Graham played bass in the highly successful and influential funk band Sly & the Family Stone from 1967 to 1972. He pioneered the art of slap-pop playing on the electric bass, in part to provide percussive and rhythmic elements in addition to the notes of the bassline when the band lacked a drummer. This style has become archetypical of modern funk. Slap-pop playing couples a percussive thumb-slapping technique of the lower strings with an aggressive finger-snap of the higher strings, often in rhythmic alternation. The slap and pop technique incorporates a large ratio of muted (or 'ghost' tones) to normal notes, which adds to the rhythmic effect.
This "machine-gun" bass style was later used by such artists as Les Claypool, Bootsy Collins, Louis Johnson, Mark King, Flea, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, John Norwood Fisher, P-Nut, Danny McCormack, Matt Noveskey and Dirk Lance.
Upon the Family Stone's disintegration due to lead singer Sly Stone's drug addiction, Graham formed his own band, Graham Central Station. The name is a pun on Grand Central Station, the train station located in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Graham Central Station had several hits in the 1970s, including "Hair."
In the mid 1970s, Larry Graham worked with Betty Davis, the former second wife of jazz legend Miles Davis. Betty Davis' band included members of the Tower of Power horns and the Pointer Sisters, and she recorded three albums to critical acclaim but limited commercial success.
In 1975, Graham became a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses. In the early 1980s, Graham recorded five solo albums and had several solo hits. His biggest hit was "One in a Million, You", which reached number 9 on the Billboard chart in 1980.
He recorded another album in the late 1990s, with a new band using the Graham Central Station name. Two of the new members were former Family Stone bandmates Cynthia Robinson and Jerry Martini. He also toured with Prince as opening act in 1997 and 1998.
In 2007 he was invited to play in Minneapolis with the reformed Sly & the Family Stone, but declined because he was out of town. He did, however, appear onstage in Minneapolis on July 8th, 2007 with Prince at First Avenue.
One in a Million You
GRAHAM LARRY Lyrics
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I started to believe I'd never find anyone.
Doubt had tried to convince me to give in,
Said you can't win.
But one day the sun it came a shinin' through.
The rain had stopped, and the skies were blue.
And oh, what a revelation to see.
Someone was saying "I love you " to me.
A one in a million, chance of a lifetime.
And life showed compassion.
And sent to me a stroke of love called you.
A one in a million you.
I was a lonely man with empty arms to fill.
Then I found a piece of happiness to call my own.
And life is worth living again.
For to love you to me is to live.
A one in a million, chance of a lifetime.
And life showed compassion.
And sent to me a stroke of love called you.
A one in a million you.
A one in a million, chance of a lifetime.
And life showed compassion.
And sent to me a stroke of love called you.
A one in a million you.
The lyrics to Graham Larry's "One in a Million You" tell the story of a person who has been through heartbreak and disappointment in love but finally finds their "one in a million" soulmate. The beginning of the song echoes the feeling of hopelessness and despair that often comes after a string of failed relationships. The singer opens with the line, "Love had played its game on me so long," which suggests that they have been struggling to find love for some time. The singer goes on to say that they had started to believe that they would never find someone and that doubt had convinced them that they were incapable of winning at love.
But then one day, something changes. The sun comes out, the rain stops, and the singer has a newfound sense of clarity. They are amazed to discover that someone is saying "I love you" to them, and they describe the feeling as a "revelation." The chorus emphasizes the rareness of finding one's true love, describing it as a "one in a million chance of a lifetime." The singer acknowledges the stroke of luck and "compassion" that brought them together with their soulmate, and they express their gratitude for this rare and beautiful connection.
The verses that follow describe the singer's transformation since finding their soulmate. They go from being a "lonely man with empty arms to fill" to finding "a piece of happiness to call my own." The singer emphasizes that life is worth living again now that they have this love in their life. They end the song by repeating the chorus, highlighting the sense of joy and wonder that comes with finding one's perfect match.
Line by Line Meaning
Love had played its game on me so long.
I have been through so many failed relationships that I started to believe that finding true love was impossible.
I started to believe I'd never find anyone.
My previous unsuccessful relationships caused me to doubt if I would ever find someone to love.
Doubt had tried to convince me to give in,
I almost gave up on finding love because I started to believe that it was not possible.
Said you can't win.
My doubts told me that love was a game that could not be won.
But one day the sun it came a shinin' through.
Despite my doubts, I eventually found someone who brought light and happiness into my life.
The rain had stopped, and the skies were blue.
The storms and hardships in my life eventually came to an end, and everything fell into place.
And oh, what a revelation to see.
It was a pleasant surprise to find someone who truly loved me.
Someone was saying "I love you" to me.
Finding someone who loved me for who I am was a life-changing experience.
A one in a million, chance of a lifetime.
The odds of finding someone like my partner were low, making our love a rare and precious thing.
And life showed compassion.
Despite the difficulties I faced, life eventually showed me kindness by bringing me love.
And sent to me a stroke of love called you.
My partner's love was a blessing from the universe, and it brought joy and fulfillment to my life.
I was a lonely man with empty arms to fill.
Before finding love, I felt incomplete and unfulfilled.
Then I found a piece of happiness to call my own.
Finding love has made me feel complete and content, and I feel lucky to have found it.
And life is worth living again.
Finding love gave me a reason to live and allowed me to see the beauty in life again.
For to love you to me is to live.
Loving my partner gives me a sense of purpose and makes life worth living for.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAM DEES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind