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 Traveling Star
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(My traveling star, my traveling star).
Watch over all of those born
St. Christopher's Day
(Old road dog, young runaway).
They hunger for home but they cannot stay,
They wait by the door,
They stand and they stare.
They're already out of there.
My daddy used to ride the rails
(So they say, so they say).
Soft as smoke and as tough as nails
(Boxcar Jones, old walking man).
Coming back home was like going to jail.
The sheets and the blankets
And babies and all,
No, he never did come back home,
Never that I recall.
Never mind the wind,
Never mind the rain,
Never mind the road
Leading home again.
Never asking why,
Never knowing when,
Every now and then,
There he goes again.
She had a cat and a dog named Blue
(My traveling star, my traveling star).
A big old stove and a fireplace, too
(Old road dog, young runaway).
She told me loved me like it was true.
I knew I should stay,
I knew I would go.
Run, run, run away.
Run, run, run away, boy.
Run before the wind,
Run before the rain,
Over yonder hill,
Just around the bend.
Never knowing why,
Never knowing when,
Every now and then,
There you go again.
Tie me up and hold me down
(Oh, my traveling star).
Bury my feet down in the ground
(Oh, old road dog).
Claim my name from the lost and found
And let me believe this is where I belong.
Shame on me for sure for one more highway song.
My traveling star, my traveling star...
The song "My Traveling Star" by James Taylor is a tribute to the restless wanderers of the world. The lyrics depict the life of a traveling musician who is constantly on the move and yearning for home but cannot stay put. The first verse presents a plea to a guiding star to watch over these wanderers, who are often alone and struggling. James Taylor uses the metaphor of St. Christopher's Day, which is known as the patron saint of travelers, to symbolize the journey of these individuals.
The second verse speaks of his father, who was also a traveler, riding the rails and never returning home. The sheets and the blankets that he left behind signify the sense of longing for the comfort of home, but the call of the road always wins. The third verse tells the story of a woman who loved him, but he could not stay with her because the wanderlust was too strong. He keeps running, again and again, never knowing why or when he will stop.
The chorus repeats the phrase "My traveling star" to emphasize the wandering nature of the central character, the "old road dog, young runaway." James Taylor uses the concept of a star to represent a guiding force, a light in the darkness, and a constant companion in the uncertain world of the traveler.
Overall, the song is a poignant reminder of the price that must be paid for a life of freedom and adventure. The wanderers of the world are often misunderstood and overlooked, but they continue to pursue their dreams and the freedom to roam, with only their traveling star to guide them.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch my back and light my way
I need guidance and protection during my journey.
Watch over all of those born
Please look after those who struggle to find their place in the world.
They hunger for home but they cannot stay,
Many people feel a deep desire to belong, yet are unable to settle and build their home.
They wait by the door,
Even while they try to settle, they feel restless and always ready to leave.
They're already out of there,
In their hearts, they've already left and they're searching for something deeper.
My daddy used to ride the rails
My father was a wanderer, constantly on the move in search of something.
Coming back home was like going to jail.
The idea of settling down in one place felt restrictive and limiting.
No, he never did come back home,
He never found a place to call home and kept moving.
Never mind the wind,
Weather or obstacles don't deter me from my journey.
Every now and then,
Occasionally, I feel the need to keep moving and searching for my destination.
She told me loved me like it was true.
Someone I loved once made promises that were too good to be true.
I knew I should stay,
I was tempted to stay but I knew deep down it wasn't right.
Run, run, run away.
I had to escape that situation and keep moving forward.
Tie me up and hold me down,
I desire to be free and unrestrained on my journey.
Bury my feet down in the ground,
Eventually, I'll find where I belong and my journey will end.
Let me believe this is where I belong.
For now, I'll keep moving and searching for the place where I truly belong.
Shame on me for sure for one more highway song.
I'm a wanderer by nature and can't help but keep moving forward.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
VLS
It always amazes me how James can take a few chords and style them in a way that flows beautifully into a song no wasted notes or lyrics a real master songsmith...
jeff crane
Is that all you got?
Denise Hedden
🥀Beautiful Song amazing lyrics, vocals and music with these people sounding like Angel's 🥀☝️🥀
Jonathan Harrington
For all James Taylor fans,
This is our "Traveling Star"
Thank You James.
Joe Di Nardo
unbelievably beautiful.
Robert Reed
One of the greatest artist of our time. Thank you for the music.
martin s
This such a beautiful song and so beautifully sung. It's full of joy and I love it! I'm very happy that JT has been a very large part of my life for over forty years. He just get better and better
<3
Deborah Fournier
This song got under my skin right from day one. I tend to hear it often in my head, until I just have to go to YouTube and listen to James sing it. I LOVE everything about it...the melody, the lyrics, the choir, and especially how James sings it...Pure GOLD!
Daniel Waltman
A once in a lifetime talent; thrilled that I could experience JT through the decades of my musical experience
Dorothy Kuveke
Now there is a man who's happy he's in love and 🏠 home. Beautiful song Mr Taylor 🎀🎀🎀