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.
Could You Believe
Al Jarreau Lyrics
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Could you believe precious friend of mine?
And would you believe when it seems you are glad with what you do
Give you courage to carry, give you courage to carry
Courage to carry your spirit up on high
Just to carry your spirit up on high
I saw people in trouble, yes heard the angels cry
Spent the night with David, he taught me what to say
I was looking for a smooth stone when I heard him pray
Could you believe in a dream when I tell you that it's true?
And could you believe precious friend of mine?
And would you believe when it seems you are glad with what you do
It'll give you the courage to carry, the courage to carry
Courage to carry your freedom up on high
Go 'head and carry your spirit up on high
Oh, I could sing at times and reasons
Reason to lay your burden softly down
Kings and Prophets did for freedom
Precious dreams imprisoned underground
Well, I've got this song that I'll sing
And I'll make the mountains ring
Tell my mama that I am homeward bound
Could you believe in a dream when I tell you that it's true?
And could you believe precious, precious friend of mine?
Would you believe when it seems you are glad with what you do
It will give you courage to carry, give you courage to carry up
Just to carry your spirit up on high, Lord
Just to carry your spirit up on high, up on high
Oh yeah, can carry up on, carry
Oh I make this promise, my Lord, I'm gonna carry
Ooh, and I promise to look for that little light
Little bit of light, gonna look for that light
Gonna look for that light bit of light when my heart is in trouble
Oh and I make this promise to look for that light
Little bit of light when my man is worried
You see the same night that brought the children through, yes it is
And it's the same night that brings the spirit through
He'll believe, gonna believe, I'm gonna believe
Don't you believe, I'm gonna believe, I'm gonna believe
Yes, I do believe, oh yes, I do believe
I'm going to believe, I'm gonna believe y'all
And I gotta believe, I gotta believe, I gotta believe
My better taught me to believe
My mama taught me to believe
And I believe, and I believe, I believe, I believe
Just believe, just believe, just believe, just believe
Just believe, just believe, just believe, just believe
Just believe, just believe, just believe, just believe, oh my friend
Try it out one more time, try it out my son
And you'll learn how to believe
The lyrics of Al Jarreau's song Could You Believe are a reflection of the power of belief, faith, and hope. The singer is asking if his friend would believe if he shared a dream with him. It's not just any dream, but a dream that is true; a dream that inspires courage and hope. He then goes on to sing about his experiences of seeing people in trouble and hearing angels cry. He talks about how David, who may have been David from the Bible, taught him what to say by praying for a smooth stone. This could be a reference to the biblical story of David and Goliath. Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes the importance of carrying one's spirit up high, even in the face of adversity.
The lyrics of the song contain powerful messages about the strength of faith and the power of hope. It's a reminder that no matter how difficult life gets, holding onto hope and faith can help one carry on. The song also emphasizes the importance of friendship and having someone to believe in. Through it all, the singer encourages his friend to believe and to keep on believing.
Line by Line Meaning
Could you believe in a dream when I tell you that it's true?
Do you have the capacity to believe in something that seems like a dream but is, in fact, true?
Could you believe precious friend of mine?
Do you think that you, my dear friend, could also believe?
And would you believe when it seems you are glad with what you do?
Will you have the strength to believe even when everything seems alright?
Give you courage to carry, give you courage to carry
Courage will be granted to you, giving you the ability to handle adversity
Courage to carry your spirit up on high
This courage will elevate your spirit to a higher level
I saw people in trouble, yes heard the angels cry
I witnessed people struggling and heard the angels' lamentations
Now don't tamper with my children, no, no, made the devil fly
Leave my loved ones alone and drive evil away from them
Spent the night with David, he taught me what to say
I spent the night with David in order to learn from him
I was looking for a smooth stone when I heard him pray
While I was searching for a tool to use, I overheard him praying
It'll give you courage to carry, the courage to carry
Once again, courage will be granted to you
Courage to carry your freedom up on high
This courage will give you the ability to remain free and elevated
Oh, I could sing at times and reasons
Under certain circumstances, I am able to sing with passion and zeal
Reason to lay your burden softly down
A reason to put your problems in a peaceful place and let go of them
Kings and Prophets did for freedom
Many important figures of history made sacrifices in the name of freedom
Precious dreams imprisoned underground
Dreams that are treasured and held dear are hidden away and not allowed to flourish
Well, I've got this song that I'll sing
I have a song and I am going to sing it
And I'll make the mountains ring
My voice will ring out across the mountaintops
Tell my mama that I am homeward bound
Send word to my mother that I am on my way home
Oh yeah, can carry up on, carry
I can continue to carry on through difficult times
Oh I make this promise, my Lord, I'm gonna carry
I promise to keep going and carry on through hardships, with the Lord by my side
Ooh, and I promise to look for that little light
I vow to seek out even the smallest flicker of hope
Little bit of light, gonna look for that light
I will search for that light, no matter how small it may be
Gonna look for that light bit of light when my heart is in trouble
During times of struggle or heartache, I will still try to find that glimmer of hope
You see the same night that brought the children through, yes it is
The same night that allowed the children to survive and thrive
And it's the same night that brings the spirit through
This very same night can inspire the soul
He'll believe, gonna believe, I'm gonna believe
Giving him reason to believe and have hope
Don't you believe, I'm gonna believe, I'm gonna believe
Believing in these powerful ideas and never giving up hope
Yes, I do believe, oh yes, I do believe
I strongly believe in these notions
I'm going to believe, I'm gonna believe y'all
I am determined to believe in these things, and encourage others to do the same
And I gotta believe, I gotta believe, I gotta believe
I feel like it is absolutely crucial that I never stop believing
My better taught me to believe
My mentor taught me the power of belief
My mama taught me to believe
My mother instilled the idea of the strength of faith in me
And I believe, and I believe, I believe, I believe
I firmly believe
Just believe, just believe, just believe, just believe
Have faith, never stop believing
Try it out one more time, try it out my son
One more time, give it a chance
And you'll learn how to believe
Plenty of practice will teach you the power of faith
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AL JARREAU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind