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.
Slow Burning Love
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't hardly remember the day, just the way the sun beat down upon the bay, baby.
I did not even need to know your name,
It was, oh, so plain to see that you had eyes for me.
Halfway open, halfway closed, half-naked eyes for me, baby.
It was a slow burning love, a fair-weather love affair.
A slow burning, smoldering love for you and I.
Oh, the lights of the city were close at hand. I might just as well have been another man.
You might just as well have been another girl.
It might just as well have been another world.
It was a slow burning love, a fair-weather love affair.
A slow burning, smoldering love for you and I.
And like the sun on the edge of the Western sky, it died.
Oh, slow burning love. You were smoking up that day, some kind of hot...
It was a slow burning love, a fair-weather love affair.
A slow burning, smoldering love for you and I.
And like the sun on the edge of the Western sky, it died.
In James Taylor's "Slow Burning Love," the singer reminisces about a brief, intense romance that took place on a hot day in September. He barely remembers the day itself, but he can recall the way the sun beat down on the bay and the connection he felt with the woman he met. She didn't need to tell him her name - it was obvious from the way she looked at him that she was interested. Her eyes were "halfway open, halfway closed," and the singer was smitten.
Despite this immediate attraction, the romance was short-lived. The singer likens it to a slow-burning flame that smoldered for a while before fizzling out. It was a "fair-weather love affair," one that felt intense in the moment but couldn't withstand the lights and distractions of the city. The singer realizes that they might as well have been strangers - the connection they felt was fleeting and ephemeral.
The song is poignant in its portrayal of a love that burns bright and fast before fading away. In just a few brief verses, James Taylor captures the feeling of an intense, emotionally charged encounter that leaves a lasting impression on both parties. The imagery of the sun on the Western horizon emphasizes the transience of the experience - just like the sun, their love shone brightly but couldn't last.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a hot and sultry day somewhere in early September.
The day was very hot and humid, occurring in early September.
I don't hardly remember the day, just the way the sun beat down upon the bay, baby.
The singer didn't remember much about the day, but could recall the intense heat of the sun shining down on the bay.
I did not even need to know your name,
The singer didn't require knowledge of the person's name.
It was, oh, so plain to see that you had eyes for me.
It was apparent that the person had feelings for the singer.
Halfway open, halfway closed, half-naked eyes for me, baby.
The person's eyes were half open and half closed, flirting with the singer.
It was a slow burning love, a fair-weather love affair.
Their relationship was a slow building love that only existed in ideal conditions.
A slow burning, smoldering love for you and I.
The love between them was passionate yet slow-burning over time.
And like the sun on the edge of the Western sky, it died.
Their love fizzled out like the sunset in the Western sky.
Oh, the lights of the city were close at hand. I might just as well have been another man.
The distractions of the city made the singer feel insignificant.
You might just as well have been another girl.
The person could have been anyone else, showing that their relationship was superficial.
It might just as well have been another world.
Everything around them felt foreign and distant, as if they were in an entirely different world.
Oh, slow burning love. You were smoking up that day, some kind of hot...
Their love was like a burning fire that was hot and intense at first.
It was a slow burning love, a fair-weather love affair.
Their relationship was a slow burning love that only existed in ideal conditions.
A slow burning, smoldering love for you and I.
The love between them was passionate yet slow-burning over time.
And like the sun on the edge of the Western sky, it died.
Their love fizzled out like the sunset in the Western sky.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind