Carlton's studio credits from the 1970s and early '80s include musicians and groups like Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr., Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and literally dozens of others. Among his more notable projects as a session guitarist were Joni Mitchell's critically acclaimed Court and Spark and Hejira albums, Steely Dan's The Royal Scam album, and Donald Fagen's Nightfly album. For much of the 1970s, Carlton was active as a session guitarist, recording on up to 500 albums a year. Although he recorded a number of LPs under his own name as early as 1968's With a Little Help from My Friends (Uni), and 1973's Singing/Playing, he didn't land a major-label contract until 1978, when he signed with Warner Bros.
Carlton began taking guitar lessons when he was six. His first professional gig was at a supper club in 1962. After hearing Joe Pass on the radio, he was inspired to play jazz and blues. Wes Montgomery and Barney Kessel became important influences soon after he discovered the jazz guitar stylings of Pass. B.B. King and other blues guitarists had an impact on Carlton's style as well. He honed his guitar-playing skills in the clubs and studios of greater Los Angeles. He attended a local junior college and Long Beach State College for a year until the Vietnam War ended. Carlton toured with the Fifth Dimension in 1968 and began doing studio sessions in 1970. His early session work included studio dates with pop musicians like Vicki Carr, Andy Williams and the Partridge Family. In 1971, he was asked to join the Crusaders shortly after they'd decided to drop the word "Jazz'' from their name, and he remained with the group until 1976. In between tours with the Crusaders, he also did studio session work for hundreds of recordings in every genre. But it was while he with the Crusaders that he developed the highly rhythmic, often bluesy style he has now. His credits include performing on more than 100 gold albums. His theme music credits for TV and films include Against All Odds, Who's the Boss, and the theme for Hill Street Blues. The latter won a Grammy award in 1981 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
Carlton delivered his self-titled debut for Warner Bros. in 1978, shortly after he was recognized for his ground-breaking guitar playing on Steely Dan's Royal Scam album. (Carlton contributed the memorable guitar solo on "Kid Charlemagne", and the opening to "Don't Take Me Alive.") He released four more albums for Warner Bros., Strikes Twice (1980), Sleepwalk (1981), Eight Times Up (1982), and the Grammy-nominated Friends (1983), before being dropped from the label.
He continued studio session work and touring in between, emerging again in 1986 on MCA Records with an all-acoustic album, Discovery, which contained an instrumental remake of Michael McDonald's hit, "Minute by Minute." The single won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1987. Carlton's live album, Last Nite, released in 1987, got him a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance.
While working on his next album for MCA, On Solid Ground, Carlton was the victim of random gun violence, and was shot in the throat by gun-wielding juveniles outside Room 335, his private studio near Burbank, California. The bullet shattered his vocal cord and caused significant nerve trauma, but through intensive therapy and a positive frame of mind, Carlton completed work on On Solid Ground in 1989. Carlton formed Helping Innnocent People (HIP), a non-profit group to aid victims of random gun violence.
Carlton's most recent albums include two releases in 1996 for GRP Records, Gift and With a Little Help from My Friends. His other recordings include 1990's Collection and 1992's Kid Gloves for the same label, Playing/Singing (1995, Edsel), and Renegade Gentleman, a 1993 release for GRP.
Despite the tragedy that was foisted on him in the late '80s, dragging him through a long and dark period of hospitalization and rehabilitation, Carlton's output over the years has been steady through the 1980s and 1990s. Carlton seems to have slowed down his touring schedule a bit, but certainly not his recording schedule. Always happy to meet with the press, Carlton has a sweet, peaceful personality, and one can hear it in his unique, rhythmic, warm guitar chords and ringing guitar tones.
Larry Carlton's niece is pop singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton.
I Apologize
Larry Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get to thinking 'bout my baby
I don't like the dark and I don't know why
Baby, baby, where you going
Won't you turn the lights out on in my mind
I see you're in there anyway
Just the same she's kinda hard to find
Since she up'd and moved away
Baby, I'm so sorry, I apologize
For loving you, woah
Baby, I'm so sorry, I apologize
For wanting you, woah
I never knew his kinda pain before
At least that's what my doctor saying
They couldn't find what I was suffering from
They diagnosed I must be dead
Have mercy can't you find another way
Go round and have your fun
Woah baby, come back and dial me right away
This thing is getting overdone
Baby, I'm so sorry, I apologize
For loving you, woah
Baby, I'm so sorry, I apologize
For wanting you, woah
I never knew his kinda pain before
At least that's what my doctor saying
They couldn't find what I was suffering from
They diagnosed I must be dead
Baby, I'm so sorry, I apologize
For loving you, woah
Baby, I'm so sorry, I apologize
For wanting you, woah
I apologize....
The lyrics to Larry Carlton's song "I Apologize" explore the struggles of a man who is missing his lover. The song paints a picture of the sunset, a time when it's getting dark and the world around him is becoming more uncertain. The songwriter expresses his love for his partner and how he can't seem to escape the thoughts of her no matter how hard he tries. It's evident that his partner has moved away, and he's having a difficult time dealing with it. The songwriter apologizes for loving her and wanting her, because to him, it's what's causing him this enormous amount of pain.
The lyrics of "I Apologize" express the internal conflict of a man who is missing his lover, and it's clear that the separation is affecting him deeply. He's struggling with the darkness that comes with missing someone you love, and the thoughts of her are never far away. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the struggles with love and the emotional pain it can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
Just as the sun is setting in the sky
The singer is setting the scene for the moment they start reflecting on their past relationship with their lover.
I get to thinking 'bout my baby
The singer starts to recall memories spent with their lover.
I don't like the dark and I don't know why
The singer feels uneasy about the possibility of being alone and in the dark without their lover.
Baby, baby, where you going
The artist is asking their lover where they've gone or why they left.
Won't you turn the lights out on in my mind
The artist wants their lover to stop appearing in their thoughts, they want them to leave their mind completely.
I see you're in there anyway
Despite the singer's plea, their lover is still heavily present in their thoughts and memories.
Just the same she's kinda hard to find
Although the singer still thinks about their lover often, they feel like they can't locate or obtain them anymore since they've moved away.
Since she up'd and moved away
The artist confirms that their lover left them and it's been difficult to cope with.
Baby, I'm so sorry, I apologize
For loving you, woah
The artist is expressing remorse for loving their partner and recognizing that this love has caused them pain.
I never knew his kinda pain before
At least that's what my doctor saying
They couldn't find what I was suffering from
They diagnosed I must be dead
The artist is experiencing so much emotional pain that they're starting to feel like they're dying. They've even tried visiting a doctor but didn't get relief from their pain.
Have mercy can't you find another way
Go round and have your fun
Woah baby, come back and dial me right away
This thing is getting overdone
The singer pleads with their lover to come back to them and try to fix their relationship.
I apologize....
The artist apologizes again, admitting fault and expressing regret for the fact that their love for their partner has caused them so much pain.
Contributed by Savannah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.