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 way
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One touch and I'm closer to you
Oh, how I yearn to discover
All of the things I need to do
To live, to live to live all life of luxury
Holding you in my arms
Your heart, your heart, your heart
Your heart would belong to me
One way to win your affection
One way to make that connection
I believe there's one way to your love
Love for life is my affliction
You are my sublime addiction
I believe there's one way to your love
Should I stand on a mountain
Should I dream of you here
Oh, it pours from me like a fountain
Still I can't have you near
To love, to love, to love, to love, to love you
Like a jewel in my arms
Your heart, your heart, your heart
Your heart would belong to me
If I only knew where to start
One way to win your affection
One way to make that connection
I believe there's one way to your love
Love for life is my affliction
You are my sublime addiction
I believe there's a way to your love
There's one way, one way to your love
There's one way, one way to your love
One way, one way, one way, one way to your love
One way, one way, one way, one way, one way to your love
One way, one way, one way to your love
There's one way, there's one way to your love
The lyrics to Al Jarreau's song One Way speak about a person's feelings of yearning for someone they love. The theme of the song revolves around the idea that there is only one way to the other person's love, and the person is trying to figure out that way. The lyrics convey the idea that the person will do anything to win the other's love, even stand on a mountain or dream of them, but they feel helpless when it comes to knowing exactly what to do to make that connection. The verses emphasize the importance of physical touch and affection, and the chorus repeats the idea that there is one way to win their affection, which the singer believes is the key to their love.
The lyrics to One Way are very relatable and speak to the universal human desire to be loved and accepted. The song's melody and Al Jarreau's soothing and emotive voice make it a classic that still resonates with listeners. It inspires listeners to take risks and pursue their true love, even if they feel unsure of the outcome. The song is about the journey to discover the one way to win someone's heart, which is not easy but can be incredibly fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
One thing will lead to another
Every action has a reaction and impact on the relationship between the singer and their lover.
One touch and I'm closer to you
Physical touch brings the singer closer to their lover and intensifies their desire.
Oh, how I yearn to discover
All of the things I need to do
To live, to live to live all life of luxury
The singer yearns to learn all that they need to do to live a luxurious life with their lover.
Holding you in my arms
Your heart, your heart, your heart
Your heart would belong to me
If I only knew where to start
The singer dreams of holding their lover close and having their heart belong to them, but they do not know how to make that happen.
One way to win your affection
One way to make that connection
I believe there's one way to your love
The singer believes there is a specific way to win their lover's affection and make a deep emotional connection.
Love for life is my affliction
You are my sublime addiction
I believe there's one way to your love
The singer is deeply in love with their lover and considers that love to be a lifelong addiction. They still believe there is a way to earn their love.
Should I stand on a mountain
Should I dream of you here
Oh, it pours from me like a fountain
Still I can't have you near
The singer is willing to do anything to be with their lover, but they still can't have them near no matter how much they dream of them.
To love, to love, to love, to love, to love you
Like a jewel in my arms
Your heart, your heart, your heart
Your heart would belong to me
If I only knew where to start
The singer is determined to love their lover and hold them close like a precious jewel, but they still searching for the right way to make that happen.
There's one way, one way to your love
One way, one way, one way, one way to your love
One way, one way, one way to your love
There's one way, there's one way to your love
The singer reiterates that there is only one way to earn their lover's love and they are still searching for it.
Lyrics © NOA NOA MUSIC INC
Written by: BILL KEITH HUGHES, MARCELLA LEVY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
PJ FuzzySoulTiger
one of the most smoothest tunes I've ever heard. dreamy vibes, great harmonies. really love this one by Al Jarreau. this song should've gotten more exposure
Michael Dunham
@Billie Hughes this song is on my bucket list. Covering it in February. Thank you for your gift to Al, and to me.
Patrizia Piras Sechi
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
ManCris Lovaïlé
Completely agree. I loved this song since its release in 1988. Glad to see someone love it so much!
Greetings Billie Hughes !
Greetings Al Jarreau !
GLADE C
Very good comments thank you
Eric B
PJ FuzzySoulTiger
I couldn’t agree more PJ. This song definitely should have gotten more airplay. Just buttery!!
MZ.K Jones
The world has lost another legend and musical genius!!!...RIP...thank you for leaving a beautiful legacy of music for generations to enjoy...you will be greatly missed!!!!! Al!!!
Michael Tsung
One of the greatest songs ever recorded
Billie Hughes
Thanks for appreciating Al Jarreau’s “One Way” written by Billie Hughes. Please subscribe to our billiehughesmusic youtube channel and hear more great songs by Billie. We’ve just uploaded over 65 Billie Hughes songs for you to enjoy. Many thanks!_
Maxoman427
My favorite Al Jarreau tune. It is so silky smooth, with excellent flowing harmonies and blend of musical overtones that makes this a wonderful song to listen to. Whether I play the vinyl LP or the CD of this recording. It is music like this song that I sometimes use to showcase my 35 year old and still awesome sounding stereo system to first time listeners.