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.
Somebody
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Witty, witty, witty as you can be
Blind 'cause your eyes see only glitter
Closed to the things that make you free
Ever stop to think about a downfall
Happens at the end of every line
Just when you think you've pulled a fast one
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Games are to played with toys etcetera
Love is to be made when you're for real
Ups and downs are caused by life in general
Some are yours no matter how you feel
Shady as a lady in a mustache
Feelings camouflaged by groans and grins
Secrets have a special way about them
Moving to and fro among your friends
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Live it up today if you want to
Live it down tomorrow afternoon
Sunday school don't make you cool forever
Neither does the silver of your spoon
The nicer the nice, the higher the price
This is what you pay for what you need
The higher the price, the nicer the nice
Jealous people like to see you bleed
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
Somebody?s watching you
The lyrics to Al Jarreau's "Somebody's Watching You" speak to the idea that we are constantly being watched and monitored, not necessarily by physical beings, but by the consequences of our actions. The first stanza suggests that some people are so consumed by superficiality and materialism that they are "blind" to the things that truly matter, and they are ultimately "closed" off from freedom. The second stanza warns of the "downfall" that inevitably results from deceit and dishonesty, even if it seems like one has "pulled a fast one." The repetition of "somebody's watching you" reinforces the idea that there are consequences to every action, even if one thinks they are not being observed.
The third stanza focuses on the idea that there are certain things in life that are beyond our control, and we must accept them as they come. We cannot control the ups and downs of life, but we can control how we react to them. The imagery of the "lady in a mustache" suggests that even the most seemingly trustworthy people may be hiding something, and we should always be aware of that. The chorus repeats once again, underscoring that there is always someone or something watching and keeping track of our actions.
The final stanza offers a cautionary message about living a life of excess and indulgence. The line "live it up today if you want to, live it down tomorrow afternoon" suggests that recklessness and careless behavior will ultimately catch up to us. The repetition of "somebody's watching you" is a reminder that it is important to live our lives with honesty and integrity, even when no one else is looking. Overall, "Somebody's Watching You" encourages listeners to think about the consequences of their actions and to strive for authenticity and honesty in all aspects of their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty, pretty, pretty as a picture
You have a beautiful physical appearance.
Witty, witty, witty as you can be
You are smart and clever.
Blind 'cause your eyes see only glitter
You only see the superficial and shallow things in life.
Closed to the things that make you free
You are limiting yourself and not experiencing the true freedom life has to offer.
Ever stop to think about a downfall
Have you considered the negative consequences of your actions?
Happens at the end of every line
Failure is inevitable eventually.
Just when you think you've pulled a fast one
Just when you think you got away with something.
Happens to the foolish all the time
Those who are foolish and ignorant are bound to make mistakes and suffer the consequences.
Somebody?s watching you
You are being watched and monitored by someone.
Games are to played with toys etcetera
Games are meant to be played with playful things.
Love is to be made when you're for real
Love is meant to be shared genuinely.
Ups and downs are caused by life in general
Life is full of both positive and negative experiences.
Some are yours no matter how you feel
Some experiences and situations are unavoidable regardless of how you feel about them.
Shady as a lady in a mustache
You are being deceptive and hiding your true feelings or intentions.
Feelings camouflaged by groans and grins
You are hiding your emotions behind fake expressions.
Secrets have a special way about them
Secrets have a tendency to spread and get revealed.
Moving to and fro among your friends
The secret information is circulating among your social circle.
Live it up today if you want to
Enjoy life to the fullest right now if you choose to.
Live it down tomorrow afternoon
You will have to face the consequences of your actions eventually.
Sunday school don't make you cool forever
Just because you have a religious upbringing, it does not make you inherently a good person.
Neither does the silver of your spoon
Your privileged background or wealth does not make you any better than others.
The nicer the nice, the higher the price
Being excessively nice to someone can come at a cost.
This is what you pay for what you need
You will always have to pay a price for something you want or need.
The higher the price, the nicer the nice
The more you pay for something, the better quality you will typically receive.
Jealous people like to see you bleed
There are people who will take pleasure in your misfortune due to their envy.
Somebody?s watching you
You are being observed and monitored by someone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LINDA GOINS
WHEN I HEAR SOMEBODYS WATCHING YOU, IM THINKING ABOUT WORK...
WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND FAMILIAR WITH WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE , YOU DO IT. NOT WAITING ON ANYONE TO TELL YOU, AND NOT DOING IT WHEN YOU FEEL SOMEBODYS WATCHING YOU AND THEN THE MINUTE THEY ARE GONE, YOU STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING....
THE SAYING IS TRUE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHOS WATCHING YOU ,YOU MAY NOT EVEN CARE.
BUT WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE , YOU KNOW , NO MATTER WHAT YOU WILL BE JUST FINE...
I LOVE THE SAYING ( NO WEAPONS THAT ARE FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER, NOT EVEN THE ONES WITHIN SELF THAT CAUSES ONE TO MAKE CHOICES AND DECISIONS THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR OWN SLAVE PIT OR HELL HOLE , NO IDEA OF HOW TO GET OUT.
IF YOU CANT FIND SOMETHING IN YOURSELF TO LOVE AND WORTH LIVING FOR , YOU MAY NOT MAKE IT OUT.NO MATTER WHO NAME YOU CALL AT THAT POINT AND TIME.
Snax
Thanks for posting! Huge Sly fan here and never heard this version. Excellent. Love those distinctive Jarreau improvs. :)
Ramon Rios
Nice interpretation of Sly's classic he did with the Family Stone. The A. J. touch is a beautiful rendition. R.I.P. " Mr. Voice ".
やーまんやーまん
easy breezyもそうだけど、ilmoreのnonfictionもやばいよね
Janice Okoro
when music had meaning, relaxing, living and lovin. Al the man
Celestecodes930
Still listening 43 yrs later💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕😊😊😊😊😊
LINDA GOINS
WHEN I HEAR SOMEBODYS WATCHING YOU, IM THINKING ABOUT WORK...
WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND FAMILIAR WITH WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE , YOU DO IT. NOT WAITING ON ANYONE TO TELL YOU, AND NOT DOING IT WHEN YOU FEEL SOMEBODYS WATCHING YOU AND THEN THE MINUTE THEY ARE GONE, YOU STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING....
THE SAYING IS TRUE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHOS WATCHING YOU ,YOU MAY NOT EVEN CARE.
BUT WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE , YOU KNOW , NO MATTER WHAT YOU WILL BE JUST FINE...
I LOVE THE SAYING ( NO WEAPONS THAT ARE FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER, NOT EVEN THE ONES WITHIN SELF THAT CAUSES ONE TO MAKE CHOICES AND DECISIONS THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR OWN SLAVE PIT OR HELL HOLE , NO IDEA OF HOW TO GET OUT.
IF YOU CANT FIND SOMETHING IN YOURSELF TO LOVE AND WORTH LIVING FOR , YOU MAY NOT MAKE IT OUT.NO MATTER WHO NAME YOU CALL AT THAT POINT AND TIME.
Sho
OKAY
セイ
こっからslackとかフレシノとか最近だとjivaとかに繋がってくって考えたらヒップホップてすごいなー
てんさいしゅげ
美しい
69starchild
AL JARREAU!!!!