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.
Some Days You Gotta Dance
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were all getting ready to go
And the boss man started screaming
And his veins began to show
He said you and you come with me
Cause you're gonna have to stay
My heart was thumping, I was jumping
[Chorus]
Some days you gotta dance
Live it up when you get the chance
Cause when the world doesn't make no sense
And you're feeling just a little too tense
Gotta loosen up those chains and dance
Well, I was talking with my baby
Over a small glass of tea
He asked the loaded question
He said how do you feel about me
My mind was racing, I was pacing
But the word just wouldn't come
And there was only one thing
Left to do I feel it coming on
[Chorus: x2]
You gotta loosen up those chains and dance
Come on and loosen up those chains and dance
In James Taylor's Some Days You Gotta Dance, the lyrics focus on the need to let loose and have fun in life, no matter what challenges come our way. The first verse describes a situation where the boss is angry and yelling at employees on a Friday afternoon. The singer of the song feels trapped and scared, and he decides to escape the situation by running away. The chorus then comes in, urging the listener to dance and live life to the fullest, especially when situations can be difficult.
In the second verse, the song tells the story of the singer talking with his partner over a glass of tea, and his partner asks a loaded question. The singer feels nervous and unable to answer, so once again, he turns to dancing to help him feel better. The entire song is a reminder that life can be tough, and we all need to find ways to cope with challenges. In this case, that means letting loose and dancing away our stresses.
In conclusion, Some Days You Gotta Dance is a feel-good song that encourages listeners to embrace joy and happiness, even when life is difficult. The lyrics are a reminder that sometimes, we just need to let loose and dance to feel better.
Line by Line Meaning
It was about five till five on Friday
It was almost the end of the workweek, and the day was almost over.
We were all getting ready to go
Everyone was preparing to leave work and start their weekend.
And the boss man started screaming
The boss became angry.
And his veins began to show
The boss became visibly angry, and his veins popped out.
He said you and you come with me
The boss singled out two people and told them to follow him.
Cause you're gonna have to stay
The boss wanted the two people to stay at work for a longer period.
My heart was thumping, I was jumping
The singer was scared and anxious.
I had to get away
The artist wanted to leave the situation as quickly as possible.
Some days you gotta dance
Sometimes, you need to let loose and enjoy life.
Live it up when you get the chance
Take advantage of opportunities to have fun and enjoy life.
Cause when the world doesn't make no sense
When life becomes chaotic and confusing.
And you're feeling just a little too tense
When you feel stressed and overwhelmed.
Gotta loosen up those chains and dance
Relax and have fun to release stress and tension.
Well, I was talking with my baby
The singer was having a conversation with their significant other.
Over a small glass of tea
They were having a casual conversation over a drink.
He asked the loaded question
Their significant other asked a difficult question.
He said how do you feel about me
Their significant other asked for their opinion on their relationship.
My mind was racing, I was pacing
The singer was feeling anxious and couldn't think straight.
But the word just wouldn't come
The singer couldn't find the right words to express their feelings.
And there was only one thing
The artist realized there was only one way to deal with the situation.
Left to do I feel it coming on
They realized they needed to dance to release their feelings and emotions.
You gotta loosen up those chains and dance
Have fun and let go of your worries to feel happy and free.
Come on and loosen up those chains and dance
Encouragement to dance and enjoy life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: TROY KENT N JOHNSON, MARSHALL MORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind