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.
Just To Be Loved
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't know I was throwin my chances away
Then you came along just long enough to see
Far beyond the fool that I have come to be
CHORUS Just to be loved by you
It's like having all my sweetest dreams coming true
You showed me something I've never seen
Never before
I was always the one who would never give anything away
If all your feeling is cool there's not much to say
When the silence got too loud for me to bear
You brought me love and taught me how to care
CHORUS Just to be loved by you
It's like having all my sweetest dreams coming true
You showed me something I've never seen
You made me something I have never been before
Never before
(REPEAT CHORUS)
BRIDGE Cherish love when you use it
It's never gone they say
When you have it
It's only love, only love
CHORUS Just to be loved by you
It's like having all my sweetest dreams coming true
You showed me something I've never seen
You made me something I have never been before
Never before
The lyrics to Al Jarreau's "Just To Be Loved" describe the transformative power of love. The singer starts the song feeling lonely and defeated, having given up on his chances for love. However, when the person he loves comes into his life, he experiences a complete transformation. The love he receives from this person uplifts him, making him feel like his "sweetest dreams [are] coming true." Through this love, he has learned how to care and has become a better version of himself that he had never been before.
The song emphasizes the importance and beauty of love. Love has the power to change someone's life and bring out the best in them. The lyrics also recognize that love is not always easy to come by and requires effort and sacrifice. Still, the reward of being loved by someone who sees who you truly are is worth it. The last lines of the song describe love as something to be cherished and never lost, as it brings only love into our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I was down to the bone, I was lonely only yesterday
I was feeling extremely low and isolated until very recently
Didn't know I was throwin' my chances away
I was unaware that I was wasting opportunities to feel better and find happiness
Then you came along just long enough to see
You entered my life right when I needed you the most
Far beyond the fool that I have come to be
You saw beyond my flaws and mistakes to the real me
Just to be loved by you
Being loved by you is an indescribable and wonderful feeling
It's like having all my sweetest dreams coming true
Loving and being loved by you is better than anything I could have imagined
You showed me something I've never seen
You introduced me to a new kind of love and kindness
You made me something I have never been before
Being with you has transformed me into a better and happier person
I was always the one who would never give anything away
I used to be guarded and closed off in relationships
If all your feeling is cool there's not much to say
If you aren’t emotionally invested, there’s not much of a relationship to speak of
When the silence got too loud for me to bear
When things became too quiet and lonely I couldn't handle it
You brought me love and taught me how to care
Being with you has taught me how to love and care for others
Cherish love when you use it
Love is precious and should be valued and respected
It's never gone they say
Love is something that lasts forever, even if relationships don’t
When you have it, it's only love, only love
When you truly have love, nothing else matters
Contributed by Aria R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@beaumontmuni
I listened to him all the time when I was in college. One of greatest and most amazing artist of all times. So sadly missed. There will never be another Al Jarreau. You live forever AJ ...Your voice and music lives forever indelibly in our hearts and minds AJ.
@micalhing
We shared the same experience... his voice comforted me during my college days. 😊
@fermanfletcher9053
😊
@nicksticksrussoofficial6028
Also here listening during my current college days, gotta be one of the most amazing artists I’ve found
@robertcrawford2809
Thanks Mr jarreau for opening my heart to your music 30 years ago...R.I.P
@abdulhadiaskari2284
Smooth Jazz at its best best best...
@gladec3896
How could you hate this song, He's one of the all time greats
@stainshield
IKR, but it just goes to show you that Haters are going to Hate no matter what.
@elainebyrd8865
AL JARREAU MY FRIEND I MISS YOU SO MUCH. BUT I HAVE THE BLESSING OF KNOWING YOU AND YOUR SONGS. OH WHAT WONDERFUL GIFTS FROM GOD & YOU, MR.JARREAU. NOW YOU'RE SINGING IN HEAVEN FOR GOD. GOD MADE ONLY ONE OF YOU. YOU ARE LOVED AND MISSED BY SO MANY!!
@turner11002000
I'll never forget you, sir. You made my world so much better with your talent and personality.