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.
Wish You Were Here
James Ingram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
never tried to get you to stay
Somehow I talked myself into
believing that
It s just another game we play
But the moment you re gone
the heartache begins
keep drowning in
Should I reach for the phone or
wait for your call
I don t care who was wrong I
won t go there at all
[CHORUS:]
Oh I wish you were here
It s sometimes like these that I
desperately need you
And I wish you were here
There s a world of love
inside to share
I wish you were here
And the thing that keeps us
from drifting apart
Is the fact that we re bound by
the soul and the heart
Every power on earth every
storm we ll survive
Come hell or high water love
won t denied
[CHORUS:]
Oh I wish you were here
It s times like these that I
desperately need you
And I wish you were here
There s a love of love inside
us to share
I wish you were here
Far too many nights, too
many fights
When we should be making up
Let s get past the pride
And reach down inside for love
REPEAT
[CHORUS:]
The lyrics of James Ingram's song "Wish You Were Here" express the pain of not having someone you love near you when you need them the most. The first verse talks about the regret of not trying to stop the person from leaving, the games we play when we try to avoid expressing our feelings. However, as soon as the person is gone, the heartache begins, as the song describes it, like an ocean of sorrow that the singer can't escape from. The chorus repeats the main sentiment of the song, that the singer desperately needs the other person by his side and wishes they were present to share the world of love that is waiting for them.
The second verse describes the resilience of their love, how it keeps them bound together despite every hardship that they have faced. No matter what kind of storms they face, their love will survive, and they will not be denied. The chorus repeats the same sentiment from the first chorus, that the singer wishes the other person was present, emphasizing the importance of sharing love and being there for each other. The final verse expresses the desire to move past the fights and reach for love within, emphasizing that love is always worth fighting for.
Overall, "Wish You Were Here" is a song that expresses the universal feeling of missing someone you love when they're not around. The lyrics suggest that love is a force that connects two people, and no matter what happens, it will survive any storm. It emphasizes the importance of being together, especially in difficult times, and choosing love over pride or any disagreements.
Line by Line Meaning
I watched you leaving and never tried to get you to stay
I let you go without a fight
Somehow I talked myself into believing that it's just another game we play
I tricked myself into thinking it's just temporary and we'll get back together
But the moment you're gone the heartache begins
The pain starts as soon as you leave
Like an ocean of sorrow that I keep drowning in
The pain is overwhelming and feels never-ending
Should I reach for the phone or wait for your call
I'm unsure whether to reach out to you or wait for you to reach out to me
I don't care who was wrong I won't go there at all
I don't want to focus on the past or who's to blame for our problems
Oh I wish you were here
I miss you so much
It's sometimes like these that I desperately need you
I feel so alone and need your support
There's a world of love inside to share
We have so much love to give each other
And the thing that keeps us from drifting apart
Our love for each other ties us together
Is the fact that we're bound by the soul and the heart
We have a deep emotional connection
Every power on earth every storm we'll survive
We can overcome any obstacle together
Come hell or high water love won't be denied
Our love for each other is strong and resilient
Far too many nights, too many fights
We've had too many arguments and disagreements
When we should be making up, let's get past the pride
We need to put our pride aside and make amends
And reach down inside for love
We need to find the love we have for each other and make it a priority
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARRY JAMES EASTMOND, JOLYON W. SKINNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Edouard Milan
Two beautiful voices. May God bless them both.
Patrick Boyela
Beautiful voices indeed
Raphael Mzuzwana
I can only imagine the melodic verses served in heaven for these super beings.❤❤
rienzied
He was , is and will always be my favorite soul singer, because he really sings from the heart. A simple man who has walked the straight and narrow and kept his life clean, happy and healthy. Thank you James for the lovely music....
OlaOla-AAAY🎶🎤
Now both together in heaven! Rest well James and Nancy!
Jessie Hsu
Great R&B music!!! Sounds simply beautiful in the cool late summer night. What a treat! Thank you for posting it~
Velda Gumbs
Wow! What a fabulous voice! James Ingram, you were the best.
Anne Hamilton
I sure do wish this was a hit, two great legends in the making, it gets no better than this thanks for the upload on this, real music is always so appreciative!!!
marie-rose daly
yass real music
jadafungchung12
Beautiful song, james is really a soul thriller, n he found the partner to express this song(Nancy)