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.
My Romance
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by.
No month of May, no shining star, no hideaway, no soft guitar.
My romance doesn't need a castle rising in Spain
nor a dance to a constantly surprising refrain.
Wide-awake I can make my most fantastic dreams come true
Cause my romance doesn't need a thing but you.
The lyrics in James Taylor's song "My Romance" communicate the notion that true love doesn't need external factors such as a moon in the sky, a blue lagoon, or a castle in Spain, to be romantic. Instead, the singer suggests that his own active imagination and his partner are all he needs to experience true romance. The song seems to be about valuing the simple joys of a shared experience with a significant other and not being swayed by grandiose and stereotypical romantic gestures.
The lyrics convey the idea that the singer has all he needs to create his own dreamlike romance, without relying on the cliches of starry nights or a knight's castle. For him, the mere presence of his partner is enough to bring him happiness and fulfillment. This message is an important reminder to look beyond surface-level expectations of romance and find joy in the simple aspects of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
My romance doesn't need to have a moon in the sky.
The love I feel doesn't necessitate a romantic or spectacular environment.
My romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by.
The love I have doesn't need a picturesque location or a stunning view.
No month of May, no shining star, no hideaway, no soft guitar.
A romantic setting, a starry night, a private escape, or even a soothing music, do not make any more difference to the love I feel.
My romance doesn't need a castle rising in Spain
I don't need any grand and spectacular structure or setting to feel the depth of my love.
nor a dance to a constantly surprising refrain.
I don't need anything musical or artistic to sustain the feeling of my love.
Wide-awake I can make my most fantastic dreams come true
I can experience the most amazing and extraordinary feelings of love, even in a conscious state of mind.
Cause my romance doesn't need a thing but you.
All that is necessary to fulfill my heart with love is your presence.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind