In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hayes became famous as a recording artist in his own right, scoring with critically and commercially successful albums such as Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses. Hayes is best known today for composing the score to the 1971 blaxploitation film Shaft. That film's "Theme from Shaft" was one of the best-selling singles in Stax Records history, and Hayes became the first African-American to win an Oscar for a non-acting category when "Theme from Shaft" won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Song.
Isaac Hayes may be known to today's youngest generation as the voice of the character "Chef", the ladies' man/school cook, on the animated sitcom South Park from 1997 until his resignation from the show in March 2006. While Hayes' departure was tagged to a controversial South Park episode on Scientology that had supposedly offended him, Hayes rarely declared anything about the departure in first person.
When I Fall in Love
Isaac Hayes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or I'll never fall in love
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before its begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
When I give my heart it will be completely
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you
Isaac Hayes's When I Fall in Love is a beautiful ballad that explores the themes of commitment, certainty, and vulnerability in love. The song opens with a declaration of intent - the singer declares that when he falls in love, it will be forever, or he will never fall in love. This statement reflects a sense of steadfastness and resilience, as if to say that the singer is not in the game of love to waste time or to have a casual fling. He values love as a meaningful connection that is both rare and precious.
The second stanza delves into the context of love, observing that in a restless world like this, many relationships end before they have begun. The implication here is that love is fragile and delicate, and the harsh realities of life often prevent it from blossoming into something enduring. The line 'too many moonlight kisses, seem to cool in the warmth of the sun' is a poetic way of expressing the idea that the romance and passion of love can be fleeting, and easily dissipate in the face of everyday realities.
The final verse is possibly the most poignant, as it speaks to the inherent vulnerability that comes with giving your heart to someone. The singer suggests that he will only give his heart completely if he knows that the other person feels the same way, and this notion of reciprocity is essential to the idea of a love that lasts forever. The song concludes with the idea that when the moment arrives, and both parties feel the same way, then they will know that they have fallen in love.
Line by Line Meaning
When I fall in love it will be forever
I will not give my heart to anyone unless I am certain of my feelings and the other person's feelings as well.
Or I'll never fall in love
Otherwise, I will choose to remain alone and not engage in a relationship.
In a restless world like this is
In a world where people are always in a hurry and always on the move,
Love is ended before its begun
Love often fades away even before it has a chance to start properly.
And too many moonlight kisses
Many romantic gestures and promises are made under the influence of moonlight or under false pretenses.
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
But when faced with the daily realities and challenges of life, these promises and romantic gestures often fade away.
When I give my heart it will be completely
If I choose to give my heart, I will do so with my full attention, focus, and emotion, without holding anything back.
Or I'll never give my heart
But if I am not confident in my feelings, I will choose to keep my heart to myself and not share it with anyone.
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
The moment I sense that you also share my genuine feelings is when I will allow myself to fall in love completely.
Is when I fall in love with you.
That is when I allow myself to be emotionally invested in you and to fully trust you with my heart.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Heyman, Victor Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ROCKNROLLFAN
I have been looking for a hard copy of this album for two years now and I already like the piano and the dry sound of him singing the blues especially the song precious, precious!