Ingram went from playing local bars with Revelation Funk to Los Angeles, where he landed the types of gigs that most aspiring musicians only dream about: singing background vocals and playing piano for Ray Charles’ recording studio sessions; recording studio sessions and playing keyboards behind the Coasters for Dick Clark; and recording background vocals for his mentor, Marvin Gaye.
Then fate brought Ingram together with Quincy Jones and to a pivotal breakthrough in his career. Up to this point, Ingram had not yet surfaced as a solo artist, but after a chance listen to Ingram’s demo of “Just Once” — which had been recorded for the sum of $50 — Jones immediately recognized the man, the voice and the music as the musical triumvirate that would both captivate listeners and command the music industry’s attention.
Jones quickly chose Ingram to perform both “Just Once” and “One Hundred Ways” on Jones’ upcoming album, The Dude. Released in 1980, The Dude was a multi-platinum international success and resulted in three Grammy nominations for Ingram: Best New Artist, Best Pop Male Vocal, and Best R&B Vocal for “One Hundred Ways,” for which he won his first Grammy. Ingram also made Grammy history when — in his first live performance ever as a singer — he performed “Just Once” as the telecast’s opening act and became the first artist to open a Grammy ceremony with a ballad and the only artist to win a Grammy without having his own album in release. The Dude remains the most Grammy-nominated album in history and marked the first of 15 nominations Ingram has received to date (see attached award list and discography for complete information).
After this stunning debut, Ingram’s much-anticipated 1983 solo album, It’s Your Night, surpassed industry expectations. The album was the debut for the Michael McDonald collaboration “Yah Mo Be There,” (Ingram’s 2nd Grammy) which was honored with the Grammy for Best R&B Performance for a Group or Duo, and “There’s No Easy Way” was considered one of the year’s stand-out ballads. It’s Your Night sold nearly one million copies; secured an unprecedented achievement by appearing simultaneously on both The Top 20 Pop and The Top 5 R&B Charts. Ultimately, “Yah Mo Be There” became the most-played song of the year.
Ingram’s talents as a songwriter and performer were tapped by some of the most celebrated artists of the era, most prominent was his “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” for Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982), which sold more than 50 million units,. He performed “Baby Come To Me,” with Patti Austin (1984) on her debut album, which went on to become a No. 1 Pop record. Other chart-topping, Top 10 collaborations include “The Secret Garden,” the No.1 hit with Barry White, Al B. Sure and El Debarge on Quincy Jones’ multi-platinum Back on the Block album, (1990). James, as a song writer is timeless he received Grammy recognition for his participation on the song entitled “Good Life”, in the “Best Rap Song” category, performed by Kanye West (featuring T-Pain) in 2007.
Hollywood soon called for Ingram’s wide-ranging songwriting and vocal abilities and several hit singles for blockbuster motion and animated pictures followed. “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” — a songwriting collaboration between Michel Legrand and Marilyn and Alan Bergman, performed by Ingram and Patti Austin — was featured in Best Friends (1982) and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group as well as an Academy Award nomination in the Original Song category.
Other important contributions to feature films include “Don’t Make Me No Never Mind,” co-written with Quincy Jones and Roy Gaines for Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (1985), and Ingram’s duet with Anita Baker, “When You Love Someone,” by Bryan Adams, for Forget Paris (1995). “Somewhere Out There,” performed by Ingram and Linda Ronstadt for Steven Spielberg’s animated American Tail (1986) also received a Grammy for Song of the Year. Then 1993 and 1994 brought Ingram back-to-back Academy Award nominations. His duets with Dolly Parton, “The Day I Fall in Love,” featured in Beethoven 2 (1993), and Anita Baker, “Look What Love Has Done,” the theme song from Junior (1994), were songwriting collaborations with Carole Bayer Sager and recognized in Oscar’s Original Song category.
The '90s were a fruitful decade for Ingram, who began it by co-producing “I Don’t Have the Heart” with Thom Bell — the first and only time Bell has co-produced on any project — and taking it to No. 1 in 1990. In 1999, Ingram released Forever More: The Best of James Ingram, which included some of his biggest hits as well as new material
Worldwide acclaim has led to concert tours in the U.S. and abroad, where he continues to play before sold-out stadiums in The Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Dubai, Brunei, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Fans at home have been able to see Ingram perform live everywhere from Compton to The White House.
The blessings of success also have allowed Ingram to pursue two of his personal passions: humanitarian work and composition for live theater. In 1987, Ingram was hand-picked by Quincy Jones to perform in “We are the World,” the universal gift and legendary singing and fund-raising effort from the recording industry, which raised more than $100 million in aid for those suffering from famine in Africa. Ingram also continues to work with long-time collaborator, choreographer/ producer Debbie Allen on a number of musical projects. Most recently, they partnered on Stand (In the Light) and several musical theater works including "Brothers of the Night, “The Legend” and “Alex in Wonderland."
Faith and family are Ingram’s main sources of inspiration, driving his industry achievements; legendary collaborations with revered mentors and peers; humanitarian work; and celebrated performances at some of the most-high-profile events of our time, including The Oscars, The Grammy Awards and The Super Bowl. The son of a Deacon, Ingram is one of six children and a self-taught musician, adept at piano, guitar, bass, drums and synthesizer. He made his home in Los Angeles with Debbie, his wife of 36 years, and their six children.
Love Come Down
James Ingram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don′t want to be alone
Your love is all I'm livin′ for
Ooo ooo, yeah
Oh love come down
Hey baby let me tell you what's on my mind
I′ve been keepin' your picture up on my shelf
Your lovin′ is so good I don't want nobody else
Nobody else
I don′t want nobody
Nobody else
Don't you know that
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
Hey love come down
Hey love come down
Oh love come down
When you kiss me, it makes me weak
When I hold you it feels all so sweet
My body feels a certain emotion
It makes me want to break
It makes me want to go crazy
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
Holdin′ on, holdin' on
Holdin' on, hey holdin′ on
Holdin′ on, holdin' on
Holdin′ on, hey
Your love is like no other love
That I ever had before
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
You make my love come down
The song Love Come Down by James Ingram is a love song that speaks of the intense emotional effect of being in a romantic relationship. The song is an ode to the powerful feeling of love and the desire to hold onto it forever. The lyrics express the fear of being alone and the longing for the comfort of a loved one, urging the partner to stay the night. Furthermore, the song effectively communicates the transformative power of love which can make the singer feel weaker and intensely emotional when kissed or held by their lover.
Throughout the song, the singer repeats the line, "You make my love come down," emphasizing the strength of the effect that the love of their partner has on them. The lyrics mention the picture of the partner being kept on a shelf, emphasizing the depth of the love and the need to always be reminded of their presence. The repeated refrain of "Holdin' on" also implies a sense of desperation to maintain the relationship, as well as a willingness to do whatever it takes to hold onto the love they have.
Overall, the song Love Come Down is a passionate expression of the singer's emotions towards their romantic partner. The lyrics capture the overwhelming and transformative power of love and the deep yearning to continue feeling this way forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby please stay tonight
I don't want to be alone and I want you to stay with me.
Your love is all I'm livin' for
Your love is the only thing that matters and makes my life worth living.
Oh love come down
I am longing for your love to come down and be with me.
Hey baby let me tell you what's on my mind
I want to express my thoughts and feelings to you.
I can't sleep at night thinkin' of you all the time
You are always on my mind and I cannot sleep without thinking about you.
I've been keepin' your picture up on my shelf
I cherish your image and keep it in a special place in my house.
Your lovin' is so good I don't want nobody else
Your love is so satisfying and fulfilling that I don't need anyone else.
You make my love come down
Your love has a powerful effect on me and it brings me down to my knees.
When you kiss me, it makes me weak
Your kisses are so intense and passionate that I become weak and vulnerable.
My body feels a certain emotion
My body responds to your touch and I feel a strong emotion.
It makes me want to break
Your love is so overwhelming that I feel like I might break and lose control.
Your love is like no other love
Your love is unique and special compared to any other love I have experienced.
Holdin' on, holdin' on, holdin' on, hey holdin' on
I am holding onto your love tightly and never letting go.
Writer(s): Griffin Gene, Riley Edward Theodore, Ingram James E
Contributed by Reagan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dan De Jianne
on No Need To Say Goodbye
Wrong song. These are not the lyrics to No need to say goodbye.