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.

The Shadow of Your Smile
Jeffrey Osborne Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The shadow of your smile
When you have gone
Will color all my dreams
And light the dawn
Look into my eyes, my love, and see
All the lovely things, you are, to me
Our wistful little star
It was far, too high

A teardrop kissed your lips
And so, so did I
Now when I remember spring
And every little lovely thing
I will be remembering

The shadow of your smile
Your lovely smile

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Jeffrey Osborne is a romantic and melancholic ode to a lost love. The song is about how the memory of a lover lingers on even after they have gone. It talks about how the shadow of their smile will color all the singer's dreams and light up the dawn, making it impossible for the singer to forget about their lover. The song goes on to describe the lover's physical attributes, calling them a wistful little star, which was too high to reach, and how the singer had kissed their lips in the past. The lyrics end with the singer remembering the lovely things about their lover, and how they will always remember the shadow of their smile.

The song is famous for its beautiful melody and sentimental lyrics. It is considered a classic of the romantic genre and has been covered by many artists over the years. Interestingly, the song was not originally composed for a movie or any other special occasion. It was written as a stand-alone song by Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster in 1965. However, the song was later used in the movie "The Sandpiper" (1965) and went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Line by Line Meaning

The shadow of your smile
The memory of your smile

When you have gone
Once you have departed

Will color all my dreams
Will influence and taint every dream I have

And light the dawn
And bring happiness and light to my mornings

Look into my eyes, my love, and see
Directly gaze into my eyes, my beloved, and recognize

All the lovely things, you are, to me
All the wonderful qualities you possess from my perspective

Our wistful little star
Our small and yearning star

It was far, too high
It was distant and unattainable

A teardrop kissed your lips
A tear graced your lips

And so, so did I
And I did the same

Now when I remember spring
When I reminisce about the season of spring