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.
Memphis
James Taylor Lyrics
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Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
`Cause my uncle took the message and he wrote it on the wall
Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
She`s the only one who`d phone me here from Memphis Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee
Last time I saw Marie she`s waving me good-bye
With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
Try to put me through to her in Memphis Tennessee
The lyrics of James Taylor's song "Memphis" tell the story of a man who is desperately trying to reconnect with his love interest, Marie, who lives in Memphis, Tennessee. The opening lines of the song demonstrate Taylor's eagerness in seeking assistance from the operator who he asks for "long distance information" to connect him to his desired destination. He is in search of a party who is trying to reach him but was unable to leave her number. Fortunately, Uncle Joe took a message and wrote it on the wall, creating a sense of hope for the man that the party might still be able to find him.
As the song progresses, Taylor's desperation becomes even more evident as he begs for any information that could help him find Marie. She is the only person who has ever called him from Memphis, and he wants to reconnect with her desperately. He longs for the good times they had together, but he laments that they were pulled apart because of her mother's disapproval. This disapproval caused their happy home in Memphis to be torn apart, leaving them longing for each other.
Finally, the song concludes as Taylor remembers the last time he saw Marie, as she waved goodbye with tears in her eyes, and he begs the operator to put him through to her in Memphis, Tennessee. This song serves as a powerful message about the pain of separation and the desire for reconnection that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Long distance information, give me Memphis Tennessee
The singer is requesting for information about a person or party located in Memphis Tennessee through a long distance communication channel.
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
The singer is seeking assistance to connect with the person or party that has attempted to contact him in Memphis Tennessee.
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
Although the person or party trying to contact the singer did not leave their contact number, the singer is able to identify them through his uncle who wrote a message on the wall regarding the attempted call.
Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
The artist is repeating his request to connect with a person named Marie through the information provider.
She`s the only one who`d phone me here from Memphis Tennessee
Marie is the only person from Memphis Tennessee who would typically telephone or contact the artist.
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Marie's residence is located on the southern side of Memphis Tennessee, situated on a higher terrain above the surrounding landscape.
Just a half a mile from the Mississippi Bridge
Marie's residence is located merely half a mile away from the Mississippi Bridge in Memphis Tennessee.
Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
The artist, in repeating his request for information, is unable to provide any additional details or information for the information provider to act on.
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
The artist is expressing his feelings of longing and nostalgia for the good times he spent with Marie, who he is seeking to connect with through the information provider.
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
The artist and Marie were separated as a result of Marie's mother's disapproval, an event which created a barrier to their relationship.
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee
As a result of the separation caused by Marie's mother's disapproval, the happy home that the singer and Marie shared in Memphis Tennessee was destroyed.
Last time I saw Marie she`s waving me good-bye
The artist recalls the last time he saw Marie, where she was waving him goodbye as they parted ways.
With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
As Marie was waving the singer goodbye, tears flowed from her eyes in a manner that indicated she wanted him to return home soon.
Try to put me through to her in Memphis Tennessee
The singer is requesting the information provider to connect him with Marie in Memphis Tennessee, despite the obstacles of distance and separation that they face.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAT MC LAUGHLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind