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 Water Is Wide
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't cross over
And neither have I wings to fly
Build me a boat
That can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I
There is a ship
She's loaded deep
As deep can be
But not so deep
As the love I'm in
I know not how I sink or swim
Oh love is handsome
And love is fine
The sweetest flower
When first it's new
But love grows old
And waxes cold
And fades away like Summer dew
Build me a boat
That can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I
And both shall row, my love and I
The Water is Wide is a traditional folk song that has been covered numerous times in various genres, including James Taylor's rendition. The song tells the story of a lover's plea to cross over the wide water with his beloved. However, he lacks the means to do so, and thus calls upon his love to help him build a boat that can carry them both. The repetition of "build me a boat that can carry two" creates the impression that the singer is determined to find a way to cross over to be with his love.
The second stanza of the song introduces the concept of the emotional depth of love, demonstrated by the image of a ship that is "loaded deep" but not as deep as the singer's love. The use of this metaphorical image reinforces the idea that love is a force that can encompass and embody one's entire being. The repetition of "I know not how I sink or swim" suggests uncertainty and vulnerability, as if the singer is unsure of whether his love will be enough to get him across the wide water safely.
The final stanza of the song carries a message about the transience of love. The beauty of love is compared to that of a "sweetest flower," but as time passes, it can "grow old and wax cold" until it disappears like "Summer dew." This is a reminder that love must be nurtured and that relationships require work to maintain. Ultimately, the song's melancholic tone reflects the bittersweet nature of love—the beauty, uncertainty, and transience that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
The water is wide
The expanse of water ahead seems daunting and insurmountable.
I can't cross over
I am unable to traverse the great distance of the water myself.
And neither have I wings to fly
I possess no means to overcome this barrier with flight.
Build me a boat
Could you please make me a vessel for transport?
That can carry two
It must be able to carry both me and my beloved.
And both shall row, my love and I
We will work in concert, each using an oar to propel the boat forward.
There is a ship
I am not the first to attempt such a journey.
And she sails the sea
Others have already traveled far and wide on the vast ocean.
She's loaded deep
She is heavily laden with cargo.
As deep can be
Her payload reaches the greatest depths.
But not so deep
But still, her weight does not compare to the depths of the love in my heart.
As the love I'm in
My love is all-encompassing and overwhelming.
I know not how I sink or swim
My love is so powerful that it can both buoy me and bring me down, and I am uncertain of what will happen next.
Oh love is handsome
Love is attractive and has many desirable qualities.
And love is fine
Love is delicate and refined.
The sweetest flower
Love is like the most beautiful blossom in the garden.
When first it's new
At the beginning of love, everything is fresh and exciting.
But love grows old
Over time, love can become less exciting and more ordinary.
And waxes cold
Love can become stale and lose its passion.
And fades away like Summer dew
Love can disappear as quickly as the morning dew evaporates in the sunlight.
Build me a boat
Once again, I implore you to create a conveyance for me.
That can carry two
Just as before, it must be suitable for both of us.
And both shall row, my love and I
Together, we will navigate the tricky waters and overcome any obstacles in our path.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ceciliana ferreira
O mar é enorme
O mar enorme, Eu não consigo ver o fim
E nem tenho asas para voar
Dê-me um barco para dois
E ambos irão remar - o meu amor e eu
Agora o amor é suave, e o amor é gentil
a mais doce flor quando tudo é novo
mas o amor envelhece, cera fria
e desaparece como o orvalho da manhã
Há um barco, navegando no mar
Ele está carregado de profundidade, tão profundo quanto pode-se ser
Mas não tão profundo como o amor que eu sinto
Eu não sei se vou nadar ou afundar
O mar é enorme, Eu não consigo ver o final
E nem tenho asas para voar
Dê-me um barco para dois
E ambos irão remar - o meu amor e eu
Algum dia eu espero amar novamente.
Hachi-san
The water is wide, I can't cross over
And neither have the wings to try
To be a boat, that will carry two
And both shall row
My love and I
There is a ship, and she sails the sea
She’s loaded deep, as deep can be
But not so deep, as the love I’m in
I know not how, I’ll sink or swim
Oh love is handsome, and love is fine
the sweetest jul, when first is new
but love grows old and waxes cold
and fades away, like summer dew
Give me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row
My love and I
And both shall row
My love and I
SuperCarver2011
This beautiful song reminds me of the poem by William Butler Yeats..the
Irish poet..Lake Isle of Innisfree...somehow the song and the poem seem
to go together...a peaceful existence desired by all.
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.
andresusant
"The Water Is Wide"
The water is wide, I can't cross over, and neither have I wings to fly.
Build me a boat that can carry two and both shall row, my love and I.
There is a ship and she sails the sea. She's loaded deep, as deep can be.
But not so deep as the love I'm in, I know not how I sink or swim.
Oh love is handsome and love is fine, the sweetest flower when first it's new.
But love grows old and waxes cold and fades away like Summer dew.
Build me a boat that can carry two and both shall row, my love and I,
And both shall row, my love and I.
Bernard Barry
I saw him do this in Dublin. The whole audience sang it with him in full voice. Wonderful!!!
Laurie Masters
I would have loved to have been there.
asandl
I would have loved to have seen it on video! So cool that the entire audience knows the song!
John Frawley
James Taylor is one of the most genuine and talented vocalists/musicians/songwriters to grace our stage in modern times. He's the real deal.
penny miller
Yes he is
Mike Tesmer
I never knew the history behind this song. I of course first heard it by James Taylor. It has very old roots and recorded by hundreds of people changing the name and lyrics. Mostly because the composer is unknown. However, any song that James Taylor does is beautiful.
LECHRIS
ha FALSE he is not
Iris Gujer
I love this song so much. My darling sang it to me on New year Eve. All the way from Philippines. I love him so much. Thanks Sweetness.😘💕
boston905
One of the most beautiful renditions of this old traditional ballad EVER. No one comes close to that voice.
Alejandro Klein
Beautiful, moving song. Long life to you, James Taylor