Burrell made his first recording in 1951, with Dizzy Gillespie. After moving from Detroit to New York City in 1956, he recorded with a wide range of prominent musicians, including John Coltrane, Benny Goodman, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Billie Holiday, Milt Jackson, Quincy Jones, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, and Cedar Walton. He also led his own groups since 1951.
In the 1970s he began leading seminars about music, particularly Duke Ellington's (Burrell has a music degree from Wayne State University). A highly popular performer, he has won several jazz polls in Japan and the United Kingdom as well as the United States.
He has recorded about 40 LPs, including Midnight Blue (1961), Blue Lights, Guitar Forms, Sunup To Sundown (1990), Soft Winds (1993), Then Along Came Kenny (1993), and Lotus Blossom (1995).
Burrell now serves as Director of Jazz Studies at UCLA.
Love Is the Answer
Kenny Burrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A ticket to paradise
I can't stay here any more
And I've looked high and low
I've been from shore to shore to shore
If there's a short cut I'd have found it
But there is no easy way around it
Love is the answer
Shine on us all
Set us free
Love is the answer
Who knows why
Someday we all must die
We're all homeless boys and girls
And we are never heard
It's such a lonely world
People turn their heads
And walk on by
Tell me is it worth just another try
Are we alive
Or just a dying planet
What are the chances
Ask the man in your heart for the answers
And when you feel afraid
Love one another
When you've lost your way
Love one another
And when you're all alone
Love one another
And when you're far from home
Love one another
And when you're down and out
Love one another
And when your hopes run out
Love one another
And when you need a friend
Love one another
We got to love one another
The lyrics of Kenny Burrell's song "Love is the Answer" revolves around the idea that love and kindness towards one another is the only answer to the difficulties and challenges we face in life. It starts with the desire for something better, a paradise, but the realization that there is no easy way to achieve it. The idea of looking for a shortcut but not finding any implies that one must put in the effort to achieve one's desires. The light of the world, a metaphor for hope and love, can guide us towards that better future. The line “set us free, love is the answer” serves as a reminder that true freedom, happiness, and fulfillment can only be found through love.
The song also touches upon the inevitability of death and the feeling of loneliness that everyone experiences in life. It acknowledges that we are all homeless in a way, searching for that sense of belonging and comfort. However, instead of turning a blind eye to others in the same position, we should love one another and support each other through tough times. The repetition of the phrase “Love one another” emphasizes the song's central idea.
In summary, "Love is the Answer" is a call for empathy, compassion, and love towards one another as the only way to create a better world for us all.
Line by Line Meaning
Name your price
Give any amount to purchase a ticket to paradise
A ticket to paradise
An opportunity to go to a place of unimaginable happiness
I can't stay here any more
I want to leave this place and find something better
And I've looked high and low
I have searched everywhere
I've been from shore to shore to shore
I have traveled to many different places, but I still haven't found what I'm looking for
If there's a short cut I'd have found it
If there was an easier way, I would have already discovered it
But there is no easy way around it
Sometimes, there is no simple solution to our problems
Light of the world, shine on me
May the divine shine its light on me
Love is the answer
The ultimate solution to our problems is love
Shine on us all
May love radiate through all of us
Set us free
May love liberate us from our suffering
Who knows why
No one truly knows why things happen the way they do
Someday we all must die
Death is an inevitable part of life
We're all homeless boys and girls
We are all wanderers seeking a place to call home
And we are never heard
Our cries for help often go unheard
It's such a lonely world
The world can be a lonely, isolating place
People turn their heads
People ignore the suffering of others
And walk on by
They choose to continue with their lives, unaffected by the pain of others
Tell me is it worth just another try
Is it worth trying again when we face so much disappointment and despair?
Are we alive
Is there more to life than just existing?
Or just a dying planet
Are we living on a world that is slowly dying?
What are the chances
What are the odds of us finding happiness and fulfillment?
Ask the man in your heart for the answers
Look inside yourself for guidance and wisdom
And when you feel afraid
When fear grips you
Love one another
Show compassion and support to those around you, especially when they are in need
When you've lost your way
When you feel lost or confused
And when you're all alone
When you feel isolated and disconnected from others
And when you're far from home
When you are in unfamiliar surroundings
And when you're down and out
When you are facing difficult times
And when your hopes run out
When you lose faith in yourself or your dreams
And when you need a friend
When you require the support and comfort of another person
We got to love one another
We must practice love and kindness towards each other for a better world
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Wilcox, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell, Todd Rundgren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rafael Armiñana Romeu
Fenomenal, extra ordinario, increíble, lo mejor que hay y que sonido de calidad, ritmo, fuerza, sensibilidad, y que gran calidad tienen los excelentes artistas que tocan el tema, GRACIAS por compartir, y si , compré el vinylo , lo mejor que pude hacer en mi vida musical.
Charles Floyd
My favorite guitarist of all time, Absolute genius
Blah Blah Woof Woof
👍
Rodrick Dubose
WRVR FM 106.7 in NYC, played this regularly in the early 70's
Blah Blah Woof Woof
Do you still live there?