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.
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come rain or come shine.
High as a mountain and deep as a river,
Come rain or come shine.
I guess when you met me
It was just one of those things,
But don't ever bet me,
You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me,
Come rain or come shine.
Happy together, unhappy together
And won't it be fine.
Days may be cloudy or sunny,
We're in or we're out of the money,
But I'm with you always,
I'm with you rain or shine.
The verse "I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you, come rain or come shine. High as a mountain and deep as a river, come rain or come shine" is an expression of the unconditional love that the singer promises to their partner. The mountains and rivers are often considered as symbols of power and longevity, respectively, conveying the depth of the singer's commitment. These lines suggest that no matter what happens to the couple, the singer's love for their partner remains unchanged.
The next verse talks about how their meeting might have been a coincidence, but the singer is going to remain true to their partner. The line "You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me, come rain or come shine. Happy together, unhappy together and won't it be fine" implies that the love shared between the two will endure, regardless of their circumstances. Ultimately, the chorus conveys the idea that the relationship may encounter both good and bad times, but the singer promises to stick around, "I'm with you always, I'm with you rain or shine."
Overall, the lyrics of this song communicate a message of unwavering love and devotion, promising to stay together through thick and thin.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you,
I will cherish you with an unparalleled love and devotion
Come rain or come shine.
I will always be there for you, no matter what the circumstances
High as a mountain and deep as a river,
The love I have for you is profound and all-encompassing
Come rain or come shine.
My commitment to you is unwavering and resolute
I guess when you met me
Our paths crossed due to unforeseeable circumstances
It was just one of those things,
Our meeting was simply coincidental
But don't ever bet me,
Don't doubt the sincerity of my love
"Cause I'm gonna be true if you let me.
I will remain loyal to you if you allow me to
You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me,
I am about to be showered with love and attention
Come rain or come shine.
Regardless of any obstacles, our love will endure
Happy together, unhappy together
We will share the good times and the bad times together
And won't it be fine.
Our love will make everything worthwhile
Days may be cloudy or sunny,
Our circumstances may vary greatly
We're in or we're out of the money,
We may experience success or financial struggle
But I'm with you always,
I will remain by your side no matter what
I'm with you rain or shine.
My love and commitment are unwavering and steadfast
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dimitriskarol
Oh yeah... Al does this thing fabulous!!! Loving it!!!
@jcrperu
It's a fantastic version. Jazz in its purest state.
@blancakoller5800
Yeah, another beautiful song from AL JARREAU, thank you AL, you're great and your music is never getting away, believe me.
@aboveriver
Now this is a great standard: whether swingin' fast or groovin' bluesy. The latter, in this case, is phatter!
@wakirisana1
Beautiful! soothing! Love it!!
@wakirisana1
Beautiful! soothing! Love it!! thanks for the post!!!
@wolf175
He can sing almost any genre ... always good.
@DMariaWoods
Very nice! Love the tune and Al. Thanks for the post.
@georgesprudente3942
Magnificent orchestration.
@mitsuchten
Thank's very much. A very nice record.