Eddie Murphy actually has had an extensive singing career, it's just not his biggest claim to fame. His biggest hit was "Party All The Time," which reached #2 in the US in 1985. He had another Billboard Hot 100 hit single in 1989 with the cringe-inducing title "Put Your Mouth On Me," which reached #27. Besides two solo music albums, he's also done some of the songs in films he's appeared in, such as the Shrek franchise and 1988's Coming to America. He's also provided vocals in odd places like Saturday Night Live sketches ("Wookin' Pa Nub," anyone?), backing for The BusBoys, and hey, even appeared in Michael Jackson's video "Remember The Time."
Murphy began his comedy career at the age of 16, as part of a comedy duo with fellow comedian Mitchell Kyser at the Roosevelt Youth Center in Roosevelt, Long Island, where he grew up. At 19 he became a performer on NBC's Saturday Night Live television show, not long after graduating from Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School. His characters include a parody of Buckwheat from the Little Rascals and an inner-city black version of Fred Rogers known as "Mr. Robinson". Former SNL writer Margaret Humphert has said Murphy and Bill Murray are the two most talented people in the history of the show. Murphy left the show midway through the 1983-1984 season, appearing in filmed sketches for the remainder of that season.
Murphy later starred in many comedies including the Beverly Hills Cop series. He was recognized by receiving a Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a comedy or musical for his performances in Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places, The Nutty Professor, and most recently Dreamgirls. [1]
He is a well-known voice actor and voiced Thurgood Stubbs in The PJs, Donkey in the Shrek series and the dragon Mushu, in Disney's Mulan. Murphy also has the distinction of having starred in more sequels than any other actor in Hollywood. Those films include:Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Another 48 Hrs. (1990), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Shrek 2 (2004), and Shrek the Third (2007).
In some of his films, he plays multiple roles in addition to his main character, including Coming to America, where he played four radically different characters, the Nutty Professor films, where he played much of the Klumps clan, and 2007's Norbit. Another trademark of Eddie Murphy's is his deep, infectious, and considerably goofy laugh.
In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, he was voted amongst the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. Eddie Murphy's older brother, Charlie Murphy, is also an actor, best known recently for his appearances on Chappelle's Show.
Years active 1977 - present
Love's Alright
Eddie Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Redlight
Stop right there where you are
Redlight
Stop right there where you are
(There where you are)
Burning down the people's souls
My high anxiety is getting higher
Feels like I'm gonna blow
Gone is the breeze that used to be so sweet
Poison is the wind that blows
It can't be long till the military come
With a knock, knock, knock on your door
Alright
Redlight
Stop right there where you are
This is a redlight
Stop right there where you are
(Stop there where you are)
(Gone) Emancipation
(Gone) Race relation
(Gone) Most of the rebels are gone
(Gone) The trust in nation
(Gone) The time we're wastin'
(Gone) The people's patience is gone
Broken economy, the streets are dire
Even more than before
I need some betterness to take me higher
Feels like I'm gonna blow
Gone are the days when people used to say
"Everything is alright"
No place to run, now here your karma a come
With a knock, knock, knock on your door
Redlight. Stop right there where you are
This is a redlight. Stop right there where you are
(Stop there where you are)
Redlight. Stop right there where you are
Redlight. Stop right there where you are
(Stop there where you are)
Pick up the pieces, let it begin, cause this is the way that we flow
Higher and higher and higher we go
Through dedication, self-preservation Hailie (high) Selassie (high)
(Gone) Marcus Garvey, Montgomery, Martin
(Gone) All the rebels are gone
(Gone) We've lost our way
(Gone)Darkness is the day
(Gone) Most of the rebels are gone
Redlight
Redlight
Redlight
We can ride, we can roll, we can breathe
We can talk, we can walk, we can stop
At the redlight
We can smoke, we can do what we want
And be real with the blunt, we just stop
At the redlight
We'll stay true, and be you
And be up way above with no pushin' or shovin'
We can ride, we can roll, we can breathe
We can talk, we can walk, we'll just stop
At the redlight
We can smoke, we can do what we want
And be real with the blunt, we just stop
At the redlight
We'll stay true, and be you
And be up way above with no pushin' or shovin'
Redlight
The lyrics of Eddie Murphy's song Love's Alright speak to the struggles and tensions in society. The song begins with the words 'Redlight, stop right there where you are,' a plea from the artist to pause and take stock of the current situation. He refers to the idea of going from 'the frying pan into the fire', a metaphor for the idea that things are getting worse instead of better. Murphy speaks of 'burning down the people's souls' as a result of the brokenness of society, and his 'high anxiety' rising. The artist speaks of the sense of disillusionment and loss felt by many, describing how things that were once sweet have turned to poison, and that there is a general feeling of unease that is creating a sense of impending crisis.
The chorus of the song repeats the words 'Redlight, stop right there where you are' as a metaphor for the need to pause and take stock of what is happening, rather than allowing things to spiral out of control. Murphy refers to a range of social issues in his lyrics, including 'emancipation', 'race relations', and the loss of 'trust in the nation'. He talks about the broken economy and dire streets, and the need for betterment to take him higher.
Despite the bleak picture painted, Murphy ends the song on a note of hope. He talks of staying true to oneself and rising above the chaos, while still staying grounded by stopping at the 'redlight'. The song is ultimately a plea to take a step back and reflect, to recognize that there is still hope and beauty in the world and to not lose sight of that.
Line by Line Meaning
Redlight
Stop right there where you are
Stop right there where you are
This is a warning to pause and reflect on where you stand in life
Out of the frying pan, into the fire
Escaping one problem, only to fall into a worse situation
Burning down the people's souls
The situation is intense and taking a toll on everyone's emotional wellbeing
My high anxiety is getting higher
The stress and pressure of the situation is overwhelming
Feels like I'm gonna blow
The tension is building up and it might lead to an outburst
Gone is the breeze that used to be so sweet
The pleasant things in life have vanished and been replaced by hardship
Poison is the wind that blows
All that's left is toxicity and negativity in the air
It can't be long till the military come
The government might step in to address the issue by force
With a knock, knock, knock on your door
The impending threat of authority is knocking on the door
Emancipation
Freedom from oppression
Race relation
The state of race relations and how it affects people
Most of the rebels are gone
The ones who stand up for change are fewer in numbers and losing power
The trust in nation
Faith in the system and its ability to help is dwindling
The time we're wastin'
The urgency to act and improve the situation is being ignored
The people's patience is gone
Everyone is at their breaking point and running out of tolerance
Broken economy, the streets are dire
The financial situation is in ruins, and it's affecting everyone's daily lives
Even more than before
The situation has worsened and is no longer tolerable
I need some betterness to take me higher
Improvement and progress are needed to lift the spirits and overcome the hardships
Gone are the days when people used to say
The time when things were better and had hope is in the past
"Everything is alright"
Fooling oneself that things are fine when in reality everything is wrong
No place to run, now here your karma a come
There's nowhere left to hide, and the consequences of one's actions are knocking
Pick up the pieces, let it begin, cause this is the way that we flow
Despite the situation, it's time to start rebuilding and moving forward with a new plan
Higher and higher and higher we go
There's no limit to how high we can rise or how much progress we can make
Through dedication, self-preservation Hailie (high) Selassie (high)
By committing to our goals and protecting our interests, we can achieve greatness just like the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I
Marcus Garvey, Montgomery, Martin
Referring to black leaders who fought for civil rights and equality
We've lost our way
The path towards progress and change is unclear or forgotten
Darkness is the day
The current state of affairs is dismal and depressing
Redlight
Stop right there where you are
We can ride, we can roll, we can breathe
We have freedoms and opportunities to make choices in life
And be real with the blunt, we just stop
We can be honest about our choices and mistakes, and reflect on them
We'll stay true, and be you
Remain genuine and authentic to oneself
And be up way above with no pushin' or shovin'
Rise above hate and negativity, and take the high road
At the redlight
Take a moment to reflect and think before proceeding
Writer(s): eddie murphy, david allan jones, trenten gumbs
Contributed by Adrian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.