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.
Riding On The Railroad
James Taylor & Carole King Lyrics
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Forever standing by the cross road.
Take a side and step along.
We are sailing away on a river to the sea.
Maybe you an me can meet again.
We are riding on a railroad, singing someone else's song
Sing along.
Time to time I tire of the life that I've been leading
There's a man up here who claims to have his hands upon the reins.
There are chains upon his hands and he's riding upon a train.
We are riding on a railroad, singing some else's song
Forever standing by the cross road.
Take a side and step along.
We are sailing away on a river to the sea.
Maybe you an me can meet again.
We are riding on a railroad, singing someone else's song.
The opening lines of James Taylor's song "Riding on a Railroad" set the scene of the song with the repetition of the line "We are riding on a railroad, singing someone else's song." This line suggests that the singer and his fellow passengers are not in charge of their journey and that their lives are being directed by someone else. This message is reinforced throughout the song, with lines like "There's a man up here who claims to have his hands upon the reins. There are chains upon his hands and he's riding upon a train." These lyrics suggest that the singer and his fellow passengers feel confined to their current path and are unable to deviate from it. The line "Forever standing by the cross road. Take a side and step along" suggests that while they may not have control over their journey, they do have the ability to choose their own path in life.
Taylor's lyrics also touch on themes of weariness and longing for change. The line "Time to time I tire of the life that I've been leading Town to town, day by day" suggests a sense of monotony and restlessness in the singer's life. The line "Maybe you an me can meet again" expresses a desire for connection and the hope for a change in circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
We are riding on a railroad, singing some else's song
We are moving forward in life, following someone else's lead
Forever standing by the cross road.
Always at a crossroads, deciding which path to take next.
Take a side and step along.
Choose a path and keep moving forward.
We are sailing away on a river to the sea.
We are leaving behind old ways and moving towards a new beginning.
Maybe you and me can meet again.
We may cross paths again in the future.
Sing along.
Join in with the journey and follow the leader.
Time to time I tire of the life that I've been leading.
Occasionally I become dissatisfied with my current path in life.
Town to town, day by day.
Travelling through life, never in one place for too long.
There's a man up here who claims to have his hands upon the reins.
There is someone in control, but it's not always clear who that is.
There are chains upon his hands and he's riding upon a train.
The one in control may be held back by external forces.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR, JAMES V TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind