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]
Real Good Hands
Gregory Porter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your daughter and I have been dating for some time now,
and you've always been real, real nice to me.
I look at your family pictures and I realise that I want the same thing too.
I almost feel like I could call you mummy and daddy.
Really that's what I'm here to talk about.
Mama don't you worry bout your daughter
I'm a real good man.
Now the picture of this man is slowly coming into view.
Papa don't you fret and don't forget that one day you was in my shoes,
Somehow you paid your dues.
Now you're the picture of a man that I someday wanna be.
I know it's hard, watching the changes in our lives,
But I want to make your daughter my wife.
Mama don't you worry bout your daughter
'cause you're leaving her in real good hands,
I'm a real good man.
Now the picture of this love is slowly coming into view.
Papa don't you fret and don't forget that one day you was in my shoes,
Somehow you pay your dues.
Now you're the picture of the man that I someday wanna be.
I know it's hard, watching the changes in our lives,
But I want to make,
Wanna make your daughter my wife.
Mama don't you worry bout your daughter
'cause you're leaving her in real good hands,
I'm a real good man.
Now the picture of this love is surely coming into view.
Papa don't you fret and don't forget that one day you was in my shoes,
Somehow you've paid your dues.
Now you're the picture of the man that I someday wanna be.
And the picture of this man is surely coming into view.
And the picture of my wife is slowly coming into view.
And the picture of this love is surely coming into view.
Yeah the picture of this love is surely coming into view.
And I'm sure enough,
I'm sure that's exactly what I wanna do.
The picture of this man is surely coming into view.
The song "Real Good Hands" by Gregory Porter is a heartwarming tribute to the parents of his significant other. The lyrics are a conversation with the parents, as he expresses his deep love and devotion to their daughter. The song is about wanting to marry her and assures the parents that their daughter is in good hands. Porter talks about paying his dues and becoming a man that he believes the father would approve of. He even says that he wants to be just like him. The song conveys a deep sense of respect and admiration for the parents, as well as a genuine love for their daughter.
Porter's style of music is jazz and blues, but this song has a soulful and emotional feel to it. The lyrics are frank and honest, making it easy for anyone to relate to the theme of the song. The message of the song is one that speaks to the heart of anyone who has been in love and has wanted to be accepted by their partner's family. This is a song about love, respect, and family.
Overall, "Real Good Hands" is a touching and emotional song that speaks to anyone who has been in love and wants to show their love and devotion to their partner and their family. It is a song that will resonate with listeners and remind them of the importance of love, trust, and family.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama don't you worry bout your daughter
I assure you, mama, that I will take care of your daughter and be the man she needs.
'cause you're leaving her in real good hands,
You can rest assured that she is in the hands of someone trustworthy and capable of caring for her.
I'm a real good man.
I am a genuine, responsible, and honorable man worthy of your daughter's love.
Now the picture of this man is slowly coming into view.
I am gradually unveiling myself to you and your husband as someone reliable enough to take care of your daughter.
Papa don't you fret and don't forget that one day you was in my shoes,
I understand your concerns, and I want to remind you that you were once in a similar situation with your wife.
Somehow you paid your dues.
You managed to handle your responsibilities and earned the right to settle down with your wife, which is the same thing I want for myself.
Now you're the picture of a man that I someday wanna be.
You have set an example for me, and I aspire to be like you in taking care of a family.
And the picture of this love is surely coming into view.
The love I have for your daughter and the love we share is evident and growing stronger every day.
And I'm sure enough, I'm sure that's exactly what I wanna do.
I am confident and determined to marry your daughter and start a family together.
Contributed by Molly B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nev3RmiNd
LYRICS
Mama don't you worry bout your daughter
'cause you're leaving her in real good hands,
I'm a real good man.
Now the picture of this man is slowly coming into view.
Papa don't you fret and don't forget that one day you was in my shoes,
Somehow you paid your dues.
Now you're the picture of a man that I someday wanna be.
I know it's hard, watching the changes in our lives,
But I want to make your daughter my wife.
Mama don't you worry bout your daughter
'cause you're leaving her in real good hands,
I'm a real good man.
Now the picture of this love is slowly coming into view.
Papa don't you fret and don't forget that one day you was in my shoes,
Somehow you pay your dues.
Now you're the picture of the man that I someday wanna be.
I know it's hard, watching the changes in our lives,
But I want to make,
Wanna make your daughter my wife.
Mama don't you worry bout your daughter
'cause you're leaving her in real good hands,
I'm a real good man.
Now the picture of this love is surely coming into view.
Papa don't you fret and don't forget that one day you was in my shoes,
Somehow you've paid your dues.
Now you're the picture of the man that I someday wanna be.
And the picture of this man is surely coming into view.
And the picture of my wife is slowly coming into view.
And the picture of this love is surely coming into view.
Yeah the picture of this love is surely coming into view.
And I'm sure enough,
I'm sure that's exactly what I wanna do.
The picture of this man is surely coming into view.
Brian Holmes
My lady sent this to me and said this song reminds her of me and told me she is telling her mom she’s in “real good hands”. She always touches my soul - I’m uberly in love with this woman I’ll soon marry❤️
Joseph A.
Lucky guy
Aimee Hill
I think that any lady would be extremely happy if their partner dedicated this song to them, and even impressed if their father was asked for her hand in this way too
karolina6146
🌟🎉🎊💕
Trenetta McDonald
It's always beautiful to see people in love genuinely.
Tina Davies
0
Travis Brown
I had this played as my wife walked down the aisle yesterday. It was a hit.
malik stuart
Can we take a second to just admire the quality of this mans voice?, his tone is so rich and amazing in every single way it is crazy and second Thea lyrics are real, this is music and real music will always stand the test of time
Solutions3000
Three years later, that's why I'm still here.
MrTippzs
I first heard Mr Porter performing live at the Capital Jazzfest in DC a few years back. I was totally blown apart. I have since followed his live performances all over the states, in Singapore and even in my country of birth, South Africa. I just can't have enough of his music. The man is extremely talented.