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.
One Note Samba
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Built upon a single note
Other notes are bound to follow
But the root is still that note
Now this new one is the consequence
Of the one we've just been through
As I'm bound to be the unavoidable
consequence of you
There's so many people who can
talk and talk and talk
And just say nothing
Or nearly nothing
I have used up all the scale I know
And at the end I've come to nothing
Or nearly nothing
So I came back to my first note
As I must come back to you
I will pour into that one note
All the love I feel for you
Anyone who wants the whole show
Re mi fa sol la si do
He will find himself with no show
Better play the note you know
Al Jarreau's One Note Samba is a heartwarming piece that speaks of the beauty of simplicity and the power of the first note. The song revolves around one single note on which the entire rhythm and melody are built. Jarreau delves into the nature of music, stressing the idea that one sound has the possibility of opening to a world of new possibilities. The opening line, "This is just a little samba built upon a single note," is a perfect example of how one small thing can lead to something much bigger.
Throughout the song, the artist explores how other notes follow the fundamental note, but the root is still that singular sound. The meaning of this line can be interpreted in different ways, but maybe the most evident significance of these lyrics is that the first note is the most important. The rest of the song follows that sound, but the essence of the music is rooted in that origin. He then transitions into a discussion about life, paralleling it with music. He admits that he's used up all the scales he knows and come out with almost nothing. However, by incorporating the first note, he pours all his love into that one sound, making it significantly more valuable than the scales he had exhausted.
In summary, Al Jarreau's One Note Samba is a song that highlights the importance of quality over quantity. The song's theme can be interpreted as an argument for simplicity, the idea that the most critical components of both life and music might be the ones that seem the most obvious.
Line by Line Meaning
This is just a little samba
This is a simple samba song
Built upon a single note
The foundation of this song is just one note
Other notes are bound to follow
Additional notes will be played
But the root is still that note
The original note is still the most important
Now this new one is the consequence
The new note is a result of the previous one
Of the one we've just been through
Of the note that was just played
As I'm bound to be the unavoidable
As I'm fated to be the unavoidable
consequence of you
Result of your presence
There's so many people who can
There are many people who can
talk and talk and talk
Talk for long without saying much
And just say nothing
Without making any meaningful contribution
Or nearly nothing
Or very little of substance
I have used up all the scale I know
I have played every note I know
And at the end I've come to nothing
Despite playing every note, I've achieved nothing
Or nearly nothing
Very little of value
So I came back to my first note
I returned to the original note
As I must come back to you
Just as I must return to you
I will pour into that one note
All of my love will be expressed through that one note
All the love I feel for you
All of the love I have for you
Anyone who wants the whole show
Anyone who wants the complete performance
Re mi fa sol la si do
The entire musical scale
He will find himself with no show
He will have nothing left to offer
Better play the note you know
It's better to stick to what you know
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DORIVAL SEN CAYMMI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@laviecellis1216
This is just a little samba built upon one single note.
Other notes are sure to follow but the root is still that note.
Now this new note is the consequence of the one we've just been through
as I'm bound to be the unavoidable consequence of you.
There's so many people who can talk and talk and talk
and just say nothing or nearly nothing.
I have used up all the scale I know and at the end
I've come to nothing, or nearly nothing.
So I come back to this one note as I must come back to you.
I will pour into that one note all the love I feel for you.
Any one who wants the whole show re-mi-fa-so-la-si-do
he will find himself with no show, better play the note you know.
There's so many people who can talk and talk and talk
and just say nothing or nearly nothing.
I have used up all the scale I know and at the end I've come
to nothing I mean nothing.
So I come back to my first note as I must come back to you.
I will pour into that one note all the love I feel for you.
Any one who wants the whole show re-mi-fa-so-la-si-do
he will find himself with no show, better play the note you know.
@laraoneal7284
Love this so much. His voice is so pure and smooth. God bless u Al we all loved u so much. Touch the face of God.
@musmy3858
RIP....YOU WILL LIVE FOREVER IN YOUR GREAT SONGS
@vfiles1
Lovely performance of this Bossa Nova classic. ❤️
@laraoneal7284
You are so missed already. Love love love u Mr Al Jarreau.
@restiti
I used to listen this song from original version sung by Astrud Gilberto for many years, but this one is also marvelous. Al Jarreau !! thanks for posting the video. greetings
@kathyisberg4319
Just luscious...what an amazing talent Mr. Jarreau had! I can't believe he's gone!
@gretamar7651
einfach wunderbar. Poesie der Töne.
@cliftonboyz1959
rest easy my friend...thank you for enriching our lives with your talents!
@tiffanydouglas2686
We love you and we miss you, Al Jarreau! R.I.P.
@caddxprt
@pmtown you're welcome pmtown. I used to borrow my friends cassete in the early 80's. I was so happy when I found it on Columbia house CD Club!