Clearly, Yonnet has no limits. Just listen to his sound. It funks. It rocks. It hips and hops. It grooves. It sways. It testifies. It prays. It has a reverence for blues and jazz while appealing to a generation breed on pop rock and hip-hop. He as performed with music legend Stevie Wonder and recently recorded with generational icons, the Jonas Brothers. His current stint with music royalty Prince has exposed him and his powerhouse sound to a wider, more diverse audience. Praise from Dave Chappelle and performances with neo-soul queen Erykah Badu, Soul prodigy John Legend, jazzman Branford Marsalis, and Jewish raggamuffin Matisyahu have all contributed to his mission to change the way the music industry, musicians and enthusiasts regard the "pocket" instrument.
Yonnet, born in Normandy, France to a Parisian father and French Guyanese Creole mother, lived in and around Paris most of his life. His father, a civil engineer and part-time theater actor, and grandfather, Jacques Yonnet, writer and author of Paris Noir – a memoir that explores the dark heart of the City of Lights – honed the young Yonnet’s appreciation for the arts. Yonnet always knew his calling was to the stage but he was not sure which one.
As a child, he and his dad performed in French theaters doing comedy. By 14, he decided to literally march to the beat of his own drum. Shortly thereafter, he had performed with organist Jimmy Smith at the Marciac Jazz Festival. At 19, after a short stint as a drummer, Yonnet revisited an instrument he had as a child: the harmonica. “I got kicked out of a lot of bands because I kept trying to play the melody on the drums,” said Yonnet. “On the harmonica, I can play both the melody and the rhythm. Plus, the harmonica is much lighter to carry.”
Well, maybe not so much.
These days, Yonnet, now based in the U.S., travels with pedal boards, mixers, amps, microphones and over 50 diatonic harmonicas. Despite having an endorsement deal with Seydel, the oldest harmonica manufacturer in the world, he still prefers to carry a few backup harps. “I’m pretty intense on the harmonica and I have to have the sharpest ax at all times.”
And he’s not afraid to yield it. There aren’t many people who would take on Stevie Wonder “tête-à-tête” on the harmonica but Yonnet proved to be more than capable when they performed together during several Wonder tour dates in 2007-08. “Frédéric Yonnet — a Wonder disciple — had a crazy harmonica duel that almost sent Stevie flying off the stage in a frenzy,” cited Fox News following a performance at Madison Square Garden. Another fan described the performance like “watching Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was a reverence between the two that was totally complicit and genuine.” Without a doubt, Wonder’s genius has been Yonnet’s biggest musical inspiration. “Stevie’s mastery of the chromatic harmonica, is what I strive for on the diatonic,” said Yonnet.
Indeed, Yonnet’s ability to play chromatic scales on the diatonic harmonica gives him an wider range of notes and sounds, of which he takes full advantage. He masterfully bridges the gap between the diatonic and chromatic harmonica -- impressing fans of both.
For the Love of You
Frederic Yonnet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm looking for you
Drifting on a memory
Ain't no place I'd rather be
Than with you, loving you
Day will make a way for night
All we'll need is candlelight
And a song soft and long, well
With a lover unlike no other
Safe to see a new horizon
Slowly coming into view
I wanna be living for the love of you
All that I'm giving is for the love of you
Lovely as a ray of sun
That touches me when the morning comes
Feels good to me, my love and me
Smoother than a gentle breeze
Flowing through my mind with ease
Soft as can be well when you're loving me
Love to be Riding the waves of your love
Enchanted with your touch It seems to me
We can sail together in and out of mystery
I wanna be living for the love of you
All that I'm giving is for the love of you
Paradise I have within
Can't feel insecure again
You're the key and this I see
Now and then I lose my way
Using words to try and say
What I feel yeah love is real
Ooh I might as well
Sign my name on a card
Which could say it better
Time will tell
'Cause it seems that I've done
Just about all that I can do do do
I wanna be living for the love of you
All that I'm giving is for the love of you
Frederic Yonnet's song "For The Love Of You" is a love song filled with vivid imagery that captures the emotions of a person deeply in love. The singer is expressing his desire to be with his lover, and he describes his feelings and sensations while in her presence. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the entire piece: "Hmm Huh Hoo hoo hey baby, I'm looking for you, Drifting on a memory, Ain't no place I'd rather be, Than with you, loving you."
The singer goes on to describe how the day will make way for the night, and how all they will need is candlelight and soft music to set the mood for their love. He praises his lover, describing her as "a lover unlike no other, safe to see a new horizon slowly coming into view." The chorus then follows, with the singer expressing his desire to live for the love of his partner, to give everything he has to their relationship.
The second verse adds to the imagery, describing the lover as being "lovely as a ray of sun that touches me when the morning comes, feels good to me, my love and me." He describes the gentle breeze that flows through his mind, the softness of her touch, and their ability to sail together through mystery. The song's final verse expresses the singer's gratitude for their love, acknowledging that he has found paradise with his partner, and that she is the key to his happiness. The song closes with the singer acknowledging that there may be more he can do to express his love, but that he will continue to live for her and give all he has to their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Hmm Huh Hoo hoo hey baby
The singer is expressing his excitement and eagerness to talk to his lover.
I'm looking for you
The singer is searching for his lover.
Drifting on a memory
The singer is reflecting on the past experiences he had with his lover.
Ain't no place I'd rather be
The singer is expressing his contentment and satisfaction in being with his lover.
Than with you, loving you
The singer values his love for his partner and cherishes being with her.
Day will make a way for night
The singer believes that every challenge will be overcome and the future will be bright.
All we'll need is candlelight
The singer believes that even in the darkest situations, they will find hope and comfort in each other's presence and love.
And a song soft and long, well
The singer envisions a romantic and intimate moment with his lover where they can express their love through music.
Glad to be here alone
The singer is happy to be with his lover, even if they are alone.
With a lover unlike no other
The singer believes that his lover is unique and special, and their love is one of a kind.
Safe to see a new horizon
The singer is confident that he and his lover can face any challenge together and look towards a better future.
Slowly coming into view
The singer believes that their future will become clearer and brighter over time.
Lovely as a ray of sun
The singer compares his lover's presence to the warmth and beauty of the sun.
That touches me when the morning comes
The singer finds comfort and happiness in waking up next to his lover every morning.
Feels good to me, my love and me
The singer feels content and satisfied in being with his lover.
Smoother than a gentle breeze
The singer's love for his partner is calm and peaceful, like the gentle breeze.
Flowing through my mind with ease
The singer's love for his partner comes naturally and effortlessly.
Soft as can be well when you're loving me
The singer finds comfort and tenderness in his lover's love.
Love to be Riding the waves of your love
The singer enjoys the ups and downs of the relationship, as long as he is with his lover.
Enchanted with your touch It seems to me
The singer is mesmerized by his lover's touch.
We can sail together in and out of mystery
The singer believes that he and his lover can brave any mystery and challenge, as long as they are together.
Paradise I have within
The singer feels like he has found paradise within himself, because of his lover's love.
Can't feel insecure again
The singer no longer feels insecure because of his lover's love.
You're the key and this I see
The singer sees his lover as the key to his happiness and security.
Now and then I lose my way
The singer admits that he sometimes loses his way in life and love, but his lover helps him find his way back.
Using words to try and say
The singer tries to express his feelings for his lover through words.
What I feel yeah love is real
The singer genuinely feels love for his partner and knows that it is real.
Ooh I might as well Sign my name on a card
The singer wishes to express his love in any way possible, even through a card or note.
Which could say it better Time will tell
The singer hopes that time will prove the depth of his love for his partner.
'Cause it seems that I've done Just about all that I can do do do
The singer has done everything in his power to express his love for his partner, but still feels there is more to do.
I wanna be living for the love of you
The singer's ultimate goal in life is to live for and with his lover.
All that I'm giving is for the love of you
Everything the singer does, he does out of love for his partner.
Lyrics © Tratore, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joseph Arrington, Marvin Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, O'kelly Isley, Christopher Jasper, Ernest Isley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind