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.
So Good
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no greater crime than wastin' your life on a boat goin' nowhere,
When you came along you made it safe for love to survive,
I trusted and dreamed and you came like I knew you would.
I've been 'round before but this feels so good.
I could not walk by I knew that I'd found
There's no place on earth I'd rather be than stayin' right here with you,
It's not about luck I don't need to knock on wood no, no
Been 'round before but this feels so good.
Night after night it's so hard to believe
That I wake up each day next to you,
Time after time in the cold mornin' light, it's good to know
It's good to know that it's true.
There's no greater sin than missin' your chance
When it's starin' right at ya,
That look in your eye says everything and tells me I'm home,
For once in my life I don't feel misunderstood,
Well I've been 'round before but this time it feels so sure.
Been 'round before but this feels so good,
Been 'round before but this feels so good.
The lyrics to Al Jarreau's song "So Good" convey a hopeful and grateful sentiment about finding love with someone who makes life feel fulfilling and purposeful. The opening line suggests that it is wasteful and detrimental to one's life to spend it aimlessly, without a purpose or direction. This sets the stage for the theme of the song, which is about finding the right person and allowing them to make your life more meaningful. The singer acknowledges that they have been around the block a few times and may have experienced love before, but with this person, it feels different - it feels so good. The lyrics depict a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for having found someone who has brought purpose and joy to their life.
As the song progresses, the lyrics describe a sense of fulfillment and contentment that comes from being with this person. The singer expresses that they have found what many people consider to be the ultimate reward - the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. There's no place they'd rather be than with this person, and they don't consider their happiness to be a matter of luck. Rather, it's the result of having found someone who makes everything else in life worth it. The lines "Night after night it's so hard to believe / That I wake up each day next to you" suggest that the singer is still in awe of the connection they have with this person and how grateful they are to have found someone to share their life with.
The song concludes with the message that missing your chance at finding love is the ultimate mistake, and that the look in this person's eyes says everything - they are home. For the first time, the singer feels understood and like they have found their rightful place in the world. Overall, the lyrics to "So Good" speak to the transformative power of love and finding the right person to share your life with.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no greater crime than wastin' your life on a boat goin' nowhere,
It's a waste of life to not have a direction and purpose.
When you came along you made it safe for love to survive,
Love becomes more secure with the right person in your life.
I trusted and dreamed and you came like I knew you would.
Faith and hope in a future partner is key to finding the right one.
I've been 'round before but this feels so good.
Past failures and experiences make the current relationship feel even better.
I could not walk by I knew that I'd found What's at the end of the rainbow,
The person is grateful and lucky to have found the perfect match.
There's no place on earth I'd rather be than stayin' right here with you,
Being with the right person makes the world a better place.
It's not about luck I don't need to knock on wood no, no Been 'round before but this feels so good.
The feeling of contentment and happiness is not attributed to luck but rather the right circumstances.
Night after night it's so hard to believe That I wake up each day next to you,
The joy of being with the right person doesn't fade with time.
Time after time in the cold mornin' light, it's good to know It's good to know that it's true.
It's reassuring and comforting to know that the love is real and genuine.
There's no greater sin than missin' your chance When it's starin' right at ya,
It's a missed opportunity and regretful to not take a chance when everything aligns.
That look in your eye says everything and tells me I'm home,
A deep connection and sense of belonging is felt through a partner's eyes.
For once in my life I don't feel misunderstood,
The right partner brings understanding and eliminates feelings of miscommunication.
Well I've been 'round before but this time it feels so sure.
Past experiences taught the person how to recognize and appreciate a good thing when it comes around.
Been 'round before but this feels so good,
Past experiences make current happiness feel even better.
Been 'round before but this feels so good.
Repeating the sentiment that the current relationship feels different and amazing.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Regard Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Miles Waters, Peter Vale, Sue Shifrin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind