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.
All Of My Love
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one's ever touched me in this way
But I'm not runnin' anymore
Never felt this way before
[Chorus]
All of my love I will give to you
All of my dreams will be comin' true
Say you will and I promise you this
All of my love I will give to you
All that I ask is you love me too
Take a look, I'm never far behind
Turn around and gimme gimme gimme a sign
I will put my feelings into one place
Center my emotions on your face
I could spend a lifetime sharin' night time
'Cause when you're lyin close to me
Somethin' tells me that you need
[Chorus]
So, be my lover, be my friend
Say this love will never end
Want no other in my life
Our forever starts tonight
All of my love
Oh yes
[Chorus]
In "All of My Love," Al Jarreau sings about a profound feeling of love that he's experiencing with his partner. He starts by praising his partner's loving touch and how it has never been experienced before. He acknowledges that he had been running away from love before this relationship, but now, he is not running anymore as he has never felt that way before. He then promises to give all of his love to his partner and to make all his dreams come true.
The chorus is the highlight of the song, where Al Jarreau reaffirms his love, promising to give all of his love to his partner, and asking for nothing but love in return. He wants to be close to his lover and will be always there whenever he is needed. He expresses his willingness to put all his feelings on one place and center his emotions around his lover's face. He concludes by asking his lover to be his partner and friend, to promise never to end the love they share.
The song is an excellent representation of love and commitment. It emphasizes the importance of giving all of oneself to a partner and the reward of having that love returned. The song reminds us of the need to be open to love and not to run away from it, as it could lead to lifelong happiness and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
No one's ever held me like you hold me
Your embrace is unlike any other I've experienced in my life
No one's ever touched me in this way
Your touch makes me feel things I never knew were possible
But I'm not runnin' anymore
I've been hesitant in the past, but now I'm ready to commit
Never felt this way before
These feelings are completely new to me
All of my love I will give to you
I'm willing to dedicate my heart to you completely
All of my dreams will be comin' true
Being with you will fulfill all of my aspirations
In the heat of a tangled kiss
Our passion is so strong that it's almost overwhelming
Say you will and I promise you this
If you agree to be with me, I vow to make you happy
All that I ask is you love me too
I only want your reciprocal love in return
Take a look, I'm never far behind
I will always be there for you
Turn around and gimme gimme gimme a sign
Give me some indication that you feel the same way
I will put my feelings into one place
I will focus all of my emotions on you
Center my emotions on your face
You are the center of my emotional universe
I could spend a lifetime sharin' night time
I want to spend the rest of my life sharing the night with you
'Cause when you're lyin close to me
Being near you makes me feel complete
Somethin' tells me that you need
It seems like you need me just as much as I need you
So, be my lover, be my friend
Let's have a romantic and supportive relationship
Say this love will never end
Promise that our love will be eternal
Want no other in my life
I don't want anyone else but you
Our forever starts tonight
Our future together begins now
All of my love
My love for you is all-encompassing
Oh yes
I am absolutely certain about my feelings for you
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROBIN SMITH, JEFFREY PESCETTO, MARK CLIFFORD MUELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind