I myself was told.
Hold tight to your heart's desire, never ever let it go.
Let nobody fool you into giving it up too soon.
Tend your own fire, lay low and be strong,
Wait it out, wait it out, wait it on out.
Wait it out, let it come along, oh, wait awhile, wait awhile.
The song "Like Everyone She Knows" by James Taylor tells the story of a woman who is searching for true love and is waiting for a change. The lyrics describe her as always being a happy person, but recently she has been questioning the purpose of continuing on in her current situation. Taylor describes her sitting in her room, wondering if she is pretty and feeling small. She contemplates giving up on the city and moving back home to Mobile, even though it feels like a fall.
Taylor offers some advice to the woman, telling her to hold tight to her heart's desire and never let it go. He advises her to tend to her own fire, to be strong, and to wait it out. He reminds her not to let anybody fool her into giving up too soon, and to wait for what is meant for her to come along. It's a song about hope and encouragement, urging the listener to have faith and hold out for what they truly want.
Overall, "Like Everyone She Knows" is a beautiful and introspective song, offering a message of strength and perseverance to those who may feel lost or uncertain in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Like everyone she knows, she's holding out for true love,
Like all the people she knows, she is waiting for true love.
Waiting on an answer, ready for a change.
She is waiting for an answer and is ready for a change.
And everywhere she goes, she's just a little bit on the lookout.
She is always on the lookout no matter where she goes.
A day might mean tomorrow, questions still remain.
She is unsure of what the future holds and still has unanswered questions.
It's not that she's so sad, she always was a happy soul.
Although she seems lost, she's not necessarily unhappy.
But lately she gets to wonder to herself, what's the good of going on anymore?
But recently she has been wondering the purpose of carrying on with life itself.
I see her in her room, sitting at the window,
James Taylor spots her sitting by the window in her room.
Wondering if she's pretty, feeling just a little small tonight.
She might be questioning her own beauty and feeling a little insecure.
She thinks of going home, giving up on the city,
She's considering moving back home and leaving the city life behind.
Maybe moving back down to Mobile, it's not that far to fall.
She is considering moving back to Mobile and thinks it wouldn't be a huge step backward.
Hold tight to your heart's desire, never ever let it go.
James Taylor tells her to hold onto her heart's desire and never let it go.
Let nobody fool you into giving it up too soon.
He advises her not to let anyone trick her into giving up too soon.
Tend your own fire, lay low and be strong, wait awhile, wait it out,
He tells her to take care of herself, stay confident, and be patient.
Wait it on out, wait it out, it'll come along.
She must wait for what she desires, and it will come to her in time.
Wait it out, let it come along, oh, wait awhile, wait awhile.
She must wait and let what she desires come to her in time, so she needs to remain patient.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind