One of the most popular African-American comedians of the late 1990s, TV star turned screen actor Jamie Foxx first became known for his many roles on Keenen Ivory Wayans’ long-running comedy variety show In Living Color. Since then, Foxx has played both raucous and sensitive nice-guy roles in a number of films, and earned particular acclaim for his portrayal of a talented but egotistical quarterback in Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday.
Born Eric Bishop in the small town of Terrell, Texas, on December 13, 1967, Foxx was raised by his grandparents after his parents separated. He enjoyed a happy upbringing, going to church every day with his grandparents and excelling at everything from academics to music to football. During his teen years he had his first taste of the entertainment business as his church’s choir director and music director, and also started his own R&B band. Foxx studied music while a student at the U.S. International University in San Diego; it was during his college days that he got his start as a stand-up comedian. Attending a comedy club one night with some friends, he was encouraged to take the stage and perform some impersonations, which proved incredibly popular with the audience. Foxx’s enthusiastic reception led to his decision to move to L.A. and pursue a comedy career. At the age of 22 he was hired for In Living Color, and he subsequently landed a recurring role on Charles Dutton’s sitcom Roc in 1985.
Foxx was ultimately given his own show in 1996; that same year, he appeared in a supporting role in The Truth About Cats and Dogs, which cast him as a friend of Ben Chaplin. He was also featured in the boxing satire The Great White Hype, and the following year he got star billing opposite fellow comedian Tommy Davidson in the poorly received comedy Booty Call. After playing a DJ in Ice Cube’s The Players Club (1998), Foxx earned some of his best reviews to date for his role in Any Given Sunday (1999). He subsequently returned to straight comedy, starring in Antoine Fuqua’s crime comedy Bait as an ex-con trying to mend his ways, and as a man caught in a convenience stored robbery in Held Up.
In 2001, Foxx was given an opportunity to again flex the dramatic chops he displayed in Any Given Sunday with a role as Drew Bundi Brown in Michael Mann’s biopic Ali. Then, after a role in the barely seen 2003 Sylvester Stallone drama Shade, Foxx embarked on his busiest year yet. 2004 saw him star in no fewer than four films, the most noteworthy of them being the thriller Collateral. The tense summer flick not only saw Foxx again under the direction of Mann, but cast on an equal level with Hollywood uber-star Tom Cruise. His turn as a hapless cab driver who is forced into a menacing partnership slowly advancing Foxx’s dramatic screen presence, the role served as proof to many that his talents extended well beyond what many may have suspected. When it was announced shortly thereafter that Foxx would be donning the trademark sunglasses to essay the role of legendary blues pianist Ray Charles in Director Taylor Hackford’s eagerly anticipated biopic Ray, it was only a matter of time before audiences found out how deep Foxx’s talents as an actor truly ran. So effective was Foxx in recreating Charles’ unique style and unmistakable visage that many critics speculated an Oscar nomination may be in calling for the one-time funnyman turned dramatic powerhouse. When the star-studded evening in February did finally arrive and the envelope that would reveal the best actor of 2005 was breathlessly opened, Foxx did indeed take the prize — raising already stratospheric expectations regarding his future career to a fever pitch.
Foxx subverted expectations by capitalizing on his Oscar win with an R&B album that garnered respectable reviews and solid sales. He returned to films in the summer action flop Stealth — in a supporting role to would-be superstar Josh Lucas — and appeared as a leader of men in Sam Mendes’ Gulf War film Jarhead. In 2006 he reteamed with Michael Mann, starring as Tubbs in the big-screen adaptation of Miami Vice. Late in the year, he starred in the much-anticipated adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, opposite fellow actor-musicians hyphenates Eddie Murphy and Beyoncé Knowles. He is also known for his big leading role in Law Abiding Citizen.
When I First Saw You
Jamie Foxx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I said "oh my, that's a dream, that's my dream"
I needed a dream when it all seemed to go bad
Then I found you and I have had the most beautiful dreams
Any man's ever had
When I first saw you, I said "oh my
Oh my, that's my dream, that's my dream"
You are the only reason I had to go on
You are my dream, all the things I'll never knew
You are my dream who could believe they could ever come true
And who would believe, the world would believe in my dreams too
When I first saw you, I said "oh my
Oh my, that's my dream."
Jamie Foxx's song "When I First Saw You" is a heartfelt tribute to a person who has come into his life and given him hope, comfort, and a reason to go on. The repeating refrain, "oh my, that's my dream," reflects the awe and wonder he feels toward this person, who has become the embodiment of all his deepest desires and aspirations.
The opening lines of the song capture this sense of awe and wonder perfectly: "When I first saw you, I said 'Oh my' / I said 'oh my, that's a dream, that's my dream'." The singer has clearly been searching for something, or someone, to give him a sense of purpose and direction. When he finally encounters this person, he is struck by their beauty and perfection, and he knows immediately that they are the missing piece of his puzzle.
As the song progresses, we learn more about the singer's feelings for this dream-like figure. He says, "I needed a dream when it all seemed to go bad / Then I found you and I have had the most beautiful dreams / Any man's ever had." Through this person, he has found a way to transcend the difficulties and disappointments of his life and to see the world in a new and more hopeful light.
The final verse of the song brings us full circle, returning us to the refrain with its joyful declaration: "You are my dream, all the things I'll never knew / You are my dream who could believe they could ever come true / And who would believe, the world would believe in my dreams too / When I first saw you, I said 'oh my, that's my dream'." The singer's awe and wonder are as strong as ever, but now they are tempered by a sense of profound gratitude and love for the person who has brought so much light into his life.
Line by Line Meaning
When I first saw you, I said "Oh my"
I was stunned by your beauty and presence when I first laid my eyes on you.
I said "oh my, that's a dream, that's my dream"
You were so perfect that I thought you could only be a dream, but as soon as I saw you, I knew that you were my dream come true.
I needed a dream when it all seemed to go bad
When everything was going wrong in my life, I was desperately looking for something to inspire and motivate me. That's when I found you.
Then I found you and I have had the most beautiful dreams
Since I met you, I have had the most wonderful dreams that a man could ever dream of.
Any man's ever had
My dreams are so special and amazing that no other man could have ever imagined them.
I needed a dream to make me strong
Having a dream helps me to be strong and to never give up, even when things get tough.
You are the only reason I had to go on
Without you, I wouldn't have the motivation and inspiration to keep going in life.
You are my dream, all the things I'll never knew
You are the embodiment of all the things that I never knew I wanted or needed in life.
You are my dream who could believe they could ever come true
I never thought that my dream of finding someone like you could ever come true, but you proved me wrong.
And who would believe, the world would believe in my dreams too
Not only did you make my dreams come true, but you also inspired others to believe in their dreams as well.
When I first saw you, I said "oh my
Your beauty and presence left me speechless from the very first moment I saw you.
Oh my, that's my dream, that's my dream"
You are so perfect and flawless that I instantly knew that you are the embodiment of my dream.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HENRY D. KRIEGER, TOM EYEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arieljwade
Verse 1: Jamie
When I first saw you
I said oh my
That's my dream
That's my dream
Oh, I needed a dream
When it all seemed to go bad
Then I find you
And I have had the most beautiful dream
Any man's ever had
Verse 2: Beyonce
When I first say you
I said oh my
That's my dream
That's my dream
I needed a dream
To make me strong
You were the only
Reason I had to go on
Hook:
You were my dream
All the things that I'll ever knew
You were my dream
Who could believe they would ever come true
And who could believe
The world would believe
In my dreams too
Bridge: Jamie
Before, you appeared
Life was only a game
And day in
And day out
Were the same, oh
Beyonce:
Now a dream
Coming true
Like a star
See it shine
Both:
A dream
That is yours
That is mine
Jamie:
You were my dream
Beyonce:
Now I got dreams of my own
Dreams you'll never know
Both:
You won't take my dream from me
When I first saw you
I said oh my
I said oh my
That's my dream
@retrolove87
Jamie Foxx killed this song. U can feel the emotion from him through this song.
@SeanManning12869
There is a version of him only that us spectacular... though it tears me in two, because my dream for the last 43 years, gave up on our love... it wasn't enough for her, and I am FILLED with love, and even though hurting and torn, I love her with every fiber in my being, and always will, and since I love her, I HAVE to let her go... my next dream will be her return to the only love we have ever known... ours
Broken, but still here
@RhymingDiamond
I’ve loved this song every since dream girls I ALWAYS wanted to know the feeling of these words and then it happened a year ago from today, I met my dream🙌🏽❤️ it’s so crazy cause when we both saw each other, we both said “Oh My That’s My Dream” and we made our dream a reality on my birthday last month May,16th 2021 I walked down the aisle to my soulmate to this song.
@vsilv489
Congratulations!
@msqueenshamikaambassador7573
Hii Congratulations 👏 💖 🤗 😊
@mashonabrown7543
How beautiful, What a blessing, congratulations and blessings to your marriage
@robertturner7147
Awesome!❤ May you have a Long , Happy, and healthy Life together. ✌😊
@queensonjilee7379
Congratulations to you both. A beautiful testimony. God bless you two.
@TheLaiyapt
This song will forever be a part of my life. I rode horse and carriage to the love of my life on June 6,2009. On January 25, 2021 Lieutenant and Chief passed away to Covid complications. As he slipped from my hands into the hands of God , I'm assured that he is forever with Our Father and his son and shall be the kids and I, guardian angel. I love you everyday that ends in "Y" Hasain.
@matildasheppard2620
This was my wedding song. I still love it!