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.
Winter Wonderland
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the lane, snow is glistenin'
Beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Gone away is a bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song as we roll along
In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say "Are you married?" we'll say "No man, no"
But you can do the job, when you're in town
Later on we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid the plans that we've made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Yeah
In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say "Are you married?" we'll say "No man, no"
But you can do the job, when you're in town
Later on we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid the plans that we've made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Walking in a winter wonderland, yeah
Walking in a winter wonderland
The lyrics of "Winter Wonderland" by James Taylor create a joyous and cheerful atmosphere that reflects the magic of winter. The opening lines "Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'? / In the lane, snow is glistenin'" set the tone of the song and give a sense of the surroundings. The snow-covered streets and the sound of bells ringing create a peaceful and playful mood that can be interpreted as a call to forget about the rush of everyday life and enjoy the pleasures of winter.
As the song progresses, the lyrics mention a "new bird" that has arrived and sings a love song. This can be seen as a metaphor for a new beginning or a fresh start, indicating a new chapter in life where love and joy can be experienced. The lyrics then take on a more playful tone with the mention of building a snowman, pretending he is Parson Brown, and answering his question on whether they are married.
The final verse speaks of sitting by the fire and dreaming about the future with excitement and anticipation, ready to face it with bravery and confidence. The song is an ode to the beauty of winter and the joy it brings, while emphasizing the importance of being present in the moment and enjoying life's simple pleasures.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleigh bells ring are you listenin'?
Can you hear the sound of the bells on the sleigh?
In the lane, snow is glistenin'
Snow is shining brightly in the street
Beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
What a lovely view it is making us very happy this evening
Walking in a winter wonderland
We are walking and enjoying the beautiful winter scenery
Gone away is the bluebird
The bluebird is no longer present
Here to stay is the new bird
But a new bird has arrived and is here to stay
He sings a love song as we roll along
The new bird is singing a love song as we continue our journey
Walking in a winter wonderland
We are continuing our walk in the beautiful winter world
In the meadow we can build a snowman
We can make a snowman in the open field
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
We can imagine that the snowman is a reverend called Parson Brown
He'll say 'Are you married?' we'll say 'No man, no'
The pretend Parson will ask if we are married, and we'll reply no
But you can do the job when you're in town
But you can perform a marriage ceremony when you are in town
Later on we'll conspire
Later we will plan secretly
As we dream by the fire
As we are dreaming by the fireplace
To face unafraid the plans we've made
We will not fear the plans we've made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Still walking and enjoying winter's beauty
Yeah
Just an interjection to acknowledge and agree with what was just said.
Walking in a winter wonderland
Final line confirming that they continue to walk in the winter wonderland.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard B. Smith, Felix Bernard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind