In 1972, the Stewart family (which consisted of his parents, Jermaine, his sisters Norma, Sondra, Leandra, and Leanna, and finally his brother Gene) moved to Chicago, Illinois. He took his first steps towards a career in entertainment there. Stints on both American Bandstand and later Soul Train as a dancer helped to fuel his ambition.
Soon, Jermaine became a backup singer and dancer for several artists such as The Chi-Lites, The Staple Singers and Shalamar while recording backup vocals for such artists as Culture Club. He was featured prominently on the group's 1983 album Colour by Numbers and as a result the group used their influence to help him land a solo recording deal with Arista Records.
The 1986 Frantic Romantic album with the hit single "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" quickly went on to become a million seller, and a second single, "Jody" was released, the inspiration of the song being Jody Watley of Shalamar. A modest success, "Jody" reached both the U.K. and U.S. top 50. Another U.K. only single "Don't Ever Leave Me" was released, reaching number 76 on the British charts. The song was a ballad, and indicative of Jermaine's versatility in any musical style.
Jermaine's third album was probably his most successful internationally. Entitled Say It Again, the production was handled largely by André Cymone who had previously worked with Prince and Jody Watley. The result was an almost flawless collection of pop and dance funk tracks, of which almost any song could have been a successful single.
Supported by international live dates with his band, "The Party", the title track became Jermaine's second U.S. top 40 Billboard hit and also reached the R&B top 10. In the U.K., it made it all the way to number 7, helping the album into the top 40.
The next three singles all received the remix treatment from the production company behind such hits as "You Spin Me Round" by Dead Or Alive and Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up." "Get Lucky," "Don't Talk Dirty To Me" and "Is It Really Love" found considerable European success, particularly Germany, where "Don't Talk Dirty To Me" was one of the biggest selling records of 1988, making the top 5.
At this point, Jermaine was highly focused on the mainstream pop market. His fourth and final album under his contract with Arista Records, What Becomes a Legend Most?, was filled with radio friendly catchy pop tunes. The first single "Tren De Amor" reached number 76 in the UK charts, while the follow-up, "Every Woman Wants To," didn't fared as well, only making it to number 95. Commercial success eluded this album, and a label change followed.
In 1992, Jermaine teamed up with Chicago producer Jesse Saunders for his last recorded work, an album for Reprise Records. Entitled Set Me Free, the album marked a return to the dance funk style of Say It Again. The title track was released as a single in the U.S., but found little success. The album remains unreleased.
He died in 1997 of liver cancer, caused by AIDS. Ironically, his hit "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" gained popularity as it was referring to the AIDS scare of the 1980s. In 2003, the song was placed by VH1 in its 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders list.
In 2005, a compilation CD celebrating Jermaine's underrated contribution to '80s R&B which included several of his hits and a few previously unreleased tracks was released by BGF Records, an Ohio record label ran by Jermaine's brother.
EYES
Jermaine Stewart Lyrics
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Reach for hearts to hold
Forever and ever
I'm yours an we'll be happy
Down into the ocean
Where the essence hides
Forever and ever
I'm your and we'll be happy
High above the mountains
Go soaring through the sky
I'll see the world
Passing through your eyes
But don't stay away too long
Nights without you cold
In my bed alone
Eager to survive
What it takes to be someone
Noticed in your eyes
Mm-mmm...
Do you remember yesterday
Forever together
I'm yours and we'll be happy
Lean upon my shoulder
And walk with me
Forever together
I'm yours and we'll be happy
High above the mountains
Go soaring through the sky
I'll see the world
Passing through your eyes
But don't stay away too long
Nights without you cold
In my bed alone
Eager to survive
What it takes to be someone
Noticed in your eyes
High above the mountains
Go soaring through the sky
I'll see the world
Passing through your eyes
But don't you stay away too long
Nights without you cold
In my bed alone
Eager to survive
What it takes to be someone
Noticed in your eyes
Noticed in your eyes, baby
You got me, yeah
Baby, can't you see, I wanna be
Noticed in your eyes
Notice me
Don't you notice me, baby?
In your eyes, yeah
Whoo-ooh...
Noticed in your eyes
Sail across the channels
Reach for hearts to hold
In your eyes
I'll be yours, you'll be mine
Let me see
Noticed in your eyes
In your eyes, yeah, yeah
If I can get you to notice me
I'd be a happy guy
Noticed in your eyes, yeah
The lyrics to Jermaine Stewart's song Eyes depict a person who is deeply in love and willing to go to great lengths to make their partner happy. The opening lines suggest the singer is willing to sail across channels and dive down into the ocean to reach his partner's heart. He promises to be hers forever and make her happy. The following lines talk about flying high above the mountains and seeing the world through his partner's eyes. However, he implores her not to stay away too long as he cannot stand cold nights alone in bed. In the chorus, the singer asks his partner to notice him and see what it takes to be someone by being noticed in her eyes. The song ends with the singer pleading with his partner to notice him as he wants to be hers and make her happy.
The lyrics to the song reinforce the importance of love in anyone's life. The singer shows he is willing to go to great lengths to make his partner happy, suggesting that love can make anyone do things they would not typically do. In the chorus, the singer asks his partner to notice him, adding weight to the argument that love is necessary for one to feel noticed, seen and appreciated. The song symbolizes the importance of communication, most notably in relationships, and how it's easy to be lost even in the most involved relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Sail across the channels
Take a journey across oceans and seas
Reach for hearts to hold
Look to find a special connection with someone
Forever and ever
I'm yours an we'll be happy
Promising long-term commitment and happiness
Down into the ocean
Where the essence hides
Explore the depths of one's inner self
High above the mountains
Go soaring through the sky
I'll see the world
Passing through your eyes
A desire to witness the world through a lover's eyes from great heights
But don't stay away too long
Nights without you cold
In my bed alone
Eager to survive
What it takes to be someone
Noticed in your eyes
Expressing the pain of loneliness and the desire to be recognized as a meaningful part of someone's life
Do you remember yesterday
Forever together
I'm yours and we'll be happy
Reflecting on past love and making a commitment to future happiness
Lean upon my shoulder
And walk with me
Forever together
I'm yours and we'll be happy
Offering support and companionship through life's journey
Noticed in your eyes, baby
You got me, yeah
Baby, can't you see, I wanna be
Noticed in your eyes
Notice me
Don't you notice me, baby?
In your eyes, yeah
Whoo-ooh...
The desire for attention and recognition from a lover
If I can get you to notice me
I'd be a happy guy
Noticed in your eyes, yeah
Reiterating the importance of being recognized and appreciated by a lover
Contributed by Mateo P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.