Gregory Porter was born in Sacramento and was raised in Bakersfield, California, where his mother was a minister. A 1989 graduate of Highland High School, he received a "full-ride" (tuition, books, medical coverage, and living expenses) athletic scholarship as a football lineman to San Diego State University (SDSU Aztecs), but a shoulder injury during his junior year cut short his football career.[3] At the age of 21, Porter lost his mother to cancer, but only after she entreated him from her death bed: "Sing, baby, sing!"
Porter moved to the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn in 2004, along with his brother Lloyd. He worked as a chef at Lloyd's restaurant Bread-Stuy (now defunct), where he also performed. Porter performed at other neighborhood venues including Sista's Place and Solomon's Porch, and moved on to Harlem club St. Nick's Pub, where he maintained a weekly residency. Out of this residency evolved what would become Porter's touring band.[4]
Porter released two albums on the Motéma label together with Membran Entertainment Group, 2010's Water and 2012's Be Good, before signing with Blue Note Records (under Universal Music Group) on May 17, 2013. His third album, Liquid Spirit, was released on September 2, 2013, in Europe and on September 17, 2013, in the US.[5] The album was produced by Brian Bacchus.[6] The album won the 2014 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album.[7]
Liquid Spirit enjoyed commercial success rarely achieved by albums in the jazz genre, reaching the top 10 on the UK album charts. It was certified gold by the BPI, selling over 100,000 units in the UK.[8]
In August 2014 Porter released "The 'In' Crowd" as a single.[9] On May 9, 2015 Porter participated in VE Day 70: A Party to Remember, a televised commemorative concert from Horse Guards Parade in London, singing "As Time Goes By".[10]
His fourth album, Take Me to the Alley, was released on May 6, 2016.[11] In UK's The Guardian it was Alexis Petridis's album of the week.[12]
On June 26, 2016, Porter performed on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival 2016. Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Neil McCormick said, "The portly middle-aged jazzer may be the oddest pop star on the planet but he is a refreshing testament to the notion that the most important organ for musical appreciation should always be our ears. And Porter has one of the most easy-on-the-ear voices in popular music, a creamy baritone that flows thick and smooth across a rich gateaux of juicy melody. It's a voice that makes you want to lick your lips and dive right in."[13]
In September 2016 Porter performed at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park from Hyde Park, London. He would go on to perform in the annual BBC Children in Need show in November, a night dedicated to Sir Terry Wogan, who hosted it in previous years and was a fan of Porter.[14]
In January 2017 Porter performed the song "Holding On" on BBC One's The Graham Norton Show.[15] In September 2017 he performed as part of the Later... with Jools Holland: Later 25 concert at the Royal Albert Hall.[16]
In October 2017 he performed the song "Mona Lisa" on BBC One's The Graham Norton Show with Jeff Goldblum on piano.[17]
I Fall in Love Too Easily
Gregory Porter Lyrics
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I fall in love too fast
And I fall in love too terribly hard
For love to last
My heart should be well schooled
'Cause I've been fooled
Oh I've been fooled by you in the past
I fall in love too fast
I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake
I fall in love too easily
And I, I fall in love too fast
And I fall in love too terribly hard
For love to last
And I, I whose heart should be well schooled, well schooled
'Cause I've been fooled, oh I've been fooled by you in the past
I fall in love too easily
I fall in love way too fast
Way too fast, way too fast, too fast
In “I Fall in Love too Easily,” Gregory Porter sings about his tendency to fall in love too easily and too quickly, which leads to heartbreak. He states that he falls “terribly hard” for love, but it never lasts. He recognizes that his heart should be “well schooled” since he has been fooled in the past, but he still falls too easily. Throughout the song, he repeats that he falls in love too fast, which emphasizes his vulnerability and fear of not finding true love.
The lyrics suggest that Porter is a hopeless romantic who doesn't want to be alone but is afraid of being hurt. The constant repetition of the phrase "I fall in love too easily" also creates a sense of self-awareness and self-deprecation. He acknowledges that falling in love too quickly is a fault, but he cannot help it.
The song features Porter's signature silky-smooth voice, which adds warmth and vulnerability to the lyrics. The slow tempo and melancholic melody also add to the song's emotional depth, making it a haunting and heartfelt ballad that tugs at the heartstrings.
Line by Line Meaning
I fall in love too easily
I have a tendency to fall in love quickly and without much thought or consideration.
I fall in love too fast
Once I've fallen in love with someone, I tend to move too quickly and intensely, without giving the relationship time to develop naturally.
And I fall in love too terribly hard
When I do fall in love, it tends to be an all-consuming emotion that I have trouble controlling or managing.
For love to last
Unfortunately, my tendency to fall in love quickly and intensely often leads to relationships that are doomed to fail, as I struggle to maintain the intensity and passion of the early stages.
My heart should be well schooled
Given my past experiences with love, you might think that I would have learned to be more cautious and guarded with my heart.
'Cause I've been fooled
But despite my past experiences, I have still been tricked and hurt by love in the past.
Oh I've been fooled by you in the past
This line suggests that the singer has been hurt specifically by someone they were once in a romantic relationship with.
I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake
This line seems to suggest that the artist is afraid of being tied down or committing to a single person, and that they despise relationships that feel formulaic or monotonous.
I fall in love way too fast
This line is essentially a repetition of an earlier line, emphasizing the artist's tendency to move too quickly when it comes to matters of the heart.
Way too fast, way too fast, too fast
This repetition further emphasizes the artist's belief that they have a problem with moving too quickly in relationships.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind