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.
Smackwater Jack
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He bought a shotgun
'Cause he was in the mood
For a little confrontation
He just a-let it all hang loose
He didn't think about the noose
He couldn't take no more abuse
So he shot down the congregation
You can't talk to a man
With a shotgun in his hand
(Shotgun)
Now, Big Jim the chief
Stood for law and order
He called for the guard to come
And surround the border
Now, from his bulldog mouth
As he led the posse south
Came the cry, "We got to ride
To clean up the streets
For our wives and our daughters" (oh, no no)
You can't talk to a man
When he don't wanna understand
No, no, no, no, no, no
The account of the capture
Wasn't in the papers
But you know, they hanged ol' Smack right then
Instead of later
You know, the people were quite pleased
'Cause the outlaw had been seized
And on the whole, it was a very good year
For the undertaker
You know, you know, you can't talk to a man
With a shotgun in his hand
A shotgun in his hand
(Smackwater Jack, yeah)
Smackwater Jack bought a shotgun
Yeah, Smackwater Jack bought a shotgun
Oh, Smackwater Jack, yeah
(Smackwater Jack, yeah)
Talkin' 'bout Smackwater Jack, yeah
(Ooh, and his shotgun)
Talkin' 'bout a-Smackwater Jack, now
(Ooh, talkin' 'bout Jack and his shotgun)
(Talkin' 'bout Smack)
(Talkin' 'bout Jack)
(Smackwater Jack, yeah)
The song "Smackwater Jack" by James Taylor tells the story of a man named Jack who purchases a shotgun and takes matters into his own hands, shooting down a group of people he felt were abusing him. The lyrics suggest that Jack had reached his breaking point and couldn't take any more mistreatment. The chorus emphasizes the danger of trying to reason with someone who is armed with a deadly weapon.
As the story unfolds, the local authorities, led by Big Jim, take action against Jack and his violent behavior. The lyrics imply that the community was pleased with Jack's capture, and he was hanged for his actions. The final line of the song suggests that the year was good for the undertaker due to the increase in violent deaths like Jack's.
This song can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the dangers of vigilantism and taking justice into one's own hands. It also highlights the importance of effective conflict resolution and communication.
Quick facts about "Smackwater Jack":
- James Taylor wrote the song in 1971.
- The song was included on Taylor's album "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon."
- "Smackwater Jack" was released as a single but only reached #73 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
- The song has been covered by several artists, including Carole King and Chet Atkins.
- Taylor has stated that the song was inspired by a news story he read about a shooting in Gadsden, Alabama.
- The song's backing band includes some notable musicians, such as Carole King on piano and Russ Kunkel on drums.
- The song's music features a prominent horn section.
- The term "smackwater" is a slang term for a swamp or marsh.
- The song's story is sometimes compared to the classic folk song "Stagger Lee," which also tells a story of murder and vigilantism.
- The song is often played on classic rock and oldies radio stations to this day.
Chords:
Intro: Am
Verse: Am / D7 / Am / E7 / Am / D7 / Am / E7 /
Chorus: A / Dsus2 / E7 / A / E7 / Am / D7 / Am / E7 / Am / D7 / Am / E7 /
Line by Line Meaning
Now, Smackwater Jack
Introducing the character: Smackwater Jack
He bought a shotgun
Jack bought a shotgun out of aggression
'Cause he was in the mood
Jack was angered and wanted to cause conflict
For a little confrontation
Jack sought confrontation
He just a-let it all hang loose
Jack was careless and impulsive.
He didn't think about the noose
Jack didn't think about the consequences of his actions
He couldn't take no more abuse
Jack was fed up with the abuse from others
So he shot down the congregation
Jack shot and killed people in the congregation
You can't talk to a man
It's impossible to reason with someone
With a shotgun in his hand
who's armed with a firearm
(Shotgun)
Emphasising the importance of the shotgun
Now, Big Jim the chief
Introducing a new character: Big Jim
Stood for law and order
Big Jim believed in obeying the law
He called for the guard to come
Big Jim called for reinforcements
And surround the border
Big Jim wanted to contain and control the situation
Now, from his bulldog mouth
Big Jim spoke firmly
As he led the posse south
Big Jim led the team in pursuit of Jack
Came the cry, 'We got to ride
Big Jim called for action
To clean up the streets
Big Jim saw it as his mission to restore order
For our wives and our daughters' (oh, no no)
Big Jim used women's safety as the reason for his actions
You can't talk to a man
It is impossible to reason with someone
When he don't wanna understand
who is not willing to listen to reason
No, no, no, no, no, no
Emphasizing the futility of reasoning with someone like Jack
The account of the capture
The events of Jack's capture
Wasn't in the papers
the story wasn't published by the media
But you know, they hanged ol' Smack right then
Jack was executed swiftly after his capture
Instead of later
Jack's hanging didn't take long to be carried out
You know, the people were quite pleased
People were happy with Jack's punishment
'Cause the outlaw had been seized
People were relieved that Jack had been caught
And on the whole, it was a very good year
It was a successful year, having restored order
For the undertaker
The undertaker had a prosperous year
Smackwater Jack, yeah
The repetition of the name
Smackwater Jack bought a shotgun
Re-emphasizing Jack's aggressive behavior
Yeah, Smackwater Jack bought a shotgun
Continuing to highlight Jack's aggression
Oh, Smackwater Jack, yeah
Reiterating the character's name
Talkin' 'bout Smackwater Jack, yeah
Continuing to discuss Jack
(Ooh, and his shotgun)
Emphasizing the weapon as a significant part of the story
Talkin' 'bout a-Smackwater Jack, now
Continued focus of the story
(Ooh, talkin' 'bout Jack and his shotgun)
Reinforcing the central idea of the song
(Talkin' 'bout Smack)
Repeating Jack's name
(Talkin' 'bout Jack)
Emphasizing Jack's presence
(Smackwater Jack, yeah)
Repeated conclusion to the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, GERRY GOFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind