Jeffrey Osborne began his professional singing career in 1969 with a popula… Read Full Bio ↴Jeffrey Osborne began his professional singing career in 1969 with a popular funk and soul group called Love Men Ltd. The band moved to Los Angeles in 1970 and changed its name to L.T.D. Osborne was originally brought on as the drummer and eventually became the lead vocalist. After more than ten years with the band, he decided to pursue a solo career, which produced such Top 40 hits as "Don't You Get So Mad," "Stay With Me Tonight," and "Love Power," which he performed with Dionne Warwick.

Born in Providence, RI, Jeffrey Osborne was the youngest of 12 children and was constantly bombarded with music as he was growing up. He had five brothers and six sisters, some of whom went on to have music careers. His father, Clarence "Legs" Osborne, was a popular trumpeter who played with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington, and died when Jeffrey was only 13. His mother, Wanita, is ancestored by a Pequot Indian sachem. His oldest brother, Clay Osborne, is a singer and pianist, and Billy, another brother, is a songwriter and producer in Los Angeles. But Osborne's father had the greatest influence on his musical career; Clarence "Legs" Osborne turned down many top band offers during his career to be with his family. It was only after receiving his mother's encouragement that Jeffrey left for Los Angeles to play with L.T.D. At the age of 15, he sat in with the O'Jays when the drummer was too tired to play, and went on to play with them for two weeks. It was at a Providence nightclub that fate brought him together with the band Love Men Ltd. in 1969.

Osborne's solo career has brought him five gold and platinum albums, including Stay With Me Tonight, Aymuk, and Only Human. He also recorded an album of duets with popular singer James Ingram, and scored an international hit with "On the Wings of Love" in 1982. Osborne's touring and recording continue to keep him busy much of the time, but he also devotes some of his time to charity work.

That
Jeffrey Osborne Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh when he walks into the room you have to notice him
And quickly he becomes the center of attention
Can I make this picture any clearer?
Are you following me I hope?
’Cause I’m sure he’s the spitting image
Of somebody that you know

He’ll tell you just how good he was he’s never lost for words
And how he never got the shot he thinks he so deserved
Can I make this picture any clearer?
Are you still following my lead?
I betcha he reminds you of somebody
I’m almost gonna guarantee

Chorus
He’s holding so much bitterness inside
Takes it out on everyone
Even hurts the ones he loves
He blames the world for ruining his life
For his lack of fame I guess we’re all to blame

He has a smile that lights the room oh he can turn it on
He’ll tell you story after story he’s got lots of ’em
Can I make this picture any clearer?
Are you feelin’ what I’m trying to say?
I’m sure you met someone just like him
Some a’where along the way

He cannot appreciate what someone else accomplishes
He’d rather hate and not congratulate, so negative
Can I make this picture any clearer?
I think you know what I’ve been trying to say
And just from hearing my description
I bet you see somebody’s face

He just won’t, won’t let go
He just keeps on holding on
To all those washed out dreams
All of the painful memories
Of how it really would’ve, could’ve, should’ve of been
Can’t move on, all hope’s gone
He hates the whole entire world
For not getting his break
Because he believes that he was great
But he wasn’t recognized
The way he should of been

God bless that man
God bless that man

Overall Meaning

In Jeffrey Osborne's song "That," the lyrics describe a character who craves attention and constantly seeks validation. From the moment he enters a room, he demands to be noticed and quickly becomes the center of attention. The singer questions if the listener can recognize this individual, emphasizing that he bears a striking resemblance to someone they know. The character boasts about his own abilities and laments the lack of recognition he believes he deserves. Osborne highlights the bitterness that consumes this person, causing him to project his frustration onto others, even hurting those he loves. The song suggests that this bitterness stems from blaming the world for the perceived ruination of his life and his unfulfilled desire for fame.

Throughout the song, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of the character's personality and behavior. He has a captivating smile and an endless supply of stories, but the underlying negativity and inability to appreciate others' accomplishments overshadow these traits. The lyrics imply that the listener has likely encountered someone like this in their own life, someone who cannot let go of their past disappointments and constantly dwells on what could have been. The character's resentment towards the world for not recognizing his greatness is further emphasized, with the singer expressing both frustration and a hint of sympathy towards this individual.

Overall, "That" offers a critique of a person consumed by bitterness and unable to move forward in life due to their fixation on past grievances and unfulfilled dreams. The song highlights the destructive nature of holding onto such negativity and the resulting impact it can have on oneself and those around them.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh when he walks into the room you have to notice him
His presence demands attention as soon as he enters a room

And quickly he becomes the center of attention
He effortlessly becomes the focal point in any setting

Can I make this picture any clearer?
Is my description becoming more vivid for you?

Are you following me I hope?
I hope you are understanding the message I'm conveying

’Cause I’m sure he’s the spitting image
Because he strongly resembles someone you know

Of somebody that you know
Of a person you are familiar with

He’ll tell you just how good he was he’s never lost for words
He constantly boasts about his abilities and never runs out of things to say

And how he never got the shot he thinks he so deserved
He believes he never received the opportunity he deserved

Are you still following my lead?
Are you still understanding the underlying message I'm conveying?

I betcha he reminds you of somebody
I'm almost certain he resembles someone you know

I’m almost gonna guarantee
I'm nearly certain

He’s holding so much bitterness inside
He harbors a great amount of resentment internally

Takes it out on everyone
And directs it towards everyone he interacts with

Even hurts the ones he loves
He even causes pain to those who are closest to him

He blames the world for ruining his life
He holds the world responsible for the deterioration of his own life

For his lack of fame I guess we’re all to blame
He believes that everyone is collectively responsible for his lack of recognition

He has a smile that lights the room oh he can turn it on
His infectious smile brightens up any space, he can activate it at will

He’ll tell you story after story he’s got lots of ’em
He will narrate numerous anecdotes, he has a surplus of them

Are you feelin’ what I’m trying to say?
Are you connecting with the underlying message I'm attempting to convey?

I’m sure you met someone just like him
I'm certain you have encountered someone very similar to him

Some a’where along the way
At some point in your journey

He cannot appreciate what someone else accomplishes
He is unable to recognize and value the achievements of others

He’d rather hate and not congratulate, so negative
He prefers to exhibit hatred instead of extending congratulations, he possesses a pessimistic demeanor

I think you know what I’ve been trying to say
I believe you comprehend the underlying message I have been attempting to communicate

And just from hearing my description
And solely based on hearing my depiction

I bet you see somebody’s face
I am confident you envision the face of a particular person

He just won’t, won’t let go
He simply refuses to relinquish

He just keeps on holding on
He persists in holding onto his grievances

To all those washed out dreams
To his unfulfilled aspirations

All of the painful memories
And all the distressing recollections

Of how it really would’ve, could’ve, should’ve of been
Of how he believes it should have actually happened

Can’t move on, all hope’s gone
He is unable to progress, he has lost all optimism

He hates the whole entire world
He despises the entire world

For not getting his break
Because he did not receive the opportunity he desired

Because he believes that he was great
Because he firmly believes in his own greatness