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.
Taking It In
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Afternoon, bring it along,
Nighttime, show me a friend,
Say it again,
Send a good dream my way.
Wednesday, feeling just fine,
I got to say time on my hands.
Show me some fun,
Taking the sunshine in.
God knows you've got to give yourself
Time to think these days,
Lord knows you've got to take enough,
Time to look both ways,
The pieces fly by so quickly now.
Laura, look at you walk,
I swear you've got eyes in my head.
I'd like to follow you down,
Show you around, borrow the crown you wear.
Bacon, lie on the plate,
Two black-eyed peas wait on the side.
Gravy, chicken and rice, isn't it nice?
Tell me the price of the food.
What happens when the answers they give you aren't good enough?
What happens when it rains for eight days on your week off?
You know you can't buy tomorrow, no,
It's all a matter of opening up your eyes.
And looking around cause it's all there,
It's all there, I said taking the sunshine in.
The song "Taking It In" by James Taylor has been interpreted in many ways, but the main message of the song is to enjoy life's simple moments and to live in the present. The song is structured as a conversation between Taylor and different people he encounters throughout his day. He begins by asking morning to sing him a song, then asking afternoon to bring it along, and finally asking nighttime to show him a friend. This highlights the importance of cherishing the different moments of the day and the people we encounter. He then moves on to talk about the different days of the week and the emotions they bring, emphasizing Friday as a day for fun and taking in the sunshine.
The second half of the song deals with the heavier topics of taking time to think and reflect on life, and dealing with disappointment when things don't go as planned. The lyric "What happens when the answers they give you aren't good enough?" implies the struggle of accepting the harsh realities of life. But despite these setbacks, Taylor reminds us to keep an open mind and to appreciate what's around us because "it's all there."
Overall, "Taking It In" encourages the listener to pay attention to the world around them and to savor every moment because time moves quickly and we don't know what the future holds.
Line by Line Meaning
Morning, sing me a song,
As I wake up, I am requesting the sunrise to perform a beautiful melody for me.
Afternoon, bring it along,
As the day progresses, I am eager to discover any new opportunities or exciting things that are coming my way.
Nighttime, show me a friend,
As the night settles in, I am yearning for someone to keep me company or support me through tough times.
Say it again,
I am asking for the person to please repeat what they have said due to my inability to comprehend or hear them properly the first time.
Send a good dream my way.
Before I slumber, I am requesting a nice dream that can illuminate positivity and good energy in my life.
Wednesday, feeling just fine,
On this day of the week, I am feeling content, satisfied and comfortable.
I got to say time on my hands.
I have extra time available to me that allows me to focus on my hobbies or other activities that I generally don't have time for.
Friday, look at them run,
As the weekend approaches, I see everyone excitedly racing towards their weekend activities or plans.
Show me some fun,
I am requesting my peers or acquaintances to introduce me to some exciting and joyful activities that I can engage in.
Taking the sunshine in.
I am trying to stay optimistic and content by absorbing the pleasant and positive aspects of life and not letting the negative elements drag me down.
God knows you've got to give yourself
It is essential to give yourselves some space and time to think and relax regularly for one's well-being.
Time to think these days,
In current times, life can be chaotic and overwhelming, and taking a moment of silence to think can be beneficial.
Lord knows you've got to take enough,
It is equally important to take sufficient time to look after yourself and your loved ones.
Time to look both ways,
Taking a comprehensive look at both sides of an issue is crucial in making informed, fair decisions.
The pieces fly by so quickly now.
Time moves quickly, and we can get so swept up in the moment that the memory gets hazy and unclear.
Laura, look at you walk,
Laura's walking style is elegant and captivating to the point where it has caught the artist's attention and impressed him.
I swear you've got eyes in my head.
Laura's beauty and elegance are so mesmerising to the artist that he feels like he cannot look away from her.
I'd like to follow you down,
The singer wants to follow Laura to discover her personality, values, and character in general.
Show you around, borrow the crown you wear.
The singer wants to give a tour of his life or his sources of happiness to Laura, and he also wishes to partake in her lifestyle and live her experiences.
Bacon, lie on the plate,
A juicy, cooked-to-perfection bacon piece is placed on the artist's plate.
Two black-eyed peas wait on the side.
Two nicely prepared servings of black-eyed peas are placed on the side of the bacon piece.
Gravy, chicken and rice, isn't it nice?
The meal contains delicious gravies, chicken, and rice which are altogether yummy and delightful.
Tell me the price of the food.
The singer is curious about the cost of this lip-smacking meal.
What happens when the answers they give you aren't good enough?
The artist wants to know what happens when he receives undesired, disappointing or unsatisfactory answers that do not meet his expectations.
What happens when it rains for eight days on your week off?
The singer wants to know how one should react when undesired situations and obstacles persist for extended periods, even during one's time off.
You know you can't buy tomorrow, no,
The singer emphasizes that one cannot purchase or control the future, indicating that it is better to live in the current moment and appreciate life to the fullest.
It's all a matter of opening up your eyes.
The singer stands firm that it is essential to observe and identify the good elements in the world, rather than focusing on the negatives.
And looking around cause it's all there,
The artist states that there is an abundance of positive elements that surrounds each individual if only if they open up their eyes and look around.
I said taking the sunshine in.
The artist once again emphasises the importance of being optimistic, hopeful, and appreciative of the little things in life, suggesting that these attitudes are capable of illuminating your life just like the sun shines brightly.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR, JAMES V TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind