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.
Let It Snow
Oleta Adams Lyrics
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But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
It doesn't show signs of pausing
And I've bought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
When we finally kiss goodnight
How I'll hate going out in the storm
But if you'll really hold me tight
All the way home I'll be warm
The fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we're still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
It doesn't show signs of pausing
And I've bought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
When we finally kiss goodnight
How I'll hate going out in the storm
But if you'll really hold me tight
All the way home I'll be warm
The fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we're still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Oh baby, let it snow, let it snow
I really want it to let it snow
The lyrics of Oleta Adams's Let It Snow are a reflection of the joys of the holiday season, despite the weather outside being frightful. The idea of snow falling while being warm and cozy inside with a loved one, creates a romantic and nostalgic atmosphere that brings about feelings of warmth, love and security. The lyrics "And since we've no place to go/Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" highlight the feeling of being home and not needing to go anywhere, as the outside conditions are not favorable. The act of buying corn to pop and turning the lights down low amplifies the cozy and intimate feel of the moment.
As the song progresses, the focus shifts to the couple and their connection. The lyrics "When we finally kiss goodnight/How I'll hate going out in the storm/But if you'll really hold me tight/All the way home I'll be warm" suggest the couple reluctantly facing the reality of having to leave each other's company, for the sake of facing the storm outside. The lyrics "The fire is slowly dying/And, my dear, we're still goodbying/But as long as you love me so/Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" further emphasize the couple's love and connection despite the transient nature of the moment. The lyrics bring about the idea that despite having to say goodbye for now, the warmth and love they have shared during their time together will carry them through.
Overall, Oleta Adam's Let It Snow captures the feeling of being home, safe and warm during the holiday season, and cherishing those moments with loved ones despite the challenges of the weather.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the weather outside is frightful
The weather is terrible outside
But the fire is so delightful
The warmth of the fire is comforting
And since we've no place to go
We can't leave because of the bad weather
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
It's okay for it to keep snowing
It doesn't show signs of pausing
The snow isn't stopping anytime soon
And I've bought some corn for popping
We have snacks to eat while we wait for the snow to stop
The lights are turned way down low
The lighting is dimmed to create a cozy mood
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
We don't mind the continued snowfall
When we finally kiss goodnight
When it's time for us to say goodnight
How I'll hate going out in the storm
I don't want to go outside in the bad weather
But if you'll really hold me tight
If you hold me closely
All the way home I'll be warm
I'll feel comforted for the journey home
The fire is slowly dying
The fire is slowly losing its warmth
And, my dear, we're still goodbying
We're still saying our goodbyes
But as long as you love me so
As long as you love me, I'm okay
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
We don't mind the continued snowfall
Oh baby, let it snow, let it snow
I really want it to keep snowing
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind