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.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The women folk would hide, they'd hide.
When Liberty Valance walked around,
The men would step aside
Because the point of a gun
Was the only law that Liberty understood.
When it came to shooting straight and fast,
He was mighty good.
From out of the east a stranger came,
A law book in his hand.
A man, the kind of man the west would need
To ease a troubled land.
Because the point of a gun
Was the only law that Liberty understood.
When it came to shooting straight and fast,
He was mighty good.
Many a man would face his gun
And many a man would fall.
The man who shot Liberty Valance,
He shot Liberty Valance,
He was the bravest of them all.
Now the love of a woman can make a man
Stay on when he should go, stay on.
Just trying to build a peaceful life
Where love is free to go.
But the point of a gun
Was the only law that Liberty understood.
When it came to shooting straight and fast,
He was mighty good.
Alone and afraid she prayed that he'd return
That fateful night, that night.
When nothing she said could keep her man
From going out to fight.
But the point of a gun
Was the only law that Liberty understood.
When it came to shooting straight and fast,
He was mighty good.
Out in the sun, two shots rang out,
The shots made Liberty fall.
The man who shot Liberty Valance,
He shot Liberty Valance
He was the bravest of them all.
James Taylor's song "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is a haunting ballad that tells a story of a dangerous gunslinger named Liberty Valance who is feared by everyone in town, including the women. Liberty is a law unto himself and the only thing he understands is the point of a gun. The men in town have learned to step aside when he is around. But when a stranger comes to town, bringing with him a law book, the men see hope of a peaceful future in the west. However, Liberty Valance does not take kindly to the stranger and tries to scare him away by shooting at him. The stranger wants to avoid violence but ends up challenging Liberty to a duel, which he wins. The man who shot Liberty Valance, the bravest of them all, falls in love with a woman who prays for his safe return when he goes out to fight. He manages to build a peaceful life for them, but he knows that in the west, the only law that is respected is the point of a gun.
At its core, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is a meditation on the myth of the west and the struggle between law and order, and chaos and violence. The lyrics paint a picture of a world where men are judged by their ability to shoot and violence is the only currency that counts. The stranger represents the arrival of the rule of law in the west, but he has to become that which he fought against to achieve his goal. The song is a commentary on the human cost of trying to impose order on a world that is fundamentally chaotic.
Line by Line Meaning
When Liberty Valance came to town,
Whenever the notorious outlaw Liberty Valance arrived in town,
The women folk would hide, they'd hide.
The women would immediately hide, fearing for their safety.
When Liberty Valance walked around,
At any time Liberty Valance was present,
The men would step aside
The men would step back, intimidated by his reputation and power.
Because the point of a gun
Given that Liberty Valance only respected the use of firearms,
Was the only law that Liberty understood.
The only way to confront him was with violent force.
When it came to shooting straight and fast,
Liberty Valance was widely known for his skill with guns, especially in terms of precision and quickness.
He was mighty good.
He was exceptionally talented in this area.
From out of the east a stranger came,
One day, a stranger arrived from the east.
A law book in his hand.
This stranger carried a book of laws with him, indicating he was a lawyer.
A man, the kind of man the west would need
This was the sort of individual who could help bring stability to the west.
To ease a troubled land.
His presence could potentially alleviate some of the issues plaguing the town.
Many a man would face his gun
Liberty Valance confronted many men, demanding they follow his way of doing things.
And many a man would fall.
A number of these men would end up being killed by Liberty Valance.
The man who shot Liberty Valance,
However, one man was brave enough to stand up to Liberty Valance and challenge him.
He shot Liberty Valance,
This individual managed to shoot and kill Liberty Valance in a confrontation.
He was the bravest of them all.
This act of courage established him as the most courageous, fearless person in town.
Now the love of a woman can make a man
This song suggests that the love of a woman can alter a man's decisions and actions.
Stay on when he should go, stay on.
Even if he should leave or avoid danger, his love for this woman might keep him around.
Just trying to build a peaceful life
This man was attempting to start a tranquil, enjoyable existence.
Where love is free to go.
He wants an environment where love can flourish without fear or interference.
Alone and afraid she prayed that he'd return
She was all alone and scared, praying that he would come back unharmed.
That fateful night, that night.
This specific night was significant and dramatic.
When nothing she said could keep her man
Despite all that this woman said, she couldn't convince her man to avoid confrontation with Liberty Valance.
From going out to fight.
He was determined to challenge Liberty Valance in a gunfight.
Out in the sun, two shots rang out,
In a public area, two gunshots were heard by everyone nearby.
The shots made Liberty fall.
These gunshots resulted in Liberty Valance being fatally wounded and collapsing.
He shot Liberty Valance
This is repeated in order to emphasize the bravery and significance of the man who killed Liberty Valance.
He was the bravest of them all.
This final line is a repetition and affirmation of the man's bravery and heroism.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, HAL DAVID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind