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.
Sun on the Moon
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My ducks are all in a row.
They do not change, they do not move,
They have nowhere to go.
I've been talking to a friend of mine,
He says making money's just a waste of time.
He's a lazy gent, he don't pay no rent,
He's all bent out of shape from living in a tent.
More, more, Daddy gimme some,
Gimme some more, more, Daddy gimme some more.
Some kind of funny looking money machine it is, Saddest looking people that I've ever seen.
Living in a hole, body and soul,
Strung out on the company dole.
One for a nickel and two for a dime,
Time may be money but your money won't buy time.
In line, in line, it's all in a line,
My ducks are all in a row,
They do not shift, they do not move,
They have nowhere to go.
Me and my flea we were down by the water,
Fell in a hole with Superman's daughter.
Living alone, chewing on a bone,
Pretty as homemade sin.
She had to be high by the look in her eye,
Her hands were wet and her mouth was dry.
The sun on the moon, the sun on the moon,
The sun on the moon made a mighty nice light.
Bow wow wow, honk your horn.
In line, in line, it's all in a line,
My ducks are all in a row,
They do not shift, they do not move,
They have nowhere to go.
Sometimes I'm hungry,
I don't know what to do.
You can take a taco to Katama too.
The lyrics of James Taylor's song 'Sun on the Moon' carry a strong sense of monotony within it. He uses the metaphorical phrase "My ducks are all in a row" meaning that everything is lined up and in order. And that things are constant and unchanging. The phrase "They do not change, they do not move, They have nowhere to go" portrays the idea of someone being stuck in their routine, where their life has become mundane, and they see no way out. The song also highlights the idea that people are more often than not, locked up in their own world where making money has become an obsession.
The line "Time may be money but your money won't buy time" talks about how people are wasting their time, working and making money but not realizing that time once lost is lost forever. Even though the song puts forward a dark theme, Taylor's voice, and the upbeat tempo of the song are in sharp contrast to the bleak lyrics. The line "Living alone, chewing on a bone, Pretty as homemade sin" is a metaphorical representation of how people are living their lives without any passion, and although there is grace in this dullness, it can get monotonous.
Line by Line Meaning
In line, in line, it's all in line,
Everything is in order and organized.
My ducks are all in a row.
Everything is in order and organized.
They do not change, they do not move, They have nowhere to go.
Everything is in order and organized, and there is no need for change or movement.
I've been talking to a friend of mine,
The artist has been having a conversation with a friend.
He says making money's just a waste of time.
According to the artist's friend, there is no point in trying to make money.
He's a lazy gent, he don't pay no rent, He's all bent out of shape from living in a tent.
The friend the singer is referring to is lazy, he doesn't pay rent, and he's upset about living in a tent.
It's hard to hear what he has to say cause Everyone around me is just the same way.
The singer has difficulty hearing what the friend has to say, since everyone else around him is like-minded and holds similar views.
More, more, Daddy gimme some, Gimme some more, more, Daddy gimme some more.
The artist is asking for more, likely more material goods or money.
Some kind of funny looking money machine it is, Saddest looking people that I've ever seen.
The artist is observing a sad and depressing situation involving a money-making scheme.
Living in a hole, body and soul, Strung out on the company dole.
The people the artist is observing are in a difficult and challenging situation, relying on their employer for support.
One for a nickel and two for a dime, Time may be money but your money won't buy time.
The old adage 'time is money' is mentioned, but ultimately money cannot truly make up for lost time.
Me and my flea we were down by the water, Fell in a hole with Superman's daughter.
The artist is telling a story about being by water and encountering a surprising situation.
Living alone, chewing on a bone, Pretty as homemade sin.
A person the singer has encountered is lonely and isolated, but physically attractive.
She had to be high by the look in her eye, Her hands were wet and her mouth was dry.
The woman the singer encountered seems to be under the influence of something, as evidenced by her dilated eyes and strange behavior.
The sun on the moon, the sun on the moon, The sun on the moon made a mighty nice light.
This line seems to be nonsense, as the sun cannot shine on the moon.
Bow wow wow, honk your horn.
This line seems to be non sensical, as it holds no particular meaning.
Sometimes I'm hungry, I don't know what to do.
The artist sometimes experiences hunger and isn't sure what to do about it.
You can take a taco to Katama too.
The singer is recommending that the listener take food with them to a specific venue.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DATo DATonian
I saw the Squibnocket concert on PBS when it was first aired. This song blew me away. Loved it the first time I heard it. It only tangentially makes sense till you dissect it and fill in the blanks, but it's the music that grabs you and throws you over your head. It has everything including shades of flamenco. The man is truly gifted - blessed with a musical sense that others can only dream of.
Mary Lynn Anderson
He’s phenomenal!
D C
This is my favorite song by him ... my mom is a big fan of his forever. when I was younger she would play his albums and I would always have her replay this song
Simone Devlin
"Sun On The Moon" there are so many components to a winning song! There are critically acclaimed musicians who pretend to have soul and there is J.T. who is living testimony.
PerthTowne
Love it! Sun on the Moon has always been one of my faves. More people should see this side of JT. He's terrific, and there is such a wide range in the types of songs he has written and performs. And I agree with a poster below. You have to see him perform live.
kdkeydude1
Listen to the words very carefully, and think of how they fit into today's world. James is a master of enlightening the masses through his songs ! God bless All !
Daniel Cronan
A favorite from Never Die Young. LOVE the face he makes at 2:55!!!!!!
Marcia Sathler
Amo!
Ethan Boyd
My generation has no idea that JT can jam and play sets and blow your mind. See this man live. John Prine is at it again too!
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Ethan Boyd
@Daniel Cronan You would be correct. I was one of the lucky ones.