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.
Overjoyed
Grover Washington Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My castle of love
Just for two, though you never
Knew you were my reason
I've gone much too far for you
Now to say
That I've got to throw my
Castle away
Over dreams, I have picked out
A perfect come true
Though you never knew it was
Of you I've been dreaming
The sandman has come from
Too far away
For you to say come back some
Other day
And though you don't believe
That they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you
Would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over loved, over me
Over hearts, I have painfully
Turned every stone
Just to find, I had found what
I've searched to discover
I've come much too far for me
Now to find
The love that I sought can never
Be mine
And though you don't believe
That they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you
Would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over loved, over me
And though the odds
Say improbable
What do they know
For in romance
All true love needs is a chance
And maybe with a chance you
Will find
You too like I
Overjoyed, over loved, over
You, over you
The lyrics of Grover Washington Jr.'s song Overjoyed , speak of a person who is deeply in love with someone, but the love is unrequited. The person has been building a castle of love for two even though the other person doesn't know that they are the reason for this building. The person has gone too far in this love and decides to throw the castle away. The lyrics reflect the pain of unrequited love and how the person has gone through dreams and turned every stone to find the love they sought. However, the love they found can never be theirs.
The song moves on to say that even though the person doesn't believe that dreams come true, they do. Looking at the person they are in love with has made their dreams come true. The person's love for them is so strong that it could also make them overjoyed, over loved, and over them. The odds may say that true love is improbable, but love needs a chance. So, maybe with a chance, they will find that they too can be overjoyed, over loved, and over the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Over time, I've been building
Through the years, I've been constructing
My castle of love
My fortress of affection
Just for two, though you never
For just us, even though you never
Knew you were my reason
knew you were the rationale of my love
I've gone much too far for you
I've progressed too far for you
Now to say
To declare now
That I've got to throw my
I must dismantle my
Castle away
Fortress of love
Over dreams, I have picked out
In dreams, I've selected
A perfect come true
A perfect manifestation
Though you never knew it was
Though you never discerned that it was
Of you I've been dreaming
Of you, I've been dreaming
The sandman has come from
The Sandman has arrived from a distance
Too far away
Too far away for me to indicate a return
For you to say come back some
For you to request a comeback on some other day
Other day
Different day
And though you don't believe
And despite your disbelief
That they do
That they come true
They do come true
Dreams do come true
For did my dreams
For example, when I dreamed
Come true when I looked at you
My dreams materialized when I saw you
And maybe too, if you
And possibly if you
Would believe
Would have faith
You too might be
You, likewise, could be
Overjoyed, over loved, over me
Ecstatic, cherished, with me
Over hearts, I have painfully
Over hearts, I have painfully
Turned every stone
Investigated every possibility
Just to find, I had found what
Only to discover that I had found what
I've searched to discover
I longed to find
I've come much too far for me
I have journeyed too far for myself
Now to find
Only to realize now
The love that I sought can never
The love I yearned for can never
Be mine
Be mine
And though the odds
And even if the chance
Say improbable
Seem unlikely
What do they know
What is their knowledge on this subject?
For in romance
As for love
All true love needs is a chance
All that true love requires is an opportunity
And maybe with a chance you
Possibly, with a chance, you
Will find
Will discover
You too like I
You, likewise, like me
Overjoyed, over loved, over
Overwhelmed, loved, with
You, over you
With you, towards you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVIE WONDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind