In addition, he performed very frequently with other artists, including Bill Withers on "Just the Two of Us" (a song still in regular rotation on radio today) and Phyllis Hyman on "Sacred Kind of Love". He is also remembered for his take on a Dave Brubeck classic, called "Take Another Five", as well as for his hit "Soulful Strut". His work continues to inspire jazz artists even today.
Washington was born in Buffalo, New York, 12 December 1943. Regarded as one of the revolutionaries in jazz music and is considered one of the greatest saxophone players in modern jazz history. He led many others to follow in his footsteps.
Washington's history was music-filled. His mother was a church chorister, and his father was a collector of old jazz 78s and a saxophonist as well, so music was everywhere in the home. He grew up with the great jazz men and big band leaders like Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, and others like them. At the age of 8, with the desire for him to be more than he could be, Grover Sr. gave Jr. a saxophone. He practiced and sneaked into clubs to see famous Buffalo blues musicians.
He left Buffalo and played with a mid-west group called the Four Clefs. He was drafted into the US Army shortly thereafter, but this was to be to his advantage, as he met drummer Billy Cobham. Cobham, a mainstay in New York City, introduced Washington to many New York musicians. After leaving the Army, Washington freelanced his talents around New York City, eventually landing in Philadelphia in 1967.
Grover's big break came at the expense of another artist. Alto sax man Hank Crawford was unable to make a recording date with Prestige Records, and Washington took his place, even though he was a backup. This led to his first album, Inner City Blues. He was talented, and displayed heart and soul with soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones. Refreshing for his time, he made headway into the jazz mainstream. His fifth album, 1974's Mister Magic was a commercial success, and introduced guitarist Eric Gale in as a near-permanent member in Washington's arsenal.
A string of acclaimed records brought Washington through the 1970s, which culminated in the signature piece for everything Washington would do from then on. 1980's Winelight was the album that defined everything Washington was about. The album was smooth, fused with R and B and easy listening feel. Washington's love of basketball, especially the Philadelphia 76ers, led him to dedicate his first track, Let It Flow to Julius Erving (Dr. J). The highlight of the album, and a main staple of radio airplay everywhere, was his great collaboration with soul artist Bill Withers, Just The Two of Us. It was also the final step away from Motown, landing him on Elektra Records and into a new era of jazz excellence. The album went platinum in 1981, and also won Grammy Awards in 1982 for Best R and B Song ("Just The Two of Us"), and Best Jazz Fusion Performance ("Winelight"). "Winelight" was also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
From that point, Washington is credited (or scorned, as some may say) for giving rise to a new batch of talent that would make its mark in the late 80s and early 90s. He is blamed for bringing Kenny G to the forefront, but also credited with bringing such smooth jazz artists as Walter Beasley, Steve Cole, Pamela Williams, Najee, George Howard, and The Philadelphia Experiment into popular attention.
The tragedy and irony of Washington's life was that while he was able to get his big break from another artist's absence, Washington lived long enough to bring smooth jazz to the last points of the old millennium, but didn't outlive Hank Crawford, whose absence gave him his big break (and is still alive, as of 2005). On December 17th, 1999, while waiting in the green room after taping four songs for the The Early Show, at CBS Studios in New York City, Washington collapsed. He was taken to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 7:30 p.m. His doctors determined that he had suffered a massive heart attack.
Grover Washington Jr.'s legacy lives on in the futures of up-and-coming jazz artists, and his life is celebrated from college campuses all around the nation to the hallowed streets of his own Philadelphia, his adopted hometown.
Monte Carlo Nights
Grover Washington Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A real dream
A warm breeze
I love thee
The time and the place
Were in harmony
You entered my life
You found the key
And we took the chance
There in the evening
We found romance
Beneath the city light
Our love shines so bright
I'll never forget those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
Dancing we were through the moonlight
Our feelings begin to grow
Spinning the wheels of fortune
We'll turn the dream to gold
You captured my heart and the mood was right
In the night we slippped away to paraadise
I've always remember how our love came to light
I'll never forget those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
Meeting you was
You fill my life with ecstasy
And every time that we embrace
I know no one could ever take your place
Oh I love this feeling I get inside
Oh what a feeling only you provide
Our love was meant to be
Our love was right
I'll never forget those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
You captured my heart and the mood was right
In the night we slippped away to paradise
Our love was meant to be
Our love was right
I'll never forget those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
those Monte Carlo nights
The lyrics of "Monte Carlo Nights" by Grover Washington Jr. featuring Jean Carne speak about the transcendent experience of falling in love in a beautiful setting, specifically in the city of Monte Carlo. The singer describes the moment when they meet their love interest, and from that moment on, the lyrics focus on the beauty of their relationship.
The opening lines of "A beautiful scene, A real dream, A warm breeze, I love thee," create a sense of awe for the surroundings and the singer's love interest. The lyrics then describe how the time and place were in harmony and how their love interest entered their life, found the key to their heart, and together they took a chance on love. The verses also highlight how their love shines bright, specifically beneath the city lights of Monte Carlo.
The chorus conveys the excitement of falling deeper into love and how the experience of being with their love interest is like "slipping away to paradise." The singer expresses how they will always remember the way their love came to fruition, and how they will never forget those magical nights in Monte Carlo.
Overall, "Monte Carlo Nights" is a romantic ode to the joy and beauty of falling in love and experiencing the world together.
Line by Line Meaning
A beautiful scene
The setting is picture-perfect and beautiful
A real dream
It feels like a fairy tale come to life
A warm breeze
The air is comfortably warm and pleasant
I love thee
I am captivated by you and my love overflows
The time and the place
The moment is perfect and everything has aligned
Were in harmony
Everything works together in a way that feels just right
You entered my life
You came into my world and changed it forever
You found the key
You unlocked something inside me that I didn't know was there
Now it was in the stars
Fate played a role in bringing us together
And we took the chance
We decided to act on our mutual attraction
There in the evening
It happened at nightfall, when everything is magical
We found romance
Our connection turned into something deeper and more meaningful
Beneath the city light
We were bathed in the glow of urban lighting
Our love shines so bright
Our love is radiant and unmistakable
I'll never forget those Monte Carlo nights
The memories of our time together in that place will stay with me forever
Dancing we were through the moonlight
We moved together, bathed in the light of the moon
Our feelings begin to grow
Our attraction to each other intensifies
Spinning the wheels of fortune
We are taking chances and hoping that luck is on our side
We'll turn the dream to gold
We have a vision for our future together, and we're working to make it a reality
Meeting you was
When I first met you, it changed everything for me
You fill my life with ecstasy
Being with you brings me joy beyond words
And every time that we embrace
Every time we're close, it feels like the whole world disappears
I know no one could ever take your place
No one else could ever measure up to you
Oh I love this feeling I get inside
The butterflies in my stomach and the rush of emotions are amazing
Oh what a feeling only you provide
This feeling is unique and I only experience it with you
Our love was meant to be
Our connection is destiny, it's something that was meant to happen
Those Monte Carlo nights
The magic of those nights is unforgettable and has a special place in our hearts
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STIX HOOPER, TODD COCHRAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind