By the late 1960s Austin was a prolific session musician and commercial jingle singer. By the 1980s she was signed to Jones's Qwest Records and she began having hits. She charted twenty R&B songs between 1969 and 1991 and had success on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where she hit number one in 1981 with "Do You Love Me?" / "The Genie."
The album containing that hit, Every Home Should Have One, also produced her biggest mainstream hit. "Baby, Come To Me," a duet with James Ingram, peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1982. After being featured as the love theme in a prominent storyline on the soap opera General Hospital, the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October and went to number one in early 1983.
Next Austin released her third album in three years entitled "Gettin' Away With Murder". In addition to the title track, she had two more hit singles, "Honey For The Bees" (#24 R&B and #6 Dance) and "The Heat of Heat". Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, noted for their later work with Janet Jackson, the latter track returned Austin to the top 15 of the R&B charts for what would be the last time to date. It would also be her last Hot 100 charting to date, peaking at number 55, although she would score a top-5 dance hit with the single Reach that appeared originally on her 1994 CD That Secret Place (GRP Records). "Gettin' Away With Murder" used producers Russ Titelman, Tommy LiPuma, Monte Moir (of "The Time"), and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Billy Joel (Austin sang background on his "Just The Way You Are"), Dan Hartman, friends Luther Vandross and Jocelyn Brown, along with Chaka Khan were among the background vocalists on the project, with successful songwriters, Randy Goodrum, Michael Bolton, Jam & Lewis plus several other big name writers offering up their best compositions on what was likely a big budget affair. She next appeared with Jeff Bridges and Joan Allen in Francis Ford Coppola's critically acclaimed period piece Tucker: The Man and his Dream (1988). That year, Austin released The Real Me, a collection of standards which garnered her the first of several Top 10 showings on the Jazz Albums chart. "The Real Me" was chiefly produced by David Pack who had been a part of the Pop group Ambrosia. Austin served as a co-producer and as Executive Producer on the project. Austin sang "It's the Falling in Love" with Michael Jackson on his album Off The Wall. Other duet partners include George Benson ("Moody's Mood for Love" and "Keep Your Dreams Alive"), and Luther Vandross ("I'm Gonna Miss You In The Morning"). Earlier she'd recorded featured duets with Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons on "Our Day Will Come" and "Swearin' To God" with little billing. Austin also sang lead and background vocals on many contemporary Jazz instrumentalists' records in the 1970s. In 1985 she sang lead vocals on a collaboration with her producer, Narada Michael Walden, and the single, "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme", went top 40 on the R&B charts. In 1991, she recorded the duet "You Who Brought Me Love" with music legend Johnny Mathis, which was received with critical acclaim. That same year she was invited to be a guest on a Johnny Mathis television special that was broadcast across North America.
Austin led a new group of Raelettes for the 2006 album Ray Charles + Count Basie Orchestra = Genius². That group also featured veteran session singer Valerie Pinkston and members of the group Perry.
During a 2007 interview promoting her latest recording, Austin reflected how as a teenager she reluctantly attended one of Judy Garland's last concerts and the experience helped focus her career, stating "She (Judy Garland) ripped my heart out. I wanted to interpret a lyric like that, to present who I was at the moment through the lyric."
In 2007 Patti Austin participated in the Avo Session Basel with a program dedicated to Ella Fitzgerald.
In 2008, fifty-three years after getting her first record contract, Patti Austin was awarded her first Grammy Award, winning Best Jazz Vocal Album for "Avant Gershwin" at the 50th annual Grammy Awards. The award came for her ninth nomination in that category.
Austin is co-producer and one of over 70 artists singing on "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti", a charity single in aid of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
In 2011 Austin released a mostly covers album project titled "Sound Advice" which contained re-works of Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody", Brenda Russell's "A Little Bit Of Love", a lesser known Jacksons tune, "Give It Up," her tribute to late friend/collaborator, Michael Jackson, a cover of Bill Withers, "Lean On Me" which she first sang at a milestone birthday for her Godfather Quincy Jones. Also on "Sound Advice" standout performances of Don McLean's "Vincent" (aka Starry Starry Night) and a deeply female take on "My Way." Austin wrote the anthemic "The Grace Of God" after watching an episode of the old "Oprah Winfrey Show" which featured a facially scarred woman ... Keeping relevant, Austin offered the bouncy slice of Pop/Rock/RandB "Round And Round" including the latest trendy vocal effects, though Austin remains one singer who clearly needs no such production techniques to cover a crystal clear, flexible, and knowing voice imitated by many, duplicated by none. Austin co-wrote and sings in the star-studded L.O.V.E. - Let One Voice Emerge, encouraging especially younger Americans to get out there and exercise their right to vote.[citation needed]
Austin appears in the Academy Award-winning documentary film 20 Feet from Stardom (2013), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was released on 21 June 2013. She is working on an upcoming, as yet untitled duets album project with James Ingram.
More Today Than Yesterday
Patti Austin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I didn't notice what time it was
All I knew is that I fell in love with you
And if all my dreams come true
I'll be spending time with you
Ev'ry day's a new day in love with you
With each day comes a new way of loving you
And if all my dreams come true
I'll be spending time with you
I love you more today than yesterday
not as much as tomorrow
I love you more today than yesterday
But darling not as much as tomorrow
Tomorrow's date means springtime's just a day away
Cupid, we don't need you now, be on your way
But I thank the Lord for love like ours that
grows ever stronger
And I always will be true, I know you feel the same way too
I love you more today than yesterday
Baby not as much as tomorrow
I love you more today than yesterday
But darling not as much as tomorrow
I really love you
Ooh I really want you
I really need you
Baby gotta have you
Ooh I really want you
I love you more today than yesterday
Baby not as much as tomorrow
I love you more today than yesterday
But darling not as much as tomorrow
You know that I love you
Really, really love you, baby
Said I really love you
Really, really want you baby,
more today
Really want you more today
Said I want you more today than I did yesterday
Well I love you
You know I love you
Said I want you more today
Hey hey, hey hey
Said I really want you more today...
Patti Austin's song "More Today Than Yesterday" is a romantic love song that celebrates the joy of being in love. The song tells the story of a person who falls in love and cannot help but feel amazed, grateful, and excited. The singer shares that they cannot recall the exact day or time that they fell in love, but all they know is that they have found someone they want to spend time with every day. The love they share keeps growing day by day, and they express the wish that all their dreams come true so that they can continue spending time together. The chorus is the highlight of the song, as the singer declares, "I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow," which is an eloquent way of expressing how their love keeps growing and maturing.
Overall, this song is a sweet and upbeat expression of love that touches on themes of gratitude, loyalty, and hope. The lyrics are simple yet profound, and the music is catchy and fun. The chorus is the highlight of the song, and its catchy melody and charming lyrics make it an instant classic. Through this song, Patti Austin reminds us that love is a beautiful thing that should be celebrated every day.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't remember what day it was
The exact day is unimportant because my love for you transcends time and memory.
I didn't notice what time it was
The specific time doesn't matter because every moment spent with you feels timeless and special.
All I knew is that I fell in love with you
The moment I met you, I knew that there was a spark between us, and my love for you has only grown stronger.
And if all my dreams come true
Every dream I have is about sharing my life with you, and I hope that they all come true.
I'll be spending time with you
My goal in life is to spend every moment with you and make the most of our time together.
Ev'ry day's a new day in love with you
Loving you is an adventure, and every day brings new opportunities to explore and deepen our relationship.
With each day comes a new way of loving you
My love for you grows every day, and I find new ways to express my affection and admiration.
Ev'ry time I kiss your lips my mind starts to wander
You are always on my mind, and every kiss reminds me of how much you mean to me.
I love you more today than yesterday
My love for you grows stronger with each passing day, and I cherish every moment we spend together.
not as much as tomorrow
My love for you will continue to grow, and tomorrow holds even more love and happiness for us.
Tomorrow's date means springtime's just a day away
Our love feels like a fresh, new beginning, and every day is filled with possibility and excitement.
Cupid, we don't need you now, be on your way
Our love is so strong that we don't need any outside help or influence to keep us together.
But I thank the Lord for love like ours that grows ever stronger
I am grateful for the love we share, and I know that it will only continue to grow and flourish over time.
And I always will be true, I know you feel the same way too
I will always be faithful to you and our love, and I know that you feel the same way and will always be by my side.
I really love you
My love for you is deep, true, and unwavering.
Ooh I really want you
My desire for you is strong and passionate.
I really need you
I can't imagine my life without you, and I need you by my side always.
Baby gotta have you
You are the love of my life, and I can't imagine living without you.
You know that I love you
My love for you is clear and unequivocal, and I hope you feel the same way.
Said I really love you
I want you to know how deep and true my love is.
Really, really want you baby
My desire for you is strong and intense, and I can't get enough of you.
Said I want you more today than I did yesterday
My love and desire for you grows stronger every day, and I want to be with you more than anything.
Hey hey, hey hey
My love for you is lively and vibrant, like a joyful musical tune.
Said I really want you more today...
My desire and longing for you are as strong as ever, and I can't wait to be with you again.
Contributed by Abigail H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.