As the son of a vicar, he had his first singing experiences in a church choir. He attended Ripon College, where he also sang non-professionally with a group called the Indigos, and graduated in 1962. He went on to earn a master's degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Iowa, and worked as a rehabilitation counselor in San Francisco before joining a small jazz club trio headed by George Duke and deciding that he would make professional singing his life in 1968
He appeared in such Los Angeles hot spots as Dino's, the Troubador and Bitter End West. Television exposure came from Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and David Frost, while he expanded his nightclub appearances to include performing at the Improv between the acts of such rising-star comics as Bette Midler, Jimmie Walker, and John Belushi, among others.
He was spotted by Warner Bros. in 1975 and soon thereafter released his critically acclaimed debut album, We Got By, which catapulted him into international fame and garnered him a German Grammy Award. A second German Grammy would follow with the release of his second album, Glow.
One of Jarreau's most commercially and artistically successful albums is Breakin' Away (1981), which includes the hit song "We're in This Love Together." He wrote and performed the Grammy-nominated theme to the 1980s American television show Moonlighting. Among other things, he is well-known for his scat singing and the ability to perfectly imitate conventional guitar, bass and percussive instrumentation. He was also a featured vocalist on USA for Africa's "We are the World" and sang the line, "...and so we all must lend a helping hand."
He has toured and performed with such greats as Joe Sample, Kathleen Battle, Miles Davis, David Sanborn and Rick Braun. He also performed the role of the Teen Angel in a 1996 Broadway production of Grease. On March 6, 2001 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue.
02 my foolish heart
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beware my foolish heart
How white the ever constant moon
Take care my foolish heart
There's a line between love and fascination
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
For they both have the very same sensation
Her lips are much too close to mine
Beware my foolish heart
But should our eager lips combine
Then let the fire start
For this time it isn't fascination
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love, this time it's love
My foolish heart
In Al Jarreau's song "My Foolish Heart," he sings about the perils of falling in love with someone. The lyrics are meant to be cautionary, warning the listener to be careful with their heart and to not get too carried away with emotions. The night is described as a "lovely tune" and the moon is "ever constant," but Jarreau warns his listeners to be cautious of these beautiful things because they can also be dangerous. He tells his listeners to "take care" and to "beware" their hearts because they could lead them astray.
The lyrics also explore the idea of the thin line between love and fascination. Jarreau points out that it's hard to distinguish between the two because they both feel the same when you're lost in the magic of a kiss. He warns about the dangers of this kind of fascination because it can be fleeting and not real love. However, if the kiss is genuine and the emotions are real, then the "fire" can start, and it can be a true love.
Line by Line Meaning
The night is like a lovely tune
The serene atmosphere at night is enchanting and peaceful
Beware my foolish heart
Be cautious, as my heart is foolish and can lead me to make unwise decisions
How white the ever constant moon
The moon shines bright and consistently, bringing a sense of calmness to my surroundings
Take care my foolish heart
Be careful not to let my foolish heart govern my actions or emotions
There's a line between love and fascination
It is difficult to differentiate between affection and an intense fascination with someone
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
It's a challenge to give a name to this type of intense emotional feeling
For they both have the very same sensation
These emotions of admiration and love feel very similar
When you're locked in the magic of a kiss
When you're lost in the moment while kissing, time seems to stop and reality fades away
Her lips are much too close to mine
The proximity of her lips to mine is tempting
But should our eager lips combine
If we give in to the impulse to kiss, we will trigger the fire of passion
Then let the fire start
Let's unleash this passion and allow it to flourish
For this time it isn't fascination
This feeling is not just an intense fascination, but something much more profound
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
This is not a temporary feeling that will eventually disintegrate
It's love, this time it's love
It's true love this time, not just a fleeting passion
My foolish heart
Even though my heart can be foolish, this time it has found true love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: NED WASHINGTON, VICTOR YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind