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.
Compared to What
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know just how the whole story goes
Just against the real and the proudest who laugh
Thought I let you know what I'm giving back
Confusion, Difussion
Just show it, You know it
Come'on you can discover (Discover)
You'd be (arriving)
At new (Horizon)
It will be (Surprising)
To me (Keep rising)
Keep rowing (Keep rowin')
Keep showing (Keep showin')
Keep it true and strong in your heart
And you'll get by
But only if you'll make it real
Real, Make it real
We live the lie, deny the love
Hangin' on, with a push and shove
Possession is the motivation
That is hangin' up the whole damn nation
Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now! )
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
Slaughterhouse is killin' hogs
Twisted children killin' frogs
Fool dumb bigots gainin' power
Tired old ladies kissin' dogs
Isn't the human race above them all? (I can't use it! )
Try to make it real — compared to what?
The President, he's got his war
Still don't know what it is for
They change the game with no rhyme or reason
Drop the mans flag ang they call it treason
We're chicken-feathers roasting like a nut (ooh baby now)
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
Church on Sunday, sleep and nod
Tryin' to duck the wrath of God
Preacher's fillin' us with fright
He never wondered if he's really right
Iv'e got a fire buring in my gut (I can't kill it)
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
Confusion, difussion
Just show it, you know it
Discover, recover
Surprise'm, keep rising
Surprise it, realize it
Keep rowin', keep showin'
Keep show'em, keep flowin'
Come'on with me baby bat this
And you'll get by
And you'll get by
But only if you'll make it real
Make it real...
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
The song "Compared to What" by Al Jarreau speaks to the confusion and chaos of the world, highlighting the struggles of people and their inability to keep up with societal norms. The singer is aware of the whole story of how the society works, and he believes that his contribution will be a game-changer for the downtrodden. He urges the listeners to discover, recover, and keep showing their true selves.
The song addresses America's inequality issues regarding war, human rights, and religion, and how it affects the people. The President's war effort seems to lack purpose, and the church is making the people more fearful than optimistic. The lyrics also mention the slaughterhouses, twisted children killing frogs, and tired old ladies kissing dogs, which show the problems that America is facing. The song suggests that the society is hanging on, but the motivation behind it is the problematic obsession with possessions.
With this song, Al Jarreau reminds listeners to become more self-aware and make their lives more meaningful. The singer's message is explicitly clear; people need to make a real difference compared to what they are doing now. The lyrics represent the struggles people face in society, dishonest rhetoric, government corruption, and dehumanization. The song encourages people to keep rowing and keep showing their authenticity, to bring real change to the society.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you know
I will now reveal something to you.
You know just how the whole story goes
You are aware of the details of this story.
Just against the real and the proudest who laugh
Those who are confident and successful will be opposed.
Thought I let you know what I'm giving back
I want to inform you what I am offering in return.
Confusion, difussion
There is a lot of confusion and uncertainty.
Just show it, you know it
You are aware of it so just demonstrate it.
Come'on you can discover (Discover)
You have the ability to find out.
You know you can recover (Recover)
You can bounce back from this.
You'd be (arriving)
You would be arriving at a destination.
At new (Horizon)
A new perspective or opportunity.
It will be (Surprising)
The outcome will be unexpected.
To me (Keep rising)
In my opinion, you should keep improving and advancing.
Keep rowing (Keep rowin')
Keep putting in effort and making progress.
Keep showing (Keep showin')
Continue to demonstrate and prove something.
Keep it true and strong in your heart
Hold onto your beliefs and values.
And you'll get by
You will be able to cope and manage.
But only if you'll make it real
This will only work if you make it a reality.
Real, Make it real
The truth, actually implementing and achieving it.
We live the lie, deny the love
We live in a falsehood and reject love.
Hangin' on, with a push and shove
We are struggling and fighting to survive.
Possession is the motivation
The desire for possessions drives us.
That is hangin' up the whole damn nation
This is causing problems for the entire country.
Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now! )
Our situation always seems to be stagnant and unchanging.
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
We are trying to achieve something but what are we measuring it against?
Slaughterhouse is killin' hogs
Hogs are being slaughtered in the meat processing plant.
Twisted children killin' frogs
Children are harming and killing innocent animals.
Fool dumb bigots gainin' power
Ignorant and prejudiced people are acquiring positions of authority.
Tired old ladies kissin' dogs
Elderly women are showing affection for animals instead of people.
Isn't the human race above them all? (I can't use it! )
Shouldn't humans be superior to other animals?
Try to make it real — compared to what?
What are we striving for and how does it compare to other goals?
The President, he's got his war
The leader of the country has initiated a conflict.
Still don't know what it is for
The purpose or objective of the war is still unclear.
They change the game with no rhyme or reason
Those in power are changing the rules without justification.
Drop the mans flag ang they call it treason
Disrespecting a national symbol is considered an act of treason.
We're chicken-feathers roasting like a nut (ooh baby now)
We are in a dangerous and vulnerable position.
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
What are we trying to achieve and how does it compare to other objectives?
Church on Sunday, sleep and nod
We attend religious services but do not fully engage.
Tryin' to duck the wrath of God
We are trying to avoid divine punishment.
Preacher's fillin' us with fright
Religious leaders are instilling fear in us.
He never wondered if he's really right
The preacher never questioned if his teachings were correct.
Iv'e got a fire buring in my gut (I can't kill it)
I have a strong desire or passion that cannot be suppressed.
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
What are we trying to accomplish and how does it compare to other pursuits?
Confusion, difussion
There is still a lot of confusion and uncertainty.
Just show it, you know it
You are aware of it so just demonstrate it.
Discover, recover
Find out and bounce back from difficulties.
Surprise'm, keep rising
Continue to exceed expectations and improve.
Surprise it, realize it
Acknowledge and embrace something unexpected.
Keep rowin', keep showin'
Keep making progress and proving yourself.
Keep show'em, keep flowin'
Keep demonstrating and executing effectively.
Come'on with me baby bat this
Join me and let's make this happen together.
And you'll get by
You will be able to manage and cope.
But only if you'll make it real
This can only succeed if you make it a reality.
Make it real...
Actually achieve what you set out to do.
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what?
What are we pursuing and how does it compare to other objectives?
Contributed by Abigail L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Msann Taylor
I've listened to this over and over 6 or 7 times. There is no other Al Jareau..In a whole dam league of his own.
The Nature of Nurture
Listen to the Les mcaan Eddie Harris version. These lyrics, probably for radio air play reasons, lose the deeper impact of their version
5bkgirl
BIG F A C T S!!!
Annette Thomas
I knew him personally. There was no other human on the planet like Al.
Msann Taylor
@The Nature of Nurture I was introduced to jazz@1970. I used it for an English assignment. No rendition of Eddie Harris and Les McCann's version could ever be touched, it's of Epic worth.
Maria Estrellita Gonzales-Meyer
Same here❣️👏👍👌💖💖💖
M. Hall
Al Jarreau was one of several performers whose multiple appearances on the original “Saturday Night Live” seemed to be dictated by reasons other than marketing.
Keith Copeland
The great Freddie Washington on bass!!!!!!
Jose Joyette
Incredible
Renée Matte
💖Like it like that with All Jarreau Jazz so Jazz with a Disco touch ♪ ♫ 🎸🎷 🎻🎹🎺🌺🎧🎼🎩🎩🎩