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.
Susan's Song
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To a party over yonder
Susan wants to take me
To her heart
It's a arm and tender place there,
Do you know
Susan, I've been living here
In this fortress
And sometimes celebrations
Lose their charm
Susan do you mind,
Sometimes I'm restless
Rolling on the floor in pain and woe
After all the precious gifts you
Will gladly give to me, girl
I may blindly lock and bolt the door
Baby, sweet baby
I'll truly love you through my years
Well it's just that sometimes
By midnight light
I'm frightened by my fears
But if you could just hold me,
Warm me, girl
The way you did today
And tenderly anoint my eyes
Then I may see the way
Susan, baby, take me to that party
'Way over yonder
Tell me, Susan, do you mind
Come on, Susan, take the time
Tell me, Susan, do you mind
If I've been blind a long time?
I been blind a long time
Sometimes, see, if you're
Not careful
A little hurt, pain in your heart
Will make you blind
Blind to the real thing, once
It comes along
Honey, can you wait, baby
Can you wait for me, till I
Get this thing together?
I been blind, I been blin,
Blind a long time
Sweet Susan, take the time, girl
Susan, can you understand
If I say I love you, baby
Tell me, Susan, mama,
Do you mind?
Girl, I been blind.
In Al Jarreau's song "Susan's Song," the singer is expressing his thoughts and feelings about a woman named Susan who wants to take him to a party. Susan represents a safe, comforting space for the singer, as he has been living in a fortress filled with armor to protect himself. He acknowledges that sometimes celebrations lose their charm and he can become restless and blinded by fear. However, he trusts Susan to hold and warm him, anoint his eyes, and lead him to a new, brighter place. He asks if she can wait for him while he works on himself, admitting that he has been blind for a long time.
The lyrics of "Susan's Song" speak to the universal human experience of fear, doubt, and the need for a safe, loving space to navigate through life. The fortress the singer references could represent the emotional walls people put up to protect themselves after being hurt. The line "sometimes, see, if you're not careful, a little hurt, pain in your heart will make you blind" is particularly poignant, as it acknowledges the way trauma can prevent people from seeing and embracing love when it comes.
Overall, "Susan's Song" is a heartfelt plea for love and understanding sung with Al Jarreau's signature smooth vocal style.
Line by Line Meaning
Susan wants to take me
To a party over yonder
Susan is inviting me to a party that is happening far away
Susan wants to take me
To her heart
It's a arm and tender place there,
Do you know
Susan wants me to be close to her and her heart is a warm and gentle place
Susan, I've been living here
In this fortress
And it's filled with armor
And sometimes celebrations
Lose their charm
I've been living a guarded life and the idea of celebrating doesn't always appeal to me.
Susan do you mind,
Sometimes I'm restless
Rolling on the floor in pain and woe
After all the precious gifts you
Will gladly give to me, girl
I may blindly lock and bolt the door
Susan, you must not mind if I get restless and upset, even after you have given me everything because I might still shut myself away.
Baby, sweet baby
I'll truly love you through my years
Well it's just that sometimes
By midnight light
I'm frightened by my fears
But if you could just hold me,
Warm me, girl
The way you did today
And tenderly anoint my eyes
Then I may see the way
I love you and always will, but sometimes I get scared and anxious, and I need you to hold and comfort me, like you did earlier, so I can see things clearer.
Susan, baby, take me to that party
'Way over yonder
Tell me, Susan, do you mind
Come on, Susan, take the time
Tell me, Susan, do you mind
If I've been blind a long time?
I been blind a long time
I wanna go to that party with you, Susan, and I hope you don't mind. But, I have been blind to many things for a long time, and I need you to be patient with me.
Sometimes, see, if you're
Not careful
A little hurt, pain in your heart
Will make you blind
Blind to the real thing, once
It comes along
Honey, can you wait, baby
Can you wait for me, till I
Get this thing together?
I been blind, I been blin,
Blind a long time
Sweet Susan, take the time, girl
Sometimes, getting hurt can cause blindness, and I hope you can wait for me until I fix it. I've been blind for a while, and I need you to give me time and be patient with me.
Susan, can you understand
If I say I love you, baby
Tell me, Susan, mama,
Do you mind?
Girl, I been blind.
Susan, do you understand that I love you, even though I have been blind to many things? I hope you don't mind.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AL JARREAU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind