Adams was born the daughter of a preacher and was raised with gospel music. In her youth her family moved to Yakima, Washington, which is sometimes shown as her place of birth.
Adams started her career in 1980 with two self-financed albums which had limited success. In 1985, she was discovered by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, founders of the famous English pop band Tears for Fears whilst performing in a Kansas City, Missouri bar. They invited her to join their band as a singer to their next album The Seeds of Love.
In 1989, the LP was released and the single "Woman In Chains" - sung as a duet by Adams and Orzabal and with Phil Collins on drums - became her real first hit. Oleta started her solo career in 1990 assisted by Orzabal who did the production. Her debut album Circle of One received much critical acclaim and she scored her biggest hit to date in 1991 with her cover of Brenda Russell's "Get Here". 1991 also saw Oleta contribute to the Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute album, Two Rooms, on which appeared her version of John's 1974 hit "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me".
Her next album Evolution was also a commercial success. Her 1995 release, Moving On, saw Oleta move more in the direction of R&B. Two years later she released the Christian themed Come Walk With Me.
Adams' smooth sumptuous contralto voice has become the vanguard in an R&B jazz segment that was largely vacant during Anita Baker's hiatus.
In 2001, Adams released her sixth album, All The Love, a return to an R&B/Adult contemporary sound. The album was re-released in 2004 in Germany with a different title I Can't Live a Day without You.
In 2004, Adams reunited with Tears for Fears once again as she made a surprise guest appearance onstage at their Kansas City concert, performing "Woman in Chains".
Adams released her first Christmas album on 3 October 2006, entitled Christmas Time with Oleta.
A secular album entitled Let's Stay Here, was released on April 21, 2009.
I've Got To Sing My Song
Oleta Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I couldn't wait to call you on the phone
'tis been a while since I've been home
All of this was my own choice
'Coz the man upstairs has given me this voice
No matter how long it takes
No matter how hard the breaks
I've gotta use it!
I just can't stand to refuse
Chance to do what I gotta do
I gotta sing my song
Sing the hatred into love
Sing a praise to heaven and above
Sing the tears into a smile yeah
Sing into a feeling
This is all worthwhile
Sing it high, sing it low
Sing from deep within my soul
Sing it loud and make it clear
Sing so everyone can hear
Could it be Lord, chosen me because
I’d be nothing
If I couldn't sing
My song
By the way may I say thank you
For the love you've shown
All of these years since I've been born
Papa thought I was college-bound
And you expected me to settle down
I'm not ignoring what you had in mind
Neither do I wanna sound unkind
Before I give up!
I gotta live up!
To a challenge to do my thing
I gotta cut loose the April strings
Oh I've gotta sing my song
(All I wanna do is)
Sing the hatred into love
Sing a praise, to the heaven and above
Sing the tears into a smile ye-aaaah
Sing into a feeling
This is all worthwhile
Sing it high, sing it low
Sing from deep within my soul
Sing it loud, and make it clear
Sing so every one can hear
Could it be Lord, chosen me because
I'd be nothing
If I couldn't sing
My song
The song, "I've Got to Sing My Song" by Oleta Adams, speaks to the importance of fulfilling one's purpose and using one's talents despite criticism or opposition. The lyrics imply that the singer has faced some resistance in pursuing a career in music and has gone against expectations and societal norms in doing so. The mention of the "man upstairs" giving her voice suggests a religious or spiritual belief in the necessity of using one's talents for a higher purpose.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of the singer's music and the need to share it with the world. The repetition of "sing" in various forms highlights the power of music to transform negative emotions into positive ones and to connect people on a deep level. The mention of honoring the love shown to her also suggests gratitude for those who have supported her in her journey, despite any doubts or disapproval.
The song as a whole encourages listeners to follow their passions and use their gifts, even in the face of obstacles or criticism. It promotes the idea that everyone has a unique purpose and voice that should be shared with the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I know it's late
I apologize for calling at a late hour
I couldn't wait to call you on the phone
I was so excited that I couldn't wait to call you
'tis been a while since I've been home
It's been a long time since I've been home
All of this was my own choice
All of my decisions were my own choice
'Coz the man upstairs has given me this voice
I believe that God has given me this voice
No matter how long it takes
I will not give up no matter how long it takes
No matter how hard the breaks
I will not give up no matter how difficult things get
I've gotta use it!
I have to use my voice
Or lose it!
Or else I will lose my voice
I just can't stand to refuse
I can't bear to refuse the opportunity
Chance to do what I gotta do
To do what I feel I must
I gotta sing my song
I have to sing my song
Sing the hatred into love
I want to turn hatred into love through my singing
Sing a praise to heaven and above
I want to sing praises to God in heaven
Sing the tears into a smile yeah
I want to turn tears into smiles through my singing
Sing into a feeling
I want to sing until I feel an emotional release
This is all worthwhile
It is all worth it
Sing it high, sing it low
I want to sing in all ranges
Sing from deep within my soul
I want to sing from the depths of my soul
Sing it loud and make it clear
I want to sing loudly and clearly
Sing so everyone can hear
I want everyone to hear my voice
Could it be Lord, chosen me because
I wonder if God has chosen me for this task
I’d be nothing
I would be nothing
If I couldn't sing
If I was unable to sing
My song
My unique voice and perspective
By the way may I say thank you
I want to express my gratitude
For the love you've shown
For the love and support you have shown me
All of these years since I've been born
Throughout my life
Papa thought I was college-bound
My father thought I was going to college
And you expected me to settle down
And you thought I would settle down
I'm not ignoring what you had in mind
I am not ignoring your expectations
Neither do I wanna sound unkind
I do not want to sound unappreciative
Before I give up!
Before I give up on my dreams
I gotta live up!
I have to live up to my potential
To a challenge to do my thing
To the challenge of pursuing my passion
I gotta cut loose the April strings
I have to break free from societal expectations
Oh I've gotta sing my song
Oh, I have to sing my song
(All I wanna do is)
(All I want to do is)
Contributed by Sophia R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.