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.
Just My Imagination
Larry Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I say to myself you're such a lucky guy,
To have a girl like her is truly a dream come true
out of all the fellows in the world she belongs to me.
But it was Just my imagination,
once again runnin' away with me.
It was just my imagination runnin' away with me. Oo
A cozy little home out in the country with two children maybe three.
I tell you I can visualize it all
this couldn't be a dream for too real it all seems;
But it was Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me.
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me.
Ev'ry night on my knees I pray Dear Lord, Hear my plea;
Don't ever let another take her love from me or I would surely die.
Her love is heavenly, when her arms enfold me,
I hear a tender rhapsody; but in reality she doesn't even know me.
Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me.
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me.
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, can't forget her
Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me.
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me.
In Larry Carlton's song "Just My Imagination," the lyrics depict a person who daydreams about a woman he sees passing by his window each day. He considers himself fortunate to have someone like her in his life, believing it to be a dream come true. However, he quickly realizes that these thoughts are simply figments of his imagination and not the reality he desires.
The first paragraph describes the singer observing the woman from his window, acknowledging his luck in having her and feeling a sense of possessiveness over her. He is captivated by her presence, but he soon confesses that it is just his imagination getting carried away, indicating that he may not actually have a relationship with her.
The second paragraph delves further into the daydreams, implying that the singer envisions a future with this woman. He visualizes them getting married, residing in a cozy home in the countryside, and raising a family together. He expresses his conviction that these imaginings are more than mere dreams, feeling that they are too vivid and seemingly attainable. However, he once again acknowledges that it is just his imagination playing tricks on him, reminding him that these fantasies are not grounded in reality.
In the third paragraph, the singer reveals his desperation and longing for the woman's love. He prays to the Lord, begging to not lose her affection, as he believes it would be devastating to him. He describes her love as heavenly, bringing him comfort and giving him a glimpse of euphoria. However, he admits that she doesn't even know him in reality, highlighting the disparity between his fantasies and the actual situation.
The final paragraph reiterates the idea that the singer's imagination has the tendency to run away with him. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes this point and underscores the singer's inability to let go of these imaginative thoughts. Despite the realization that his desires may not come to fruition, he still can't forget her and admits that his imagination continues to deceive him. Ultimately, the song portrays the bittersweet nature of daydreams and the longing for an unattainable love.
Line by Line Meaning
Each day through my window I watch her as she passes by
I observe her every day from my window as she goes by
I say to myself you're such a lucky guy,
I think to myself that I'm really fortunate
To have a girl like her is truly a dream come true
Having a girl like her is genuinely a wish fulfilled
out of all the fellows in the world she belongs to me.
Among all the guys in the world, she is mine
But it was Just my imagination,
However, it was only my imagination
once again runnin' away with me.
once again fooling me
It was just my imagination runnin' away with me. Oo
It was just my imagination tricking me once more.
Soon we'll be married and raise a family (Oh yeah)
In the near future, we will be married and start a family
A cozy little home out in the country with two children maybe three.
We'll have a comfortable house in the countryside with two or possibly three kids
I tell you I can visualize it all
I can envision the entire scenario
this couldn't be a dream for too real it all seems;
It can't just be a dream because everything seems too realistic
But it was Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me.
But it was just my imagination once again deceiving me
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me.
I'm telling you, it was just my imagination misleading me
Ev'ry night on my knees I pray Dear Lord, Hear my plea;
Every night, I kneel down and pray to the Lord, begging for His attention
Don't ever let another take her love from me or I would surely die.
Please never allow someone else to steal her love from me, as it would devastate me
Her love is heavenly, when her arms enfold me,
Her love is divine, especially when she embraces me
I hear a tender rhapsody; but in reality she doesn't even know me.
I experience a gentle, romantic feeling, but in reality, she doesn't even know who I am
Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me.
Just my imagination once again tricking me
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me.
I'm telling you, it was just my imagination deceiving me
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, can't forget her
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I can't forget about her
Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me.
Just my imagination once again misleading me
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me.
I'm telling you, it was just my imagination fooling me
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hubit01
The epic Larry Carlton and the Crusaders were the start of my discovery of smooth jazz around 1983 and I never left it. Definitely made my life better and happier.
hellharmony
id been searching for this one for long, long time. im going to buy cd. thank you so much!
Ujima Jame
The definitive instrumental version of this classic. Please also check out the vocal cover of this by Gwynyth Paltrow and Babyface,
DJ JAZZCRUSADER
♪♪♪ simply amazing!
Marc Babin
I can come back to this and listen over and over again. The bridge is over the top.
Edson DJEdson Bolinha
sonzeiraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
NovelaMusic
este tema de que album es?¿??
Randy Lott
It's kind of a tropical jazz haha.
red rooster
Shaaaoooo eat yuh heart out!
Mike Coleman
Jam