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.
Same Love That Made Me Laugh
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hard to gain, and hard to hold
Like a rose that's soft to touch
Love has gone, and it hurts so much
Well and why
Must the same love that made me laugh
Well now you think of love as sitting on a mountain
Think of it as being a great big rock
Won't you think before you started to roll it down
Because once you start it, you can't make it stop
I've given all I have to give
And if you don't want me
I don't want to live
Well and why
Must the same love that made me laughâ?¦
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me lay in my pillow
Just cryin' like a weeping willow
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me mess in my pillow
I'm just cryin' like a weeping willow
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry?
The lyrics of Al Jarreau's "Same Love That Made Me Laugh" describe the heartache and confusion one experiences when the same love that once brought joy and laughter, now brings tears and hurt. It likens love to a chunk of gold that is hard to gain and hard to hold, and to a soft rose that can easily be damaged and lost. The chorus questions why this paradoxical nature of love exists, why it can bring both happiness and pain.
The second verse offers some advice on how to approach love, encouraging one to think of it as a great big rock or a mountain that needs to be carefully navigated, and to think twice before making any drastic moves that could set off a chain reaction of hurt and regret. The third verse expresses the singer's deep commitment to the relationship, stating that they have given everything they have to give and if their partner doesn't want them, they don't want to live. The repeated refrain of "Why you wanna make me cry?" further emphasizes the confusion and pain the singer is feeling.
Overall, the lyrics of "Same Love That Made Me Laugh" portray the complex and often tumultuous nature of love, with its ability to bring both joy and pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Your love is like a a chunk of gold
Your love is valuable and precious.
Hard to gain, and hard to hold
It is difficult to attain your love and once attained, difficult to retain it too.
Like a rose that's soft to touch
Love is delicate and tender to touch.
Love has gone, and it hurts so much
Experiencing the absence of love can be painful.
Well and why
The singer is asking a rhetorical question as to why love hurts him.
Must the same love that made me laugh
The same love that brought joy and happiness to the singer is now causing him pain.
Make me cry?
The singer is wondering why the love he once enjoyed is now causing him grief.
Well now you think of love as sitting on a mountain
The singer is urging the listener to view love as something valuable and not to take it for granted.
Think of it as being a great big rock
The singer wants the listener to consider love as something solid and unchanging.
Won't you think before you started to roll it down
The singer is urging the listener to think carefully before making any decisions regarding love.
Because once you start it, you can't make it stop
Once love is started, it can be difficult to bring to a halt.
I've given all I have to give
The singer has given his all to the relationship.
And if you don't want me
The singer feels that his affection is not being reciprocated.
I don't want to live
The singer feels that if his love is unrequited, life is not worth living.
Why you wanna make me lay in my pillow
The singer is questioning why the object of his affection is causing him heartache and making him cry.
Just cryin' like a weeping willow
The singer is crying in the same way that a willow tree weeps.
Why you wanna make me mess in my pillow
The singer's sorrow is causing him to make a mess of his pillow with his tears.
Why you wanna make me cry?
The singer is asking once again why his love is causing him sadness and tears.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bill Withers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind