Marcus Roberts (born September 7, 1963 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an Amer… Read Full Bio ↴Marcus Roberts (born September 7, 1963 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an American jazz pianist who has achieved fame as a gifted player committed to celebrating classic standards and jazz traditions.

Blind since his youth, Roberts began playing piano at an early age and then studied the instrument while attending Florida State University. In 1985, he got his big break when famed trumpeter Wynton Marsalis chose him as his new sideman. He became a close friend and disciple of Marsalis, and collaborated with him on many projects during the ensuing years.

With Marsalis' support and soon after joining him, Roberts began cutting his own records. His albums tend to be homages to past jazz greats, and Roberts has been falsely criticized for a lack of innovation. However, his playing ability and technique have always been highly regarded and his music has added to the vocabulary of modern jazz piano and the piano trio.

When listening to Roberts' music, one cannot help but notice, simultaneously, his utter devotion to his New Orleans roots and his bold strides onto the cutting edge. On a piece such as "Nebuchadnezzar" Roberts lays down all the tradional harmonies and chords, then builds an expansive tonal and melodic structure evoking slyness, joy, confidence, and just a touch of knowing world-weariness.

Roberts excels as an improvisor and re-interpreter in his solo performances and creates interesting and daring arrangments as a large band leader, but his chamber work will endure as his true contribution to American music. If traditional jazz is a juke joint or an urban club, Marcus Roberts builds sonic palaces, inviting his listener to come and pay homage to the living spirits of Monk, Ellington, Morton, Gershwin, and many more of his fellow geniuses.

In 2005, Roberts took a position as a professor of Jazz Studies at Florida State University.

Prelude to a Kiss
Marcus Roberts Lyrics

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If you hear
A song in blue
Like a flower crying
For the dew
That was my heart serenading you
My prelude to a kiss

If you hear a song that grows

From my tender sentimental woes
That was my heart trying to compose
A prelude to a kiss

Though it's just a simple melody
With nothing fancy
Nothing much
You could turn it to a symphony
A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch

Oh how my love song gently cries
For the tenderness within your eyes
My love is a prelude that never dies
A prelude to a kiss

Though it's just a simple melody
With nothing fancy
Nothing much
You could turn it to a symphony
A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch

Oh how my love song so gently cries
For the tenderness within your eyes

My love is a prelude that never dies
A prelude to a kiss

Overall Meaning

"Prelude to a Kiss" is a ballad written by Duke Ellington and Irving Gordon in 1938. The song, since its release, has been performed by many notable artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan. In Marcus Roberts's version of the song, the lyrics evoke a sense of romantic longing and passion.

The opening lines "If you hear a song in blue" sets the tone for the entire song. The blue melody and the flower crying for the dew symbolize a melancholy feeling of unrequited love. As the song progresses, the lyrics describe the composer's heart as trying to compose a melody that fully captures their emotions. The "simple melody" is not much, but it's a "prelude to a kiss" that expresses a deep desire and affection for the person they're serenading.

The lyrics underscore how love can be communicated through music, even a simple melody. The repetition of "my love is a prelude that never dies" emphasizes the staying power of love even in the absence of a physical kiss.

Overall, Marcus Roberts's version of "Prelude to a Kiss" is a heartfelt expression of an individual's enduring love for someone they desire. The lyrics paint a unique picture of love that is timeless and ageless.

Line by Line Meaning

If you hear
If you happen to catch

A song in blue
A sorrowful tune

Like a flower crying
A sound that resembles shedding tears

For the dew
For something that's lost and can't be regained

That was my heart serenading you
That's how I was expressing my love for you

My prelude to a kiss
A small introduction to my deeper feelings for you

If you hear a song that grows
If you listen to the tune that develops

From my tender sentimental woes
From my emotional pain and longing

That was my heart trying to compose
That's how I was trying to express my love

A prelude to a kiss
A small introduction to my deeper feelings for you

Though it's just a simple melody
Even though the tune is uncomplicated

With nothing fancy
Without any ornate decoration

Nothing much
Nothing extremely special

You could turn it to a symphony
You have the power to make it more grand

A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch
Something that combines the beauty of both Schubert and Gershwin's music

Oh how my love song gently cries
How my expression of love mournfully laments

For the tenderness within your eyes
For the delicate and kind nature you possess

My love is a prelude that never dies
My love for you is an eternal introduction to all that I feel

A prelude to a kiss
A small introduction to the deep love and affection that I hold for you

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, IRVING MILLS, IRVING GORDON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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