Harry Connick, Jr. was born in New Orleans to Anita and Harry Connick, Sr. His mother was Jewish and his father was Irish Catholic. Connick's musical talent was evident from a young age and he studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts under Ellis Marsalis and James Booker. He went on to attend Hunter College and the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he was signed by Columbia Records.
In 1989, Connick provided the soundtrack for the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally..., winning his first Grammy for Best Jazz Male Vocal Performance. He also made his screen debut in Memphis Belle and released two albums: Lofty's Roach Souffle and We Are in Love, which earned him his second consecutive Grammy. In 1991, he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his contribution to the Godfather III soundtrack and released his third consecutive multi-platinum album, Blue Light, Red Light.
In 1992, Connick was arrested for having a gun at JFK International Airport but avoided charges by making a public-service television commercial. He continued to release successful albums, including 25 and When My Heart Finds Christmas, which was the best-selling Christmas album of 1993.
Harry Connick Jr. started his career as a jazz pianist and singer. In 1994, he released an album of New Orleans funk called She and took it on a tour of the United Kingdom and People's Republic of China. In 1996, he appeared in the successful movie Independence Day. By 1997, he returned to jazz music with his album To See You and played at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo. He continued his film career, starred in Hope Floats and released his album Come By Me in 1999. Connick wrote the score for the Broadway musical Thou Shalt Not, in 2000, and starred in South Pacific and his twelfth movie Mickey. He won a Grammy Award for his album Songs I Heard, released two albums in 2001, and appeared on NBC sitcom Will & Grace from 2002 to 2006. He continued releasing albums, appeared in films such as Basic, and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction for Harry Connick Jr. — "Only You" in Concert. In 2005, he composed and produced The Happy Elf, an animated holiday special.
[edit] Personal life
On April 16, 1994, Connick, Jr. married model Jill Goodacre, originally from Texas, at the St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana. They have three daughters: Georgia Tatom (born April 17, 1996), Sarah Kate (September 12, 1997), and Charlotte (born June 26, 2002). The family currently resides in Connecticut.
He is a founder of the Krewe of Orpheus, a music-based New Orleans krewe, taking its name from Orpheus of classical mythology. The Krewe of Orpheus parades on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street in New Orleans on Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) — the day before Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).
Nowhere With Love
Harry Connick Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I really don't know much at all
And if you say
That I'm simple
You're on the ball
On the ball to say
That I'm going nowhere
But I'm going nowhere
They all say
That I'm not impressive at best
That's okay
I've got nobody to impress
My impression is
They'd rather be elsewhere
Oh, I'm staying nowhere
With love
Well, it's better to be happy
In a cardboard shack
Than to be alone in a castle
All you get for your money
Is a heart attack
I'd just as soon alleviate the hassle
Everyday
I watch the go-getters go by
Even they
Say the ladder is much too high
Why should I go high
I'm happy below there
Right here in nowhere
With love
Hey, it's better to happy
In a cardboard shack
Than to be alone in a castle
All you get for your money
Is a heart attack
I'd just as soon alleviate the hassle
Everyday
I watch the go-getters go by
And even they
Say the ladder is much too high
And why should I go high
I'm happy below there
Right here in nowhere
With love
The lyrics of Harry Connick Jr.'s song Nowhere With Love are a reflection of the singer's contentedness with his present condition despite having been judged by others as "not impressive at best" and "going nowhere." Connick Jr. sings that he doesn't know much and that he isn't trying to impress anyone, and if people think he's going nowhere, he's doing so with love. The idea is that love is what makes life worthwhile, and even in the absence of material success or recognition from others, love is what keeps him content.
The second stanza emphasizes this point by highlighting the futility of material possessions and outward achievements in bringing happiness. The singer says that it's better to be happy living in a cardboard shack than to be alone in a castle, where all one gets for their money is a heart attack. He's opting to alleviate the hassle and remain content where he is. The final stanza emphasizes the same point, with the singer observing go-getters go by and even they admitting that the ladder is too high. For him, there's no reason to go high if he's happy where he is, in nowhere with love.
Overall, the song is a celebration of contentment and a rejection of societal pressure to achieve more and be impressive. The singer finds happiness where he is and appreciates the value of love over material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
In a way, I really don't know much at all
I am aware of my shortcomings, and I know that I am not perfect.
And if you say that I'm simple, you're on the ball
I admit that I am not a sophisticated person, and that is completely true.
On the ball to say that I'm going nowhere
It's true that I don't have big plans or goals for myself.
But I'm going nowhere with love
But with love, even when I'm not going anywhere in life, I'm content.
They all say that I'm not impressive at best
People often comment on how I am not particularly impressive or outstanding.
That's O.K., I've got nobody to impress
That doesn't bother me though, since I have no one to prove myself to.
My impression is they'd rather be elsewhere
It seems to me that other people would much rather be in a different place than where I am now.
Oh, I'm staying nowhere with love
But I choose to stay where I am, both physically and emotionally, because I am content with love.
Well, it's better to be happy in a cardboard shack
I believe that it's more important to be happy despite one's life circumstances, even if that means living in a meager home.
Than to be alone in a castle
It's not worth it to have wealth or material possessions if one is without love and companionship.
All you get for your money is a heart attack
I am skeptical of the idea that money can buy happiness; in fact, it often leads to stress and health problems.
I'd just as soon alleviate the hassle
Therefore, I would rather avoid the troubles and complications that come with wealth.
Every day, I watch the go-getters go by
I often observe other people who are ambitious and driven, trying to achieve their goals.
Even they say the ladder is much too high
However, even the most successful people acknowledge that the journey to the top is difficult and not worth it to everyone.
Why should I go high, I'm happy below there
So, I am content to remain at my current level and not aim for anything higher, because I am happy where I am.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind