For the recordings of "Year of the Cat" Al put a classic Spanish guitar into Peter's hands and asked him to play on it for one song of the forthcoming album. That part became the opening of the well-known "On The Border". It were those recording sessions when Peter also worked with producer Alan Parsons of The Alan Parsons Project.
In 1978 he followed Al Stewart and moved to Los Angeles, CA. Around this time Peter's younger brother Danny felt the inspiration to form his own group, which would become Matt Bianco ("Bianco" is Italian for "White"). Temporarily the Al Stewart backing band was renamed to Shot in the Dark, which consisted basically of the crew (among them bass player Robin Lamble) which played on Al Stewart's 1980 and 1981 albums. Shot in the Dark alone only released one album in 1981; they disbanded when their record label closed down.
In the following years Peter became more and more involved in the L.A. music scene and played with the likes of Johnny Rivers (the "Secret Agent Man"), Bernie Leadon (after he left the Eagles), Susanna Hoffs (after she left The Bangles), Tori Amos (before she got famous), and Janis Ian ("At Seventeen"). Through this connection with Matt Bianco, Peter would contribute his guitar playing on albums of the band as well as later on with their lead singer Basia, also joining her on tours. In the late 80s he would discover that one of his neighbors, a man named Skipper Wise, was also a musician. Peter agreed to join him and his band Windows occasionally, playing guitar and keyboards on some of their records. When Skipper decided in 1988 to record a solo album (The Clock & The Moon) Peter agreed to support him, but asked for the same favor in return when it would come to his first solo album. Only one year later, in 1989, Peter White's first solo effort, Reveillez-Vous, was recorded and published, co-produced by Skipper Wise. A second release, Excusez-Moi, was finished in a similar fashion in 1992. Peter White became a leading smooth jazz musician and joined the "Guitars & Saxes" tour together with jazz musicians such as Richard Elliot, Warren Hill and Craig Chaquico.
Déjà Vu
Peter White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All you did was say hello
Speak my name
Feeling your love
Like a love I used to know
Long ago.
How can it be
Come to me.
Feel like I'm home
In a place I used to know
Long ago
Deja vu -
Could you be the dream that I once knew
Is it you
Deja vu -
Could you be the dream that might come true
Shining through
I keep remembering me
I keep remembering you
Deja vu
This is devine
I've been waiting all my life
Filling time
Looking for you
Nights were more than you could know
Long ago
Come to me now
We don't have to dream of love
We know how
Somewhere before
It's as if I've loved you so
So long ago
Deja vu -
Could you be the dream that I once knew
Is it you
Deja vu -
Could you be the dream that might come true?
Shining through
I keep remembering me
I keep remembering you
Deja vu
The lyrics to Peter White's song "Deja Vu" describe a feeling of familiarity and longing for a love that was once known long ago. The singer is struck by the intense sense of deja vu he experiences upon meeting someone new who seems to embody the love he once knew. The simple act of saying hello and hearing his name spoken fills him with a powerful sense of love and nostalgia. It feels as if this new person has come from a different time and space just to be with him, and the singer is overtaken by the feeling of being at home in a place he once knew.
The repeated use of the phrase "long ago" throughout the song emphasizes the depth of the singer's longing for this familiar love. He wonders if this new person could be the dream he once knew, or if they could be the dream that will finally come true. The chorus, with its repetition of the phrase "deja vu," reinforces the idea of a love that feels both familiar and elusive, like a memory just out of reach. Overall, the lyrics of "Deja Vu" capture the bittersweet emotion of longing for something that feels just within reach but ultimately remains out of grasp.
Line by Line Meaning
This is insane
It's unbelievable and hard to comprehend.
All you did was say hello
You simply greeted me yet it meant so much more.
Speak my name
Say my name, which has a powerful effect on me.
Feeling your love
Experiencing your unconditional affection.
Like a love I used to know
Similar to a past love that still lingers in my mind.
Long ago
A distant memory, something that happened a while back.
How can it be
I find it hard to believe or understand.
You're a different space and time
You are physically distant and from a different time period.
Come to me
Come closer to me, as I want to be near you.
Feel like I'm home
I feel comfortable, safe, and content in your presence.
In a place I used to know
It feels familiar, like I have been here before.
Deja vu -
A sense of familiarity or reliving of a past event or experience.
Could you be the dream that I once knew
Could you be the person or the situation that seems like a dream from my past?
Is it you
Are you the one I have been waiting for or remembering?
Could you be the dream that might come true
Is it possible that the dream I had in the past is going to become a reality because of you?
Shining through
You are standing out and are clearly visible.
I keep remembering me
I am frequently remembering who I used to be.
I keep remembering you
I constantly recall and think of you.
This is devine
This is truly remarkable and wonderful.
I've been waiting all my life
I have been waiting for someone like you for my entire life.
Filling time
Passing the time, spending time doing things to distract myself until I find you.
Looking for you
Searching for the one who completes me.
Nights were more than you could know
The nights were difficult, long and lonely.
Come to me now
Come to me at this moment, while we have the chance.
We don't have to dream of love
We do not have to fantasize or imagine our love, as it is real.
We know how
We know how to be in love and how to make it last.
Somewhere before
We have been to this place or have felt this feeling before.
It's as if I've loved you so
It's as if I have always known and loved you deeply.
So long ago
It has been a very long time since we last felt this love.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ISAAC HAYES, ADRIENNE ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Siqk Linx
Unbelievable to think this dude is a Brit. Such incredible songs that ALWAYS transport you somewhere fanyastic and blissful. He and Paul Hardcastle are such treasures.
Daniel
been listening this jazz since 5 years ago, it never failed to put a smile on my face after all these years
mj jones
This is my first time hearing peter white and i love his music, smooth and relaxing reminds me of the 70s music
Peter White
+mj jones that song is from the 70s. Dionne Warwick recorded it in 1979- written by Isaac Hayes and Adrienne Anderson. Glad you like it!
sally bowles
This music takes me away to a simpler time so beautiful 🙏🌹🙏
Reinaldo Rodrigues
Esse músico é fantástico! Adorei.Vou adicionar nos meus favoritos. QUE LINDA MÚSICA!
creamie pie
this song makes me think of a caribbean island ,by the seashore where the water is crystal clear and i'm sipping on a pina colada ,just relaxed, i love this man.
ROBERTO ANGEL Merlo
buenísimo. Un placer escucharlo.
macsanz1
Excelente tema y despues de tanto tiempo te recuerdo... como un Deja Vu...
Victoria Lynn
Play on PW! You are a master on those guitar strings. You pull at our hearts so gently with love! Delicious! 💓