From a musical family, his father was a big band musician. Gino Vannelli played drums at a young age and after finishing high school studied musical theory at McGill University.
In the late 60s, he signed to RCA Canada under the name Van Elli. He eventually went to Los Angeles, California where he signed with Herb Alpert's A&M Records after chasing Alpert down in the parking lot of A&M Studios. He released his first album with that record label in 1973. Gino's brother, Joe, served as arranger and keyboardist for most of his recording career. At a time when polyphonic synthesizers were non-existent, Joe overdubbed multiple parts to create a texture of sound that was largely progressive for the early 1970s. Gino's 1978 song, "I Just Wanna Stop," written by his brother Joe, earned him an American Grammy Award nomination and reached #4 on the Billboard charts and #1 in Canada. He won Canada's Juno Award for Best Male Artist in 1976 and 1979. Also, Gino and Joe Vannelli shared the Juno Award for Recording Engineer of the Year three times: in 1986 for "Black Cars," in 1987 for "Wild Horses"/"Young Lover," and in 1991 for "The Time of Day"/"Sunset on L.A.". Gino is also noted for being the first Caucasian singer to appear on Soul Train in 1974.
Vannelli's other hits include "Living Inside Myself" (1980) and "Wild Horses" (1987).
In 1990 Gino recorded the album 'Inconsolable man' and toured extensively for the first time in well over a decade. His 'Live in Montreal' album was released in 1991.
In 1993, Québécoise singer Martine St. Clair recorded "Wheels of Life" as a duet with Vanelli as well as a French-language version called "L'Amour Est Loi".
It was some 4 years since his last 'Live' album before Gino released one of his best albums ever, the heavily jazz influenced album 'Yonder Tree'. Issued in 1995 the album received rave reviews from critics and fans alike.
Never one to stand still in terms of style, Gino subsequently released his 'Slow Love' album in 1998. A collection of beautifully crafted romantic songs, slightly more MOR than his previous album.
We had to wait until 2003 for the release of Gino's 'Canto' album. A collection of classical and operatic songs which exemplified his compositional skills as well as his incredible voice. With a symphonic Orchestra he sings in English, Spanish, Italian and French. This album reflected an artist freed from the shackles of commerciality and one able to concentrate on just the music. The result was acclaimed around the world and proved particularly successful in Europe. From the album, Parole Per Mio Padre" (Words For My Father), was so loved by Pope John Paul II that Gino performed the song live at the Vatican in a televised event.
In 2006 Gino released a best of album but again not one to follow the norm, this album entitled 'These are the Days' contained many of his previously best known songs together with 7 completely new pop songs.
He has since released four more albums, the latest of which was released in 2019.
Gino now lives in Oregon with his family where he actively teaches music. He continues to perform across the country today.
Gino Vannelli's official website
Wikipedia entry on Gino Vannelli
Black and Blue
Gino Vannelli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like nothin I've felt before
My woman is black, but now she's blue
And I'm wonderin just what to do
(the day is new)
A motor-city love affair
In the heat of the night
Too hard to resist
The moment you've kissed
Feelin' good, feelin' down
Repercussions of a heavy heart
(torn apart)
The summer night is hot
But soon turns cold
Like a winter's song
(when something's wrong)
Oh lady black! please don't be blue
Wash the midnight with the morning dew
(the day is new)
The lyrics to Gino Vannelli's song "Black and Blue" tell a story of a man who is struggling with the aftermath of a passionate and intense love affair with a woman who he describes as "black." The song starts off with the singer feeling emotionally low, as he grapples with the fact that his "woman is black, but now she's blue." He is uncertain about what to do next, as he watches the repercussions of his heavy heart tear apart the love affair that once felt so good.
The love affair is described as a "motor-city love affair," which adds a sense of urgency and intensity to the story. The woman is portrayed as dark and debonair, making her impossible to resist. The singer recognizes the moment he kissed her as the moment everything changed, and he finds himself torn apart by the powerful emotions he is experiencing.
As the song progresses, the singer longs for something that he knows he cannot have. He compares the summer night, which starts off hot and passionate, to a winter's song when something is wrong. He pleads with his lover, who he still sees as "lady black," to not be blue, and to wash away the midnight with the morning dew.
Overall, the song is an honest and raw depiction of the aftermath of a passionate but tumultuous love affair. The lyrics are eloquent and powerful, and they paint a vivid picture of the emotions that the singer is experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
Feelin' light and low
Feeling a mix of emotions that are unusual and unfamiliar
Like nothin I've felt before
Feeling a sense of newness and inexperience in terms of emotions
My woman is black, but now she's blue
My significant other who is usually strong and confident is now sad and vulnerable
And I'm wonderin just what to do
Feeling helpless and unsure about how to help my significant other
(the day is new)
Starting a new day with the hope of finding a solution to my significant other's sadness
A motor-city love affair
A passionate and intense love affair in the midst of the bustling city atmosphere
In the heat of the night
During a time of heightened emotions and intense physical connection
A woman dark and debonair
A woman who is both mysterious and sophisticated
Too hard to resist
Far too tempting to ignore
The moment you've kissed
The exact moment when everything changed in the relationship
Feelin' good, feelin' down
Experiencing a wide range of emotions that can quickly alternate
Repercussions of a heavy heart
The negative effects that come from carrying a heavy emotional burden
(torn apart)
Feeling emotionally fractured and disconnected from loved ones
The summer night is hot
An idyllic summer evening awash with possibility and energy
But soon turns cold
Things can suddenly become very difficult and fall apart rapidly
Like a winter's song
A feeling of sadness and loss that can be likened to a haunting winter melody
(when something's wrong)
A signal that something is going badly wrong in the relationship
Oh lady black! please don't be blue
A plea to his significant other to not be sad, and to return to her usual confidence and strength
Wash the midnight with the morning dew
Start anew and with a fresh perspective
(the day is new)
A fresh start to rectify any lingering issues and bring hope to the relationship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GINO VANNELLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind