Connors became interested in jazz as a child, and began playing drums early, once sitting in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance he attended while in middle school. Connors studied music at Temple University and Juilliard; his first recording was on Archie Shepp's 1967 release, Magic of JuJu. He played with Pharaoh Sanders for the next few years until signing with Cobblestone Records in 1972 and releasing his first record as a bandleader. In the mid-1970s, Connors, although fronting some great jazz recordings with Carlos Garnett, Gary Bartz, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Herbie Hancock, began focusing more on R&B tunes, and had several US hits with songs featuring vocalists such as Michael Henderson, Jean Carn, and Phyllis Hyman. The most successful of these was "You Are My Starship". Dee Dee Bridgewater also performed with him on the jazz album "Love from the Sun". His more recent work, "Star Power", has seen him operating more in the vein of smooth jazz and urban crossover music featuring Howard Hewett, Bobby Lyle, Ray Parker, Jr, Peabo Bryson, Michael Henderson, and Antoinette.
Invitation
Norman Connors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I turn to leave and you look my way
Then something deep in my soul
Started burning all out of control
Then you invited me
To take your hand
You invited me
You invited me
Into your gentle arms
You excited me
I felt like I could fly
We dance on clouds way up in the sky
You whispered into my ear
Those words I always wanted to hear
Then you invited me
To take your hand
You invited me
Romance
You invited me
Into your loving heart
You excited me
And on through the night
We seem to flow on lustily
And on through the night we explore of kind love
I didn’t plan to go to a dance and fall in love
Boy here I am in love with you
And now it’s time to go home
But still there are feeling we yet to rome
And I think I should go
My mind says yes but my heart says no
Then you invited me
To take your hand
You invited me
A chance
You invited me
To spend a night with you
You excited me
You excited me
You excited me
You excited me
You gave me an invited to romance
Invited to romance
The lyrics to Norman Connors's song Invitation are about unexpected love and how it can take over someone's emotions. The song starts with the singer admitting that they weren't planning on staying at the dance they are attending. But when they turn to leave, they catch the eye of someone special, and suddenly, their soul is ignited with a burning desire. This is the beginning of the invitation that the singer receives to be with this person. They are invited to take their hand and invited to romance. The singer feels like they could fly as they dance on clouds way up in the sky. The person whispers in their ear, just what they always wanted to hear. This is where the invitation becomes a sort of confession of love from the person who invited them.
The singer feels excited and can't resist the invitation to be with this person. They explore the kind of love that only happens when two people are in sync with each other until it's time for the night to end. The singer knows they should go home, but they still have feelings they want to explore with this person. Their mind says yes, but their heart says no. The singer receives another invitation. This time, they are invited to spend a night with this person, to continue exploring the feelings that have been ignited within them.
In summary, Norman Connors's Invitation is a beautiful love song about the invitation to love someone unexpectedly. It's about the intensity of emotions that someone can feel and how it takes control of their heart and soul.
Line by Line Meaning
I wasn’t planning to stay
Initially, the singer had no intention of staying at the event
I turn to leave and you look my way
As the singer is about to leave, the other person catches their eye
Then something deep in my soul
Started burning all out of control
The other person stirred something deep within the singer's soul that is now overpowering them
You invited me
To take your hand
The other person extends an invitation to hold hands
You invited me
Romance
The other person invites the artist to share in a romantic experience
You invited me
Into your gentle arms
The other person invites the singer into a loving embrace
You excited me
The other person has ignited a sense of excitement within the singer
I felt like I could fly
We dance on clouds way up in the sky
Being with the other person made the artist feel like they were soaring in the clouds and dancing together
You whispered into my ear
Those words I always wanted to hear
The other person whispers into the artist's ear words they've always longed to hear
Into your loving heart
The other person has invited the artist into their caring heart
And on through the night
We seem to flow on lustily
As the night progresses, the singer and the other person seem to flow effortlessly together in passion
And on through the night we explore of kind love
Throughout the night, the artist and the other person explore and experience a gentle, tender kind of love
I didn’t plan to go to a dance and fall in love
Boy here I am in love with you
The singer didn't expect to find love at the event, but now they find themselves in love with the other person
And now it’s time to go home
But still there are feeling we yet to rome
And I think I should go
My mind says yes but my heart says no
Although it's time to leave, the singer has strong feelings for the other person that they're conflicted about
You invited me
A chance
The other person is giving the singer a chance to spend more time with them
To spend a night with you
The other person is offering the artist the opportunity to spend the night together
You gave me an invited to romance
Invited to romance
The other person has invited the artist to experience a romantic connection with them
Writer(s): Bronislaw Kaper, Paul Francis Webster
Contributed by Madison B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aporche
on Wouldn't You Like to See?
I love this song. It makes me think of what would be sung when one has just died. Wouldn’t You Like to See It?
Michael Henderson
on You Are My Starship
This song, "You Are My Starship" was written, performed and produced by Michael Henderson as indicated on the Norman Connors album of the same title.. Norman plays drums..