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.
Mean Old Man
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Imagine my surprise.
Just a fool from a tree full of fools
Who can't believe his eyes,
Imagine my surprise?
I was a mean old man,
I was an ornery cuss,
I made an awful fuss.
Ever since my life began, man,
It was ever thus,
I was a nasty tyke
Who was hard to like.
I had to misbehave,
I did things in reverse,
Refused to wash or shave,
I was horrid to my nurse.
I got back what I gave
Which only made me worse,
I had to have my way
Which was bleak and gray.
Oh dear, living in here,
One hundred years of rain.
Such a drag, this riches to rags
With just myself to blame,
A dirty low-down shame.
Silly me, silly old me,
Somewhere outside my mind.
Clever you walking me through,
Willing to lead the blind
Just in the nick of time.
Who gets a second chance?
Who gets to have some fun?
Who gets to learn to dance
Before his race is run?
Who gets to shed his skin?
Who comes up born again?
Who was a mean old man
Till you turned him into
A golden retriever puppy dog?
Who's a good boy?
The lyrics of James Taylor's "Mean Old Man" express the remorse and regret of a man who has spent his life being difficult and ornery. The song begins with the singer reflecting on his own naivety and how it led him to become a mean-spirited man. The chorus goes on to describe his unpleasant demeanor, his unwillingness to conform, his disregard for personal hygiene, and his general unpleasantness. The second verse highlights the consequences of his bad behavior as he ages, with regret over his squandered fortune and his self-imposed social isolation becoming ever more prevalent. The third verse expresses gratitude for the person who has helped him turn his life around, providing him with a second chance at redemption which he is grateful for.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the human condition and the way in which negative self-image can lead to negative behavior. It is a lament for the mistakes of youth and the difficulty of breaking out of self-destructive cycles. The singer's desperation for a second chance at redemption speaks to the universality of human desire for acceptance and love, despite past wrongdoings.
Line by Line Meaning
On my own, how could I have known?
I was unaware of the bad things I did.
Imagine my surprise.
I was shocked at the outcome.
Just a fool from a tree full of fools
I was one of many bad people.
Who can't believe his eyes,
I was in disbelief of the consequences.
I was a mean old man,
I was a cruel and unpleasant person.
I was an ornery cuss,
I was bad-tempered and disagreeable.
I was a dismal Dan,
I was negative and dreary.
I made an awful fuss.
I caused chaos and drama.
Ever since my life began, man,
I've always been this way.
It was ever thus,
It has always been this way.
I was a nasty tyke
I was a mischievous child.
Who was hard to like.
I was difficult to be around.
I had to misbehave,
I had the urge to do wrong.
I did things in reverse,
I did everything the wrong way.
Refused to wash or shave,
I rejected basic hygiene practices.
I was horrid to my nurse.
I treated the person who cared for me badly.
I got back what I gave
I received the consequences of my actions.
Which only made me worse,
The negative feedback only made me more negative.
I had to have my way
I demanded things be done my way.
Which was bleak and gray.
My way of doing things was dreary and depressing.
Oh dear, living in here,
Being trapped in my own mind is unpleasant.
One hundred years of rain.
A long time of misery and negativity.
Such a drag, this riches to rags
Going from a good state to bad one is exhausting.
With just myself to blame,
I am the only one responsible for my actions.
A dirty low-down shame.
It is a regretful and upsetting situation.
Silly me, silly old me,
I feel foolish for my past actions.
Somewhere outside my mind.
I am looking for a change of perspective.
Clever you walking me through,
You have helped me change my ways.
Willing to lead the blind
You have taught and guided me.
Just in the nick of time.
At the perfect moment when I was ready to change.
Who gets a second chance?
Not everyone gets the opportunity to change.
Who gets to have some fun?
I feel grateful to have the chance to enjoy life.
Who gets to learn to dance
I have the chance to experience new things.
Before his race is run?
Before my time is up.
Who gets to shed his skin?
Who gets to change and become a new person.
Who comes up born again?
Who gets a fresh start.
Who was a mean old man
Who was cruel and unpleasant.
Till you turned him into
You helped me change.
A golden retriever puppy dog?
A happy and playful new person.
Who's a good boy?
I am now a good person.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind