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.
Migration
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are turning hidden wheels,
Causing things to come about
Which no one seems to feel.
All invisible from where we stand,
The connections come to pass
And though too strange to comprehend,
Once again a time of change, oh,
The change makes music
And the children will dance
See the pieces of the picture
Rearrange themselves
It feels just like a symphony to me,
With nothing left to chance.
Just look over your shoulder,
It's out of you hands it's over for now.
Leave behind what you can,
You can always return
The rhythm remains unbroken,
Unspoken but loud and clear,
It's a slow vibration, migration.
Mystery muse, how I hunger for an answer,
Unsung song, how I long to play the changes
Hidden rhythm, haven't I
Always been your dancer?
Sacred secrets of the meaning
To my dreaming, migration.
James Taylor's song "Migration" delves into the mysterious and often hidden workings of the world. The lyrics describe how faraway hands in foreign lands are turning wheels that cause things to happen that nobody can see or feel. These invisible connections and changes affect us in ways that we cannot comprehend but are still experienced by us nonetheless. The song speaks of a time of change, which makes music and the children will dance. The pieces of the picture rearrange themselves, and it feels like a symphony with nothing left to chance.
One of the central themes of "Migration" is the idea that everything in the world is connected. The song alludes to the notion that there are forces at work that are beyond our understanding, and that our lives are influenced by things that we cannot see or control. Taylor suggests that we should leave behind what we can, as we can always return- the rhythm remains unbroken, unspoken but loud and clear. This slow vibration of migration is ultimately what ties us all together.
One interesting fact about the song "Migration" is that it was released in 1971 on James Taylor's album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. The album was a commercial success, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified gold by the RIAA. Another interesting fact is that James Taylor co-produced the album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon with Peter Asher, the legendary producer and former member of the British Invasion group Peter and Gordon. Additionally, the song features Taylor's signature fingerpicking guitar style that he is known for.
Line by Line Meaning
Distant hands in foreign lands
People far away are making things happen
Are turning hidden wheels,
Causing things to happen behind the scenes
Causing things to come about
Leading to certain outcomes
Which no one seems to feel.
Without people realizing what's happening
All invisible from where we stand,
We can't see these cause-and-effect relationships
The connections come to pass
These relationships still happen
And though too strange to comprehend,
Even if we don't understand them fully
They affect us nonetheless, yes.
They still affect us
Once again a time of change, oh,
Change is happening once more
The change makes music
This change is creative and inspiring
And the children will dance
People will enjoy and revel in this change
See the pieces of the picture
All of the different parts
Rearrange themselves
Are coming together in new ways
It feels just like a symphony to me,
James Taylor sees a musical quality to this change
With nothing left to chance.
As if everything is deliberately orchestrated
Just look over your shoulder,
Reflect on what's happened
It's out of you hands it's over for now.
Accept what's happened, and let it go
Leave behind what you can,
If you can, leave things behind
You can always return
You can come back later
The rhythm remains unbroken,
Despite these changes, something remains consistent
Unspoken but loud and clear,
Undetectable, but strong
It's a slow vibration, migration.
This change is slow and steady - like a migration.
Mystery muse, how I hunger for an answer,
James Taylor wants to understand more
Unsung song, how I long to play the changes
He wants to be part of this creative process
Hidden rhythm, haven't I
He feels like he's been following this rhythm all along
Always been your dancer?
Like he's been dancing to this beat all along
Sacred secrets of the meaning
These changes have significant and deep meaning
To my dreaming, migration.
It's part of James Taylor's dreams and imagination.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind