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.
Limousine Driver
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rich and famous no matter who you are you are.
I seen a rock n roll rider,
I seen a cinema star.
Won't you to roll down the road,
Roll down the road, roll down the,
Roll down the road with me?
Want you to roll down the road,
Roll down the road with me.
Deep into the night, blue velvet push,
Cut glass crystal, I mean it means so much.
Long cool fingeroos, soft tenderloin touch.
Won't you to roll down the road,
Roll down the road, roll down the,
Roll down the road with me?
Want you to roll down the road,
Roll down the road, roll down the,
Roll down the road with me.
City sidewalk, shining wet with rain,
Run through the run through one more again.
Run through the jungle, fetch a lady's glove, Kicking off a bundle, go on and give it a shove.
Speak up don't mumble, who do you love?
The lyrics to James Taylor's "Limousine Driver" essentially describe a luxurious lifestyle where money and fame hold immense value. The limousine driver, big Cadillac car and the rich and famous people mentioned in the song depict a flashy and opulent lifestyle that the singer is inviting his audience to be a part of. The hustle and bustle of the city is evident in the song with mentions of the city sidewalk being wet with rain, while the singer asks the listeners to join in and go for a ride with him.
The second verse further highlights the luxurious nature of this lifestyle, with mentions of specific things such as the blue velvet push, cut glass crystal, long cool fingeroos and soft tenderloin touch. The singer continues to invite the listener to join him on this ride, making the song feel like a call to escape into this extravagant world that is being described. The song ends with a reference to the popular song by Bo Diddley, "Who Do You Love?", asking the audience to speak up and show who they love.
Overall, the lyrics to "Limousine Driver" suggest a desire to escape into a life of luxury and fame, depicting a lavish world that may not be accessible to everyone. The song invites the listener to join in on this ride and escape into this world of glamour and extravagance.
Line by Line Meaning
Limousine driver, big Cadillac car,
The song is about a luxurious lifestyle where the singer is a passenger being driven around by a limousine driver in a big Cadillac car.
Rich and famous no matter who you are you are.
The luxurious lifestyle is not constrained by who you are or where you come from, it is available to everyone who can afford it.
I seen a rock n roll rider,
The singer has seen a rock and roll superstar being transported in a limousine similar to the one the singer is currently in.
I seen a cinema star.
The artist has also seen a movie star being driven around in the luxurious car.
Won't you to roll down the road, Roll down the road, roll down the, Roll down the road with me?
The artist wants the person listening to join him on this luxurious ride, to experience the same lifestyle as him.
Deep into the night, blue velvet push, Cut glass crystal, I mean it means so much.
The singer describes the lavish interior of the car, the blue velvet interiors with the cut crystal glasses bring meaning to the luxurious lifestyle being portrayed in the song.
Long cool fingeroos, soft tenderloin touch.
The singer describes the comfort and luxury of the car - the deep cushioned seats and soft touch materials make for a comfortable ride.
City sidewalk, shining wet with rain, Run through the run through one more again.
The artist wants to experience the opulence of the ride again, driving through the city sidewalks on a rainy day, enjoying all the comforts the car has to offer.
Run through the jungle, fetch a lady's glove, Kicking off a bundle, go on and give it a shove.
The artist describes the freedom that comes with living a life of luxury, where they can pursue their whims and desires - like retrieving a lost glove or shaking off the stress of daily life.
Speak up don't mumble, who do you love?
The artist wants the listener to come out of their shell and enjoy the good things in life, to speak up and express who they love while living a life full of luxuries.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind