Jackson was trained as a gospel singer from an early age, singing at the White Rock Baptist Church. There he met Paul Laurence, who would later become his record producer and songwriting partner. After completing school, Jackson joined Laurence's group LJE (Laurence-Jones Ensemble) and played the New York nightclub scene. During the early 1980s, Jackson moved to the West Coast and sang lead with the R&B band 'Mystic Merlin', but soon returned to New York to work with Laurence at the Hush Productions company. He sang on demo recordings of Laurence's compositions, and also served as a backing singer for Melba Moore after she saw his nightclub act.
In 1985, Jackson landed a recording contract with Capitol Records, and issued his debut album, Rock Me Tonight. The Laurence-penned title track stormed the R&B charts, spending six weeks at number one, and made Jackson an instant hit on urban contemporary radio. "You Are My Lady" gave him a second straight R&B chart-topper, and also proved to be his highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 13. With "He'll Never Love You (Like I Do)" and "Love Is Just a Touch Away" also hitting the R&B Top Ten, Rock Me Tonight topped the R&B album chart and went platinum. Jackson issued the follow-up Just Like the First Time 1986, on the heels of a number one R&B duet with Melba Moore, "A Little Bit More" (from her album A Lot of Love). Another platinum seller, Just Like the First Time continued Jackson's dominance of the R&B singles charts; "Tasty Love," "Have You Ever Loved Somebody," and "Jam Tonight" all hit number one, while "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love" went to number two.
The pace of Jackson's success slowed with the 1988 release of Don't Let Love Slip Away, which nonetheless featured another R&B chart-topper in "Hey Lover", plus further hits in "Nice and Slow" and "Crazy (For Me)". The title track of 1990's Do Me Again duplicated that feat, and "Main Course" just missed, topping out at number two. Even so, Jackson's earlier placings in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 had long since disappeared, and some critics charged that his albums were growing too similar to one another. Perhaps it was a lack of distinctiveness in his material that hurt Jackson's chances for a pop breakthrough; whatever the case, 1992's Time for Love failed to duplicate the crossover success Luther Vandross was belatedly enjoying, despite a hit cover of the soul classic "Me and Mrs. Jones."
Seeking a new beginning, Jackson parted ways with Capitol in late 1993, and signed with RCA. His label debut, Here It Is, appeared the following year, with diminished commercial returns -- in part because his straightforward romantic ballad style was increasingly out of step with the sexually explicit, new breed of R&B crooner. Following a Christmas album, Jackson split with RCA and recorded Private Party for the much smaller Street Life imprint in 1995. Several years of silence ensued, until Orpheus issued Life After 30 in late 1999; the equally low-key release Live in Concert followed in 2000. After returning to the charts with It's Your Move in February 2004, Jackson released his tenth studio album, Transitions, in September 2006 under the record label Orpheus Music.
Look Around
Freddie Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something I've been longing to say
Lately you've been distant
Growing further every day
A heartbreak is a hard thing
And it's something we don't have to do
Girl, I'm telling you the truth
Just look around, baby
Look around and you're gonna see
Just look around, baby
No one's gonna love you like me
So you tell me what you're feeling
Has nothing to do with me
I know imagination's
Not getting the best of me, no
Still the feeling's changing
Where's the magic in your touch
And the world you used to love so much?
Can you help me out? Can we work it out?
Just look around, baby
Look around and you're gonna see
Just look around, baby
No one's gonna love you like me
Look around, baby, baby
Oh darling, baby
Love is a feeling you're looking for
And it's living right here
Behind our doors, our doors
Just look around, baby
Look around and you're gonna see
Just look around, baby
No one's gonna love you like me
Go on, look around, baby
Baby, you can take your time
Oh baby, take your time and look around
Oh, look, look, look around, baby
Look around and you're gonna see
Just look around
No one's gonna love you like me
Go on, take a mirror tonight
I'm tellin' you, girl
That no one's gonna love you like me
Oh, look around, baby, baby
Baby, take a look around
In "Look Around," Freddie Jackson addresses his lover, expressing his concerns about the distance and disconnect he is noticing in their relationship. He feels that they are growing further apart every day, and he wants to work through it before a heartbreak occurs. Jackson recognizes that a heartbreak is hard and unnecessary, and he urges his lover to look around and see the love and commitment that only he can offer her. He admits that he is struggling to understand what his lover is feeling, but he knows that the magic between them has changed. Jackson wants to work through the issues and repair their relationship, but he needs his lover to look around and see that no one will love her like he does.
The song "Look Around" was written by Freddie Jackson, Barry Eastmond, and Jolyon Skinner. It was released in 1990 on Jackson's album "Do Me Again." The song was produced by Barry Eastmond and reached #64 on the US R&B chart. "Do Me Again" was Jackson's fourth album, and it peaked at #28 on the US R&B album chart. Jackson was known for his soulful ballads that mixed R&B and jazz influences, and he gained popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen lover, let me tell you
I need to talk to you about something important
Something I've been longing to say
I've been wanting to tell you this for a while
Lately you've been distant
You haven't been as close to me as you used to be
Growing further every day
Our relationship is getting weaker and weaker over time
A heartbreak is a hard thing
Breaking up is difficult for both of us
And it's something we don't have to do
We don't have to break up
Girl, I'm telling you the truth
I'm being honest with you right now
So hear me out, so hear me out
Please listen to what I have to say
Just look around, baby
Take a good look at what's happening
Look around and you're gonna see
If you pay attention, you'll notice
No one's gonna love you like me
I'm the only one who can love you like this
So you tell me what you're feeling
Please explain to me how you're feeling
Has nothing to do with me
Is it because of something I did or didn't do?
I know imagination's not getting the best of me, no
I'm not just imagining things - this is real
Still the feeling's changing
Your feelings toward me are changing
Where's the magic in your touch
I miss the special feeling you used to give me
And the world you used to love so much?
You don't seem to enjoy the things we used to do together
Can you help me out? Can we work it out?
Can you assist me in resolving our issues?
Love is a feeling you're looking for
You're searching for love
And it's living right here
Love is right in front of us
Behind our doors, our doors
In our relationship
Go on, take a mirror tonight
Reflect on yourself and your actions
I'm tellin' you, girl
Believe me when I say
That no one's gonna love you like me
I'm the only one who can love you like this
Oh, look around, baby, baby
Pay attention to what's happening
Baby, take a look around
Take a good look at what's happening
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL ALAN CAMPBELL, JANICE C. DEMPSEY, PAUL LAURENCE JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind