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.
Something That You Said
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your face, the rain in Paris, a distant bell
Now, inside my head, I still recall the moment
There was something that you said
And now, only now, if somehow I were younger
Nimble little fingers remember each melody
Melodies and days that I adored
So long to sailin', safe by my door
Sunny place inside, comforting is all paid for
Too late for some change of mind, ohh, how would I ever find me?
Through rain and crying you were saying
Every heart is safe inside a place
That makes and shapes the changing
Make the change, sail away beyond the wishing star
Dreamers gettin' armor
Froze in the altitudes, toasting the latitudes
Old empty platitudes, tossing, turning, freezing and burning
Comin' around, comin' around, settlin' down
Comin' around, settlin' down
Ice cream and thunder, night beasts and butterflies
Most mornin's I'd settle for a little rain
I'll let it in and let it out, I'll blow it over, coda
Start all over again, makin' the bitter end a friend
Play that restless melody for me again
The one I've been, been so afraid of my sweet friend
Maybe the little refrain will whisper inside the rain again
Play the one with all the changes
Some lullabies for sleeping, a lullaby for weeping
And one to teach my heart to fight and win
Singing a sailin' song
Sun song, sun song
Now inside my head I still recall the moment
There was something that you said
I live inside the moment
Hearing something that you said
How still inside the moment
There was something that you said
Remarkable and wonderful
This something that you said
Al Jarreau’s song "Something That You Said" is a reflection on a particular moment in time that had a profound impact on the singer. The song begins with Al Jarreau recalling a past memory with intense clarity, wherein he remembers the face of his beloved in Paris, surrounded by rain, and the sound of a faraway bell tolling. This serves as the backdrop for the heart of the song, which is a recollection of the words that his beloved spoke to him in that moment. These words have stayed with him throughout time, seemingly providing him a sense of comfort and solace as the singer expresses a longing to be young again.
The song's chorus then comes in, with Al Jarreau singing about the importance of finding a safe place in our hearts that can withstand changes throughout life. The lyrics indicate a desire to move past the heartache and pain of the past, while still remaining open to new experiences. Al Jarreau then speaks to the power of music, which is an overarching theme of the song. His memory of the words spoken to him are so deeply intertwined with the melody of the moment that he wishes he could return to it once again.
Overall, "Something That You Said" is a poignant song about the strength of memory, the role of music in our lives, and the importance of finding a safe place within ourselves to weather the storms of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I clearly recall the moments
I have vivid memories of the past events
Your face, the rain in Paris, a distant bell
I remember everything about that moment, including what you looked like, the rainy weather, and the sound of a bell in the distance
Now, inside my head, I still recall the moment
The memory of that moment is still fresh in my mind
There was something that you said
Something you said during that moment left a lasting impression on me
And now, only now, if somehow I were younger
If only I could relive that moment when I was younger
Nimble little fingers remember each melody
I can still remember the tunes and melodies from back then
Melodies and days that I adored
Those melodies and days were very dear to me
Flower vases, cathedral doors
I remember everything about the moment, even the small details like flower vases and cathedral doors
So long to sailin', safe by my door
I used to feel safe and content staying at home, but not anymore
Sunny place inside, comforting is all paid for
I used to find comfort in the familiar, but now I crave new experiences
Too late for some change of mind, ohh, how would I ever find me?
It's too late for me to change my ways, and I'm not sure how to rediscover myself
Through rain and crying you were saying
Even during tough times, you were there to comfort me with your words
Every heart is safe inside a place
Everyone has a safe place in their heart
That makes and shapes the changing
That safe place helps us adapt to change
Make the change, sail away beyond the wishing star
Take a chance, and go after your dreams
Dreamers gettin' armor
Dreamers become stronger as they pursue their dreams
Froze in the altitudes, toasting the latitudes
I feel frozen and stuck, even as I try to move forward
Old empty platitudes, tossing, turning, freezing and burning
I'm tired of hearing the same empty phrases, and I feel both restless and burnt out
Comin' around, comin' around, settlin' down
I'm slowly starting to find my way and feel more at ease
Comin' around, settlin' down
I'm finally starting to feel content and at peace
Ice cream and thunder, night beasts and butterflies
Life is full of unexpected contrasts and contradictions
Most mornin's I'd settle for a little rain
I appreciate the small things in life, like a little rain in the morning
I'll let it in and let it out, I'll blow it over, coda
I'll take in the experiences life gives me, and let them flow back out of me, expressing myself through music
Start all over again, makin' the bitter end a friend
I'm ready to start fresh, even if it means confronting my past failures
Play that restless melody for me again
I want to hear that melody that has haunted me for so long
The one I've been, been so afraid of my sweet friend
The melody that has brought up difficult emotions for me, but which I also cherish
Maybe the little refrain will whisper inside the rain again
Maybe I'll hear that melody again during a rainy moment
Play the one with all the changes
Play the melody that is constantly changing and evolving
Some lullabies for sleeping, a lullaby for weeping
Different songs for different moods and emotions
And one to teach my heart to fight and win
A song that empowers me to overcome challenges and emerge victorious
Singing a sailin' song
Singing a song that fills me with a sense of adventure and possibilities
Sun song, sun song
A song that embodies warmth, hope, and positivity
Now inside my head I still recall the moment
That moment still impacts me deeply
There was something that you said
That something you said has stayed with me all these years
I live inside the moment
I'm still fixated on that moment, even now
Hearing something that you said
Replaying your words in my head, trying to understand their meaning
How still inside the moment
That moment seems frozen in time
There was something that you said
Those words still resonate with me deeply
Remarkable and wonderful
Your words were truly remarkable and wonderful
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALWIN L. JARREAU, JOSEF ERICH ZAWINUL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Izabel Silva
Al Jarreau forever essa música traz uma paz é só fechar os olhos voltar ao passado .
Linnnnnmndaaaaa de maissssssss ....
Joseph Csikos
R.I.P. Al Jarreau! Best singer ever!
Shaun Onverwacht
Thank you! I didn't know about this song. Can we just have an album compilation of all his remakes of the classics already?
Espice Owens
This song is so Heartfelt & Tranquil at 4:25 . Excellent, RIP you will be missed!!
Google User
I love the lyrics and voice put to one of my favorite songs (A remark you made)
Kimberly Childs, Real Estate Agent
a song of missed opportunity and getting by on the memory...over and over....
#abeautifulsongwriter
VERY Excited Doggo
@BrickCityBornandBred Just relistened to Elling's version because you reminded me. Listening to the lyrics, it sounds to me like it's about death/grieving just as much as it's about love. Do you think Al is singing about the same thing here?
Albert A. Barry
My favorite tune of Weather Report with words so beautifully sung. Simply magnificent. Bravo!
BrickCityBornandBred
I'm listening to 3 versions: Weather Report (A Remark You Made)-Joe Zawinul is the composer; Kurt Elling's version (Time To Say Goodbye), and Al Jarreau's version (Something You Said). But it is Al Jarreau's version that touches my heart the most!
Hi
God bless you Al ♥♥