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.
Rainbow in Your Eyes
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
`cause it`s the real thing ba-by,
I just want you to know
that I love you all the way,
more and more each day.
I love to hear you say,`Well, loves got a hold of me too,
I know it`s true; I get that funny feeling just from being close to you.
not another sound so sweet,
Please hold my hand.`
And we climbed the highest mountain
And we sailed the seven seas,
And nobody was with us
At the top of the world in love
And runnin` free.
`Baby, I`m on fire,
And it feels so good
To have this warm desire
Like a woman should who`s really got
Someone to make love to.
I`ll stay right here forever with you.`
Well, I`ll be right here beside you till the end,
And kiss your eyes and cast away your troubles to the wind,
And love you for all my life,
And take you for my wife,
Please hold my hand.
And we climbed the highest mountain
And we sailed the seven seas,
And nobody was with us
At the top of the world in love
And runnin` free.
I can see the love light shinin`
Like a rainbow in your eyes.
Listen to your heartbeat.
Ain`t nobody here with us,
Listen to your heartbeat,
Ain`t nobody here with us.
Listen to your heartbeat,
Ain`t nobody here with us.
The lyrics of Al Jarreau's song Rainbow in Your Eyes depict the strong and intense emotions of two people in love. The singer declares that he is completely smitten with his partner and that his love for them keeps growing stronger with each passing day. He is confident that their love is real and that nothing can change the way he feels. His partner reciprocates the affection, confirming that love has a hold on her too and that being close to him gives her a unique feeling, unlike anything else. She can hear his heartbeat, and that sound is the sweetest thing she has ever heard.
The couple, having found true love, has climbed a metaphorical highest mountain and sailed the seven seas together, a testament to the adventurous spirit of their relationship. They are at the top of the world in love and are free to be together without any interference from the outside world. The singer's partner tells him that she feels on fire and fulfilled, like a woman should when in love with someone who reciprocates her feelings. The singer vows to stay with his partner forever and promises to take her as his wife.
The final verse sees the singer extolling the radiance of his partner's eyes, describing the love light shining like a rainbow. The couple is completely lost in their love, and there is nobody else around them. All that matters is their hearts beating in unison, with no one to separate them.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, love`s got a hold on me,won`t let go;
Love has taken control of me and refuses to let go.
`cause it`s the real thing ba-by,
This love is genuine and authentic, my dear.
I just want you to know
that I love you all the way,
more and more each day.
I want you to understand that I love you completely and that love grows stronger every day.
I love to hear you say,`Well, loves got a hold of me too,
I know it`s true; I get that funny feeling just from being close to you.
When I listen to your heart-beat
not another sound so sweet,
Please hold my hand.`
It's music to my ears when you affirm that love has taken hold of you too, and being near you sparks butterflies in my stomach. Your heartbeat resonates with me in a way that is hard to describe, so please keep holding my hand.
And we climbed the highest mountain
And we sailed the seven seas,
And nobody was with us
At the top of the world in love
And runnin` free.
We have journeyed far and wide, braving the most challenging obstacles together, and no one was with us when we reached the summit of love, feeling liberated and content.
`Baby, I`m on fire,
And it feels so good
To have this warm desire
Like a woman should who`s really got
Someone to make love to.
I`ll stay right here forever with you.`
I am filled with passion and pleasure, especially knowing that I have a true partner to share intimacy with. You complete me, and I vow to stay with you for an eternity.
Well, I`ll be right here beside you till the end,
And kiss your eyes and cast away your troubles to the wind,
And love you for all my life,
And take you for my wife,
Please hold my hand.
I am committed to being by your side for as long as I can, taking away your worries and giving you kisses that set you at ease. I will love and cherish you for the rest of my life, and I hope you'll take me as your husband. Please hold my hand through it all.
I can see the love light shinin`
Like a rainbow in your eyes.
Listen to your heartbeat.
Ain`t nobody here with us,
Listen to your heartbeat,
Ain`t nobody here with us.
Listen to your heartbeat,
Ain`t nobody here with us.
When I look into your eyes, I see a radiant glow that reflects the love in your heart. Let's listen to the rhythm of our hearts beating as if we are the only two people on this planet. We are so in sync with each other that we create our universe of love.
Contributed by Mia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sal1675
One of the most beautiful songs ever. Gospel/Soul/Scat/RnB/Funk all in one...... a dream
badiraha
Leon Russell and Mary McCreary sang the original. It is a truly beautiful song.
Alina Santos
Perfect!
Sam Hill
@Edward Callender tp
Edward Callender
Word !
Sal1675
The drumming is so tight. 1976. What more is there to say.
Elio Sanfeliu
I agree¡¡
Alan Navarro
Sal1675
Drums: Joe Correro
Electric Piano: Tom Canning
Bass: Wilton Felder
Guitar: Larry Carlton
Synthesizer & String Ensemble: Larry Nash
Percussion: Steve Forman
Darren Duncan
One of the greatest singers of all time. He was like SOOOOOUL personified. RIP talented artist of artists.
Leo Martinez
One of my favorites from Al. RIP Al Jarreau.