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.
A Rhyme This Time
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna make a
Rhyme this time
I'll ring the bell this time
The dreaming's over
I'm gonna sing "Gotta Wing" this time
This time
The scheming's over
I'm gonna be only me this time
Most unfortunately, my dreams
Never knew the ground
Every mirror I see, reminds
Me you're not around
I let you down
All my stories tell, this time
The dreaming's over
I'm gonna bring everything
This time
Most unfortunately, my dreams
Never knew the ground
Every mirror I see, reminds
Me you're not around
I let us down
I will ring the bell this time
The dreaming's over
I'm gonna sing "Gotta Wing" this time
I will take my time this time
I'm gonna make a rhyme this time
I will make a rhyme this time
I'm gonna take my time this time
The lyrics to Al Jarreau's "This Time" express a sense of self-reflection and determination to move forward. The repetition of "this time" throughout the song suggests a need to do things differently and make a change. The opening lines "I will take my time this time, I'm gonna make a rhyme this time" indicate a willingness to slow down and put more thought into things, perhaps to improve upon past mistakes.
The later lines "most unfortunately, my dreams never knew the ground, every mirror I see reminds me you're not around, I let you down" suggest regret and possibly an apology to someone who has been hurt. Despite this, the refrain "I'm gonna sing 'Gotta Wing' this time" conveys a sense of optimism and a newfound sense of freedom. The ending lines "I will take my time this time, I'm gonna make a rhyme this time" emphasize the importance of taking things one step at a time and being deliberate in one's actions.
Overall, the lyrics to "This Time" inspire a sense of growth and self-improvement, acknowledging past mistakes and moving forward with a newfound sense of purpose and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
I will take my time this time
I am going to take things slowly and thoughtfully this time around
I'm gonna make a rhyme this time
I am going to craft lyrics that are poetic and have a consistent pattern
I'll ring the bell this time
I will announce my presence and make my intentions known
The dreaming's over
It's time to stop fantasizing and start taking action
I'm gonna sing "Gotta Wing" this time
I'm going to put my heart into this performance and give it my all
I've no sweets to sell
I don't have any illusions or gimmicks to offer this time around
The scheming's over
I'm not going to be manipulative or calculating in my approach anymore
I'm gonna be only me this time
I'm going to stay true to myself and be honest and authentic
Most unfortunately, my dreams never knew the ground
In the past, my aspirations were unrealistic and didn't take into account the reality of the situation
Every mirror I see, reminds me you're not around
I am reminded of my loss and the absence of someone who was once important to me
I let you down
I failed to live up to someone's expectations or to fulfill a promise
All my stories tell, this time the dreaming's over
I have learned from my past mistakes and am ready to move forward in a more practical and realistic way
I'm gonna bring everything this time
I'm going to give my all and hold nothing back in this performance
I will take my time this time
I am going to be deliberate and purposeful in my actions
I will make a rhyme this time
I am committed to crafting lyrics that are creative, meaningful, and memorable
I'm gonna take my time this time
I'm not going to rush or be hasty in my approach
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AL JARREAU, EARL WILBERT JR. KLUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind