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.
Oh Susannah
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm bound for Louisiana, my own true love for to see
It did rain all night the day I left, the weather was bone dry
The sun was so hot I froze myself, Suzanne, don't you go on and cry
I said, oh, Susannah, now, don't you cry for me
As I come from Alabama with this banjo on my knee
Well I had myself a dream the other night when everything was still
Now, the buckwheat cake was in her mouth, a tear was in her eye
I said, that I come from Dixie land, Suzanne, don't you break down and cry
I said, oh, Susannah, now, don't you cry for me
'Cause I come from Alabama with this banjo on my knee
James Taylor's song Oh Susannah tells the story of a man traveling from Alabama to Louisiana to see his true love. The song starts off with the singer, who has a banjo with him, explaining his journey. He talks about the weather conditions when he left Alabama, where it rained all night but the sun was so hot he felt cold. He tells his love Suzanne not to cry, even though he is leaving her.
In the second verse, the singer speaks of a dream he had where he saw Suzanne coming towards him, but she had a tear in her eye and was eating buckwheat cake. He assures her that he is from Dixie land and tells her not to cry.
The song is a popular folk song that has been sung and recorded by various artists over the years. It describes the trials and tribulations of a man's journey to be with his true love. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and a desire to be united with one's beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee
I am from Alabama and I carry my banjo with me wherever I go
And I'm bound for Louisiana, my own true love for to see
I am travelling to Louisiana to see my one true love
It did rain all night the day I left, the weather was bone dry
It rained heavily on the day I left but the weather was dry as I continued my journey
The sun was so hot I froze myself, Suzanne, don't you go on and cry
The weather was so contrasting that it had an effect on me, but I ask Suzanne not to worry
I said, oh, Susannah, now, don't you cry for me
I am telling Susannah not to worry or cry for me
As I come from Alabama with this banjo on my knee
I carry my banjo with me as I am from Alabama
Well I had myself a dream the other night when everything was still
I had a dream when everything was quiet
I dreamed that I saw my girl Suzanne, she was coming around the hill
I saw Suzanne coming towards me from across the hill in my dream
Now, the buckwheat cake was in her mouth, a tear was in her eye
She had a piece of buckwheat cake in her mouth and tears in her eyes
I said, that I come from Dixie land, Suzanne, don't you break down and cry
I told Suzanne not to cry and reminded her that I am from Dixie land
I said, oh, Susannah, now, don't you cry for me
I am asking Susannah not to worry about me
'Cause I come from Alabama with this banjo on my knee
I am from Alabama and I carry my banjo with me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SANFORD SCHMIDT, STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind