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.
Mockingbird
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring won't shine
He's gonna surely break this heart of mine
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin'
Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
Hear me now and understand
He's gonna find me some peace of mind
And if that peace of mind won't stay
I'm gonna find myself a better way
And if that better way ain't so
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ear sayin'
Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
Everybody have you heard?
She's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
She's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring won't shine
She's gonna surely break this heart of mine
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin' no, no, no, no,no
Listen now and understand
She's gonna find me some peace of mind
And if that peace of mind won't stay
I'm gonna find myself a better way
I might rise above , I might go below
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ears y'all
No, no, no, no, no, no, now, now, baby
The song "Mockingbird" by James Taylor is a duet between him and his then-wife Carly Simon. The song describes a couple's desire for material objects, which are seen as a way to measure the love of their partner. The first verse has the female voice singing that her partner is going to buy her a mockingbird, a symbol of happiness and freedom. However, if the bird doesn't sing, he'll buy her a diamond ring. The male voice then responds that if the diamond ring won't shine, he'll break her heart. The chorus that follows has both voices singing "wo wo wo" in unison, emphasizing the desperation of their desire.
The second verse has the male voice singing that his partner is going to find him some peace of mind. However, if that peace of mind won't stay, he'll find himself a better way. The female voice then responds that she might rise above or go below, or in other words, she will adjust to any situation, and that's why she keeps shouting "no no no" in defiance. The song ends with both voices singing "now now baby" in unison, suggesting that the cycle of desire and disappointment will continue.
Overall, "Mockingbird" is a melancholic but catchy song that captures the struggles of a couple trying to maintain their love in a material world.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody have you heard?
Have you all heard the news?
He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
My partner is promising to buy me a gift
And if that mockingbird won't sing
If the gift doesn't perform as expected
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
My partner is willing to go to great lengths to make me happy
And if that diamond ring won't shine
If the gift doesn't meet my expectations
He's gonna surely break this heart of mine
I fear that if my partner isn't able to please me, our relationship may suffer
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin' Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
I repeat my concerns to everyone who will listen
Hear me now and understand
Listen carefully to me
He's gonna find me some peace of mind
I trust that my partner will bring me happiness
And if that peace of mind won't stay
If my happiness is temporary
I'm gonna find myself a better way
I will seek out a more permanent source of happiness
And if that better way ain't so
If I'm still not fulfilled
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
I will adapt to the circumstances and keep moving forward
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ear sayin' Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
I will continue to vocalize my thoughts and fears
She's gonna buy me a mockingbird
My partner is promising to buy me a gift
And if that mockingbird won't sing
If the gift doesn't perform as expected
She's gonna buy me a diamond ring
My partner is willing to go to great lengths to make me happy
And if that diamond ring won't shine
If the gift doesn't meet my expectations
She's gonna surely break this heart of mine
I fear that if my partner isn't able to please me, our relationship may suffer
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin' no, no, no, no, no
I am expressing my doubts and concerns to anyone who will listen
Listen now and understand
I need you to really pay attention
She's gonna find me some peace of mind
My partner promises to bring me happiness
And if that peace of mind won't stay
If my happiness is temporary
I'm gonna find myself a better way
I will look for a more permanent solution
I might rise above , I might go below
I am prepared to face any challenge
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
I will adapt to the circumstances and keep going
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ears y'all No, no, no, no, no, no, now, now, baby
I will continue to vocalize my doubts and fears
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLIE FOXX, INEZ FOXX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sandrajump1937
I attended a James Taylor concert in the summer of 1974 or 75 in the Berkshires. It was pouring rain and cars were backed up. We ended parking and walking the rest of the way to the venue. It was a hot steamy summer night but we didn't care. He gave an incredible concert but the hightlight was Carly Simon jumping on stage and their duet - Mockingbird. A once in a lifetime experience. We were all so young....A different place and time.....
@rayostergard3386
Hi Sandra hope you’re okay?
@Summer73343
wonderful memory. The Berkshires are my home town in Western Massachusetts…..James Taylor’s stomping ground.
@EPA18
If that was the highlight of the show, the show must have really sucked.
@sandrawright2649
❤
@aarondigby5054
I'd love to get my hands all tangled up in her beautiful long flowing hair and she's not wearing a bra, what a great chick. Definitely "Klondike bar"
@lyndajamrozik4786
James Taylor looks so happy 😊
@lyndajamrozik4786
Yeah his self loathing is barely showing here
@patricias5122
@@lyndajamrozik4786 Unfortunately, given this this period, he was probably high as fk. And whatever. I'm glad he got through that. I've seen him in concert, in the early 90s and he was very very different.
@jjvainionpaa
@@lyndajamrozik4786
What an utterly stupid statement. Don't understand people this low IQ even giving out comments.