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.
Look What You've Done For Me
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now that you're here with me
I want to keep you free
To do the things that you wanna do
The joy in life is loving you
But now the day has come
To let you know where I'm coming from, yeah
It's the only thing that I can do
But these things don't come overnight
Loving you, baby, and I think I'm right
Let me say before I forget
That loving you, baby, it's where it's at
Yeah
And oh baby, look what you done for me
Oh baby, you set my heart free, yeah
Oh, what a feeling, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
What a feeling, yeah
Sometimes I wanna leave, but then I say
It wouldn't make sense, no, anyway
But forgive me baby, if I do wrong
I haven't been a true man for so long
But let me say before I forget
That loving you, baby, it's where it's at
Yeah
And oh baby, look what you done for me
Oh baby, you set my heart free, hey
Bread and the water
Everything that you oughta
You've been very good for me
And I, I gotta, gotta to say it
Oh baby, look what you done for me
Oh yeah, you set my heart free, hey
Oh, know no better what you done for me
I got this feeling that it's gonna, hey
And oh, look what you done for me
Baby, baby
You've set my heart free every day
The lyrics to Al Jarreau's song "Look What You've Done For Me" express deep gratitude and love towards someone who has had a profound impact on the singer's life. The song begins with the singer expressing their desire to keep their partner free to pursue their own dreams and desires, acknowledging that the true joy in life comes from loving and supporting each other. The singer declares that the best years of their life will be dedicated to their partner, as it is the only thing they can do to show their love.
The lyrics also reflect the internal struggle the singer faces, as they admit to sometimes wanting to leave but realizing that it wouldn't make sense because of the profound love they feel. They ask for forgiveness for not being a true man for a long time, suggesting that their partner has brought out the best in them. The song ends with the repeated chorus emphasizing the profound impact the partner has had on the singer's life, freeing their heart and bringing a feeling of true happiness.
Overall, the lyrics express a deep appreciation for the transformative power of love and the significant positive influence the partner has had on the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey baby
Greetings, my beloved
Now that you're here with me
Since you've entered my life
I want to keep you free
I desire for you to have freedom
To do the things that you wanna do
To pursue your passions and desires
The joy in life is loving you
The source of my happiness is loving you
But now the day has come
However, the time has arrived
To let you know where I'm coming from, yeah
To express my true intentions
The best of my years will go to you
I will dedicate the prime of my life to you
It's the only thing that I can do
It's the sole action within my capability
But these things don't come overnight
However, these things do not happen instantaneously
Loving you, baby, and I think I'm right
I am convinced that loving you is the correct choice
Let me say before I forget
Allow me to express before I overlook
That loving you, baby, it's where it's at
Being in love with you is the ultimate destination
And oh baby, look what you done for me
Oh darling, observe the positive impact you have on my life
Oh baby, you set my heart free, yeah
Darling, you have liberated my heart
Oh, what a feeling, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, what an indescribable sensation
What a feeling, yeah
Such an extraordinary sentiment
Sometimes I wanna leave, but then I say
Occasionally, I contemplate departing, but then I reconsider
It wouldn't make sense, no, anyway
It would not be rational or sensible, in any case
But forgive me baby, if I do wrong
However, pardon me if I make mistakes
I haven't been a true man for so long
I have not been an honest and genuine person for a considerable time
But let me say before I forget
Yet I must express before it slips my mind
That loving you, baby, it's where it's at
Being in love with you is the ultimate destination
Bread and the water
Necessities of life
Everything that you oughta
Everything you deserve
You've been very good for me
You have been extremely beneficial for me
And I, I gotta, gotta to say it
And I, I must, must express it
Oh baby, look what you done for me
Oh darling, observe the positive impact you have on my life
Oh yeah, you set my heart free, hey
Oh yes, you have liberated my heart
Oh, know no better what you done for me
Oh, I am fully aware of the incredible things you have done for me
I got this feeling that it's gonna, hey
I have this strong belief that something great is about to happen
And oh, look what you done for me
And oh, observe the positive impact you have on my life
Baby, baby
Darling, my love
You've set my heart free every day
Every day, you liberate my heart
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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