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.
dance
James Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kick up your heels and dance
Don't be nervous, don't be shy
And give yourself a chance
You can dance
Kick off your shoes and lose your blues
Pick em up, Lord, put em back down
And around, and around, and around, and around.
Come on, baby, it must be fun
To be dancin' in the clear moonlight
Otherwise, would everyone be out on
Such a cold and windy night?
We can dance.
Throw yourself away
Holy month of may
You can dance.
Listen to the music of the steel guitar
Don't it sound good
Hey now, nobody here tonight came to look at you,
No, no, no
Well I bet you five dollars that somebody starts a fire
Back in the woods, hey now
Everybody here tonight came to boogie
Have a good time, too
Come on, baby, while the moon is high
Kick up your heels and dance
Don't be nervous, don't be shy
And give yourself a chance
You can dance
Kick off your shoes and lose your blues
Pick em up, Lord, put em back down
And around, and around, and around, and around
If I could lose my mind
If I could throw myself away.
The song Dance by James Taylor is an invitation to dance in the moonlight. It starts with an encouraging message to the listener, asking them to let go of their nervousness and shyness and dance with abandon. The lyrics depict the enjoyment of freeing oneself from the constraints of the everyday world and indulging in the simple pleasure of dancing. The lyrics urge the listener to dance, kick off their shoes and lose their blues. The repetitive lines of “And around, and around, and around, and around” convey the jubilance of the moment.
Taylor then asks the listener to observe the music of the steel guitar and appreciate its sound. He also reassures the listener that nobody came to look at them. He further adds that the people out there came to boogie and have a good time. James Taylor is trying to create an ambiance of celebration and joy in the song.
The last few lines, “If I could lose my mind, if I could throw myself away” suggest that he is lost in the addictive pleasure of dancing that he wouldn’t mind losing his mind. Thus, the song Dance is an exhortation to enjoy the moment, to let go of one's worries and have a carefree night.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on, baby, while the moon is high
Let's start dancing because it's a beautiful night with a bright and clear moon.
Kick up your heels and dance
Let's have fun and dance energetically.
Don't be nervous, don't be shy
Don't feel anxious or hesitant about dancing because it's a friendly and inclusive environment.
And give yourself a chance
Have confidence in yourself and your abilities to dance and enjoy the moment.
You can dance
Remember that dancing is something anyone can do and enjoy.
Kick off your shoes and lose your blues
Take off your shoes, relax, and forget about any worries or negative feelings.
Pick em up, Lord, put em back down
Move your feet to the rhythm and enjoy yourself.
And around, and around, and around, and around.
Keep dancing in circles and enjoy the moment until the moon goes down.
Come on, baby, it must be fun
Dancing is a wonderful and entertaining activity especially in the moonlight.
To be dancin' in the clear moonlight
The bright moonlight provides an ideal setting for dancing and having a good time with others.
Otherwise, would everyone be out on
If it wasn't fun, why else would anyone be out in the cold and windy night to dance?
Such a cold and windy night?
Despite the chilly weather, people are still willing to come out and have fun dancing together.
We can dance.
All of us can dance and have fun together.
Throw yourself away
Get lost in the music and the moment to truly enjoy dancing.
Holy month of may
May is a month of celebration and festivities, so let's enjoy it by dancing.
Listen to the music of the steel guitar
Pay attention to the beautiful sounds of the steel guitar and let it inspire your dancing.
Don't it sound good
The music is so enjoyable and upbeat, it's hard not to start dancing right away.
Hey now, nobody here tonight came to look at you,
Everyone is here to enjoy themselves and have fun dancing, not to judge or scrutinize others.
No, no, no
There's no need to feel self-conscious or worry about how you look when you're dancing.
Well I bet you five dollars that somebody starts a fire
There's so much energy and excitement in the air, it wouldn't be a surprise if someone started a spontaneous dance party or celebration.
Back in the woods, hey now
The party and dancing could potentially continue in a more secluded area, like the woods.
Everybody here tonight came to boogie
Everyone came here to dance and have a great time.
Have a good time, too
Enjoy the moment and have fun dancing with everyone else.
If I could lose my mind
It would be amazing to lose oneself in the music and the energy of the moment to dance without abandon.
If I could throw myself away.
To truly enjoy the moment and the music, it would be great to let go of any inhibitions and dance with freedom.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MATTHEW ROBERT TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind