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.
Valentine's Day
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fin to fin and side to side.
For fishy love has now begun,
Fishy love, finny fun.
Paper moon, paper heart, pink balloon,
Work of art.
Al Capone, Bugs Moran, Valentine's Day.
Dirty rat, through the heart Cupid's dart, Valentine's Day.
Oh, day to repay the one that you love,
Gentlemen, take off your hats as I speak thereof.
Just a brief break from the push and the shove,
We may go a few rounds without boxing gloves.
Land your punch, I stand my ground,
We break for lunch and a second round.
We set them up, we knock them down,
Valentine's Day.
Me and you, you and him, him and her,
Us and them, we keep score love as war, Valentine's Day.
I lost my teeth, I lost my hair,
I lost my mind, you don't care.
Love is war, all is fair on Valentine's Day.
The lyrics of James Taylor's song "Valentine's Day" capture the essence of the occasion that it's named after - a day of love and affection. The first verse of the song talks about the fishes gliding beneath the tide, which represents the beginning of new romance or love. It also highlights the fun and playful nature of love, as the fishes swim fin to fin and side to side. The second verse of the song brings to mind the commercialization of Valentine's Day - with paper moon, paper heart, and pink balloons being symbols of love that are manufactured and sold for the occasion. The mention of Al Capone, Bugs Moran, bootleg gin, porkpie hat, and the Dew Drop Inn in the same verse brings out the contrast between the glamour and the grit of the day. It also hints at a time when Valentine's Day was celebrated differently than it is today. The third verse of the song brings out the intensity of love, referring to it as a battle or a boxing match. However, it also highlights the idea of a truce - a brief break from the push and shove of daily life. The last verse of the song refers to the loss of physicality, with the singer having lost his teeth, hair, and mind, but his love remains the same.
Overall, the song is about the many facets of Valentine's Day - from the frivolous symbolization of love through paper hearts, pink balloons, and paper moons to the intense passion and emotions that the day brings out in people. It also explores the contrast between the commercialization of Valentine's Day and the idea of it being a day to show love and appreciation. Through the reference to fishes, the song conveys the idea of love being transient and always new, like the waves of the tide.
Line by Line Meaning
Beneath the tide the fishes glide, Fin to fin and side to side.
Fish are swimming side by side, reflecting the start of a new season of love and having fun.
Paper moon, paper heart, pink balloon, Work of art.
Creating romantic gestures in the form of beautiful works of art to celebrate Valentine's Day.
Al Capone, Bugs Moran, Valentine's Day. Bootleg gin, porkpie hat, dew Drop Inn, Dirty rat, through the heart Cupid's dart, Valentine's Day.
Suggesting that love is a complicated and dangerous game, with a connection to infamous and violent figures from history.
Oh, day to repay the one that you love, Gentlemen, take off your hats as I speak thereof.
Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to remember and thank the person you love, with respect and honor.
Just a brief break from the push and the shove, We may go a few rounds without boxing gloves.
Valentine's Day is the chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and spend time with your loved one without any stress or conflict.
Land your punch, I stand my ground, We break for lunch and a second round. We set them up, we knock them down, Valentine's Day.
Relationships may involve ups and downs, but the lovers always stand by each other's side and fight together, taking small breaks and bouncing back stronger.
Me and you, you and him, him and her, Us and them, we keep score love as war, Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day reflects the complex dynamics of relationships, where everything is fair and one should be ready to fight for the person they love.
I lost my teeth, I lost my hair, I lost my mind, you don't care. Love is war, all is fair on Valentine's Day.
In the difficult times of aging, the love between two people remains strong and battle-ready, even if it's not always perfect.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN CARDON DEBNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind