Taylor and King first met - briefly - in the 60s at the Night Owl Café in Greenwich Village. James was a shy teenager. Carole, although only in her mid-twenties, was already a legendary songwriter, but not yet a performer. She began finding her way toward being comfortable as an entertainer as part of James Taylor's band. Taylor's version of King's "You've Got a Friend" became a number one hit in the summer of 1971 and won a Grammy. In that same year, King's album 'Tapestry' reached number one and stayed there for a remarkable 15 weeks. It would eventually sell 22 million copies. Despite this success, King carried on touring with Taylor. They played L.A.'s Troubadour in the spring for a two-week co-starring run.'
At Thanksgiving in 2007, James and Carole returned to the Troubadour for a sentimental journey through their old set list, including performances of the pair's most beloved hits such as "You've Got a Friend", King's "So Far Away," "It's Too Late," and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?", as well as Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind," "Sweet Baby James," and "Fire and Rain," to name just a few.
Machine Gun Kelly
James Taylor & Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you understand what happened to Machine Gun Kelly?
I'll tell you about Machine Gun Kelly
He rode along the outlaw trail
Machine Gun Kelly was a simple man
But the woman was as hard as hell
Don't let her run you round
Don't let a woman put you six feet in the ground
Machine Gun (yes indeed)
I'll tell you about Katherine Kelly
Tired of being such small time, now
Figured they'd kidnap a rich man's son
Make it in the world of crime
Watch out Machine Gun
Don't let her run you round
Don't let a woman put you six feet in the ground
Machine Gun
You'd better watch out Machine Gun Kelly
Careful of what you do, now
If you keep listening to your old lady
Ain't no telling what'll happen to you, now
Machine Gun
The government boys they came for Machine Gun
Took the poor boy away
They stuck him in a hole in a Leavenworth prison
Where he lived until his dying day
Watch out Machine Gun
Don't let her put you down
Don't let the woman make you out to be a clown
Machine Gun
Watch out, Machine Gun
The lyrics to James Taylor’s “Machine Gun Kelly” tell the story of infamous gangster Machine Gun Kelly and his wife Katherine, who became involved in a kidnapping scheme. The song advises Machine Gun Kelly to watch out for his wife and not let her control him, as they embark on a life of crime. The cautionary message is clear: the criminal world is no place for levity, and it’s easy to get into serious trouble when you’re in too deep.
Machine Gun Kelly, born George Kelly Barnes, was a notorious gangster in the 1930s. He gained his nickname due to his favored weapon, a Thompson submachine gun. His wife Katherine was known as the “mother of Machine Gun Kelly’s gang,” and was heavily involved in his criminal enterprises. In 1933, the couple and several others kidnapped oil tycoon Charles F. Urschel and held him for ransom. Despite collecting $200,000, Kelly and his gang were eventually caught and sentenced to prison, where Kelly remained until his death in 1954.
“Machine Gun Kelly” speaks to the allure and danger of a life of crime. The lyrics warn against getting too involved with criminality, and the story of Machine Gun Kelly is a classic example of how things can go wrong quickly. James Taylor’s delivery of the lyrics is haunting and understated, lending weight to the song’s message.
Line by Line Meaning
This is not a time for levity
Serious topic that deserves attention
Do you understand what happened to Machine Gun Kelly?
Asking if you know the background story of Machine Gun Kelly
I'll tell you about Machine Gun Kelly
Introducing the topic
He rode along the outlaw trail
He was a criminal
Machine Gun Kelly was a simple man
He was not educated, wealthy or had any significant characteristics
But the woman was as hard as hell
His partner was tough and cold-hearted
Watch out Machine Gun
Be wary of your actions, Machine Gun
Don't let her run you round
Don't allow her to dominate or manipulate you
Don't let a woman put you six feet in the ground
Don't let a woman lead you to your death
Machine Gun (yes indeed)
Emphasizing the name of the topic
I'll tell you about Katherine Kelly
Introducing another character
Tired of being such small time, now
Unhappy with their current situation
Figured they'd kidnap a rich man's son
They planned to commit a crime
Make it in the world of crime
Achieve success in the world of crime
You'd better watch out Machine Gun Kelly
Be careful, Machine Gun Kelly
Careful of what you do, now
Be cautious about your actions
If you keep listening to your old lady
If you keep following your partner's orders
Ain't no telling what'll happen to you, now
There's no way to predict what could happen to you
The government boys they came for Machine Gun
Authorities arrested Machine Gun Kelly
Took the poor boy away
He was removed from society
They stuck him in a hole in a Leavenworth prison
He was imprisoned in Leavenworth, in terrible conditions
Where he lived until his dying day
He remained in prison until he died
Don't let her put you down
Don't allow her to make you feel inferior
Don't let the woman make you out to be a clown
Don't let her make you look foolish
Machine Gun
Repeating the name of the topic
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Danny Kortchmar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind