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.
You
Al Jarreau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
trying to do right
Maybe you can see me now
When I was walking,
patting my feet on the pavement
Really, truly trying to find a gig
Did you stand up and speak
Cold desperation,
she's a devil in bed
Scratching till my bones are bare
Pill and needles are all I've left to savor
We were walking and
I told you of how my shoes
Of how my shoes were wearing thin
You took your surplus and
traded for a favor
Now I'm demented and I'm
burned unto a cinder
Forty hours buys a grocery
bag for trash
I took my pistol and I made
myself a sinner
Will this universe be merciful at last?
You don't see me.
You don't see me
I get so tired of trying to
attract your attention
It has occurred to me that
you don't see me
You should go ahead.
I'm a-gonna-go-ahead
I know you're going to ahead
You're going to do what
you're going to do
I know, see, I see you, I watch you
You take the money and run
You take groceries and run, too
Don't leave nothing left for me
You're running and hiding
and ducking and hiding
And running and hiding and
I can't find you nowhere
I'll beat your mama,
I'll beat your daddy
I'll go to jail,
it don't make no mothafugging
Difference what happens to me
Going to be there in my
own time, in my own way
Cause you don't see me,
you don't see me
I'm, I'm in your mirror
In Al Jarreau's song "You," the lyrics reflect a sense of frustration and despair. The opening lines express the singer's feeling of being invisible despite his efforts to do the right thing. However, the following line suggests that something has changed, and perhaps now, the person they are addressing can finally see them. The song also talks about the struggles of trying to make a living in the music industry, including the pressure to get gigs and the temptations that some turn to, such as drugs.
The lyrics paint a picture of someone in a dire situation, someone who is desperate and does not have many options left. The lines "Pill and needles are all I've left to savor" suggest a person who is on the brink of losing everything, including their life. The singer is looking for a way out of their situation, and the chorus expresses their frustration that the person they are addressing does not see them or acknowledge their plight.
Overall, the song is a powerful representation of the struggles that many people face in life, whether it be in the music industry or elsewhere. It speaks to the frustration and pain of feeling invisible and unheard and the desire to be seen and acknowledged.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't see me when I'm trying to do right
You fail to notice me when I am trying to do things right
Maybe you can see me now
Perhaps you can finally see me
When I was walking, patting my feet on the pavement
When I was walking as I tried to find opportunities
Really, truly trying to find a gig
Putting in genuine efforts to find work
Did you stand up and speak out in my favor?
Did you support me and speak positively about me?
Cold desperation, she's a devil in bed
The feeling of desperation is overwhelming, it's like being in bed with the devil
Scratching till my bones are bare
Fighting hard with nothing left, even if it means losing everything
Pill and needles are all I've left to savor
The only thing left to hold onto are the temporary highs from pills and needles
We were walking and I told you of how my shoes Of how my shoes were wearing thin
While we were walking, I shared with you my struggle of having worn out shoes
You took your surplus and traded for a favor
You traded some of your extra possessions in exchange for a favor
Now I'm demented and I'm burned unto a cinder
Now I am in a terrible state of mind and feel burned out
Forty hours buys a grocery bag for trash
Working forty hours only earns enough money for basic necessities
I took my pistol and I made myself a sinner
I resorted to using a gun and committed a wrong act
Will this universe be merciful at last?
Is there any chance for things to finally turn around?
I get so tired of trying to attract your attention
I am exhausted from trying to get you to notice me
It has occurred to me that you don't see me
I have come to the realization that you truly aren't noticing me
You should go ahead. I'm a-gonna-go-ahead
You should do what you need to do. I'll do what I need to do
I know you're going to ahead
I know you are planning to move forward
You're going to do what you're going to do
You will do whatever you want to do, regardless of me
I know, see, I see you, I watch you
I'm aware of your actions and behavior
You take the money and run
You take whatever you want and leave quickly
You take groceries and run, too
You take food and necessities without considering my needs
Don't leave nothing left for me
Don't take everything, leaving nothing for me
You're running and hiding and ducking and hiding
You're avoiding me and don't want to deal with me
And running and hiding and I can't find you nowhere
You're still avoiding me and I can't locate you
I'll beat your mama, I'll beat your daddy
I'll resort to violence against your family members
I'll go to jail, it don't make no mothafugging difference what happens to me
I don't care about the consequences and I'll go as far as going to jail
Going to be there in my own time, in my own way
I'll show up when and how I feel like, without regard for what others want from me
Cause you don't see me, you don't see me
You are truly incapable of seeing me and my situation
I'm, I'm in your mirror
I am constantly present and watching you, even if you don't notice me
Contributed by Colton O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.