Alwin Lopez Jarreau (12 March 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 12 february 20… Read Full Bio ↴Alwin Lopez Jarreau (12 March 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 12 february 2017, Los Angeles, California), known popularly as Al Jarreau, was an American, Grammy Award–winning jazz singer. Versatile in his singing style, Jarreau is a twelve-time Grammy-nominated vocalist and the only vocalist in history to win a Grammy Award in three separate categories: jazz, pop, and R&B.

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.

Groovin' High
Al Jarreau Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Be silent
And listen
The summer night has got something to say
Honey be silent
And listen

A little whisper like a preacher would pray
Honey be silent

And listen
Slow down a moment we been talkin' all day
What wonderful story it's tellin'
We'll hear it if we stop yellin'
So Honey be silent
And listen

The night'll whisper little things in your ear
Be silent,
And listen,
It's gonna whisper something you wanna hear
Honey be silent
And listen

And when you've heard it and it's ever so clear
Define every meanin'
Cause I will be dreamin' away
Hey don't scream
That way

Whispering while you cuddle near me
Whispering so so no one hear me
Each little whisper seems to cheer me
I know it's true dear
There's no one but you
Won't you keepâ?¦

Whisper why you'll never leave me
Whisper why you'll never grieve me
Whisper and say that you believe me
Whispering that I love you.
Be silent
And listen

The summer nights has got something to say
Honey be silent
And listen
A little whisper like a preacher would pray
Honey be silent
And listen

Slow down a moment we been talkin' all day
What wonderful story it's tellin'
We'll hear it if we stop a'yellin'
So Honey be silent
And listen

The night'll whisper little things in your ear
And listen,
Be silent,
And listen,
It's gonna whisper something you wanna hear
Honey be silent
And listen

And when you've heard it and it's ever so clear
Define every meanin'
Cause I will be dreamin' away
Hey don't scream
That way

Whispering while you cuddle near me
Whispering so so no one can hear me

Each little whisper seems to cheer me
I know it's true dear
There's no one but you
Won't you keepâ?¦

Whisper why you'll never leave me
Whisper why you'll never grieve me

Whisper and say that you believe me
Whispering that I love you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Al Jarreau's "Groovin' High" tell a story of slowing down and being present in the moment to listen to the whispers of the summer night. The song urges the listener to be silent and truly listen to the world around them, to hear the little things that can often be missed in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The lyrics speak of the importance of being attentive and actively seeking out meaningful conversations and connections with others.

The repetition of the line "Honey be silent and listen" emphasizes the theme of the song while the use of the word "preacher" in the line "A little whisper like a preacher would pray" suggests that the message of the night might be profound and worth paying attention to. The lyrics also include a love story, with the singer urging his partner to whisper their love for each other and promising to always be there for them.

Overall, the lyrics of "Groovin' High" encourage the listener to slow down, be present, and listen, both to the world around them and to the people they love, in order to truly appreciate the beauty and meaning of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Be silent
Take a moment to pause and be quiet

And listen
Focus your attention on what's around you

The summer night has got something to say
The quiet stillness of the night contains a message

Honey be silent
Dear, please be quiet

A little whisper like a preacher would pray
The message is communicated through soft, gentle words

Slow down a moment we been talkin' all day
Take a break from talking and appreciate the silence

What wonderful story it's tellin'
The message has a story to tell

We'll hear it if we stop yellin'
If we stop making noise, we'll be able to hear the message

So Honey be silent
Therefore, dear, please be quiet

The night'll whisper little things in your ear
The silence of the night will bring forth small sounds

And when you've heard it and it's ever so clear
Once you've understood the message