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.
Sunshine Sunshine
James Taylor Lyrics
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They possess you, bless you, sunshine, now you can never let them down, I say sunshine.
Sunshine, sunshine, is that a cloud across your smile or did you dream again last night?
It's best you rest inside a while as blue doesn't seem to suit you right.
Things ain't what they used to be, pain and rain and misery.
Illness in the family and sunshine means a lot to me, I say sunshine.
But could it be Sunshine is drifting with midnight and lonely when everyone's gone?
Blue crystal spirits and gardens in moonlight
Leave weak alone and bleak all quiet and grey by dawn.
Sunshine, sunshine rising to late to chase the cold and failing to change the frost to dew.
She's trading her mood of yellow gold for frost bitten shades of silver-blue.
Friends and lovers past and gone and no one waiting further on,
I'm running short of things to be and sunshine means quiet a lot to me, I say sunshine.
Sunshine, sunshine...
The lyrics of James Taylor's song Sunshine Sunshine evokes a feeling of joy and positive energy, with the sounds of laughter and smiling faces all around. The lyrics seem to suggest that when surrounded by positivity, one can never let it go, hence 'now you can never let them down'. The chorus of the song, 'Sunshine, sunshine', is a repeated affirmation of the positive energy that's been mentioned throughout the song. However, it seems like despite being surrounded by all this positivity, the singer seems to be struggling to maintain it, hence the lines 'is that a cloud across your smile or did you dream again last night? It's best you rest inside a while as blue doesn't seem to suit you right.'
The song seems to depict the idea that even when everything seems to be going right, there's always a possibility that things can take a turn for the worse, as suggested by the lines 'illness in the family and sunshine means a lot to me.' It is a reminder that while positivity is important, it doesn't negate the fact that life is unpredictable and dynamic, and that there can be moments of struggle, pain and darkness. Nonetheless, the song ends on a positive note, with the singer acknowledging that even in the midst of struggles and adversity, 'sunshine means quite a lot' to them, emphasizing the importance of positivity in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Sounds of laughter, here comes sunshine, smiling faces all around.
Surrounded by happiness, good people and good opportunities, life is good and full of promise.
They possess you, bless you, sunshine, now you can never let them down, I say sunshine.
Once in the presence of positivity and good people, they have a powerful and positive impact on you, making it imperative to always stay in that state.
Sunshine, sunshine, is that a cloud across your smile or did you dream again last night?
When a person is constantly in a state of sunshine, it's easy to notice when their mood falters, and it's normal to suggest they take a break and rejuvenate.
It's best you rest inside a while as blue doesn't seem to suit you right.
Taking a break and stepping away from the joyous environment will help the person alleviate the temporary blues they're experiencing.
Things ain't what they used to be, pain and rain and misery.
Life is filled with challenges that bring pain, unhappiness and rainy days.
Illness in the family and sunshine means a lot to me, I say sunshine.
When life is dark and gloomy, sunshine represents hope and positivity, providing a much-needed light in dark times.
But could it be Sunshine is drifting with midnight and lonely when everyone's gone?
Despite the positivity, there could be fears of solitude have crept up, leading to more somber thoughts at night.
Blue crystal spirits and gardens in moonlight, leave weak alone and bleak all quiet and grey by dawn.
Dreams of melancholy only serve to perpetuate negative thoughts and feelings, leaving one feeling worse than they did before.
Sunshine, sunshine rising too late to chase the cold and failing to change the frost to dew.
When things have been too negative for too long, it's not always possible to turn things around quickly and create a more positive atmosphere.
She's trading her mood of yellow gold for frost bitten shades of silver-blue.
The person's optimism is fading, leading them to feel more downtrodden and hopeless.
Friends and lovers past and gone and no one waiting further on, I'm running short of things to be and sunshine means quite a lot to me, I say sunshine.
When there's no one or nothing to hold onto in life, hope can come in the form of lingering sunshine, providing some light in what is otherwise a dark world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR, JAMES V TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind