Laws is the fifth of eight children born to Hubert Laws, Sr. and Miola Luverta Donahue.
Laws attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas for two years. In 1972, Laws joined the fledgling group Earth, Wind & Fire, playing saxophone and flute on their album Last Days And Time. He left the band soon afterwards, long before they achieved their huge commercial success.
In 1976, he began his solo career with the album Pressure Sensitive, on which his most famous instrumental song, "Always There", was included. It became an instant jazz-funk classic, covered by numerous artists.
In 1978 he released an album called Flame under United Artsts (UA) records and from it a 12" single was released called "All for you" with a strong vocal presence and additional tracks entitled "Let's Keep it Together" and "Nuthin' 'bout nuthin" from other previous albums. The 12" single was his first issued in the UK as well as the US and paved the way for this format to be used for promoting artists' work at the time without the need to own the full LP.
Apart from saxophones, Laws also included vocals into his songs. Notable vocal makings include "Every Generation" (1980), "Stay Awake" (1981, included on the album Solid Ground) and "Mr. Nice Guy" (1983).
Laws has also recorded with numerous other artists, including Arthur Adams, Howard Hewett, Ramsey Lewis, Jeff Lorber, Hugh Masekela, Alphonse Mouzon, David Sea, and Sister Sledge.
In 1999 a tribute to Ronnie Laws' "Always There", mentioned earlier, was played by a group of musicians including Boney James, Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum and Larry Carlton performing the number at the Montreux Jazz Festival. This has been issued on DVD and is entitled Casino Lights '99'.
More recently in June 2005 the album Every Generation from 1980 was at last, after continued demand, issued on CD format. The original tracks are "Young Child", "Never get back to Houston", "Every Generation", "Tomorrow", "O.T.B.A.", "Love's Victory", "Thoughts and Memories" and "As one".
Every Generation
Ronnie Laws Lyrics
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Or lend your ears to what an old man had to say
Cause a every generation of us lie
Reflects a movie scene often more than twice
Child is born to live within the master plan
Boy grows up, leaves his home to be a man
Vintage years of wine for the wife
Every generation of life of our lives
Every generation of life
Reflects a movie scene often more than twice
Every generation of life
Reflects a movie scene often more than twice
Yeah
Rise and plant your seeds in the early spring
Summer's gone away, winter's back again
Cause a every generation of our lives,
Reflects a movie scene often more than twice
Time will make us change, nothing stays the same.
A fool gets stung, hides his heart and plays the game.
Cause a every generation of our lives,
Reflects a movie scene often more than twice
Yeah!
The lyrics of the song "Every Generation" by Ronnie Laws encourage listeners to recognize and appreciate the diverse experiences of individuals from different generations. The first verse sets the tone by asking whether the listener has ever taken the time to truly listen to the stories and wisdom of older individuals. The second verse speaks to the natural progression of life, from childhood to adulthood, and the third verse acknowledges the passage of time and how it shapes our lives.
The chorus emphasizes the main theme of the song: every generation has its own unique story that is worth celebrating. Each person's life is like a "movie scene" that can be revisited and appreciated in different ways. The bridge calls on listeners to also recognize the cyclical nature of life, "rise and plant your seeds in the early spring" and "summer's gone away, winter's back again". Finally, the last verse acknowledges that while change is a constant, we should not let fear keep us from experiencing all that life has to offer.
Overall, the lyrics of "Every Generation" are a poignant reminder to appreciate the richness of life experiences that different individuals bring to the table, regardless of age or background.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever looked in a face of age
Have you ever gazed upon the weathered features of an elderly person?
Or lend your ears to what an old man had to say
Or have you listened intently to the thoughts and advice of a wise elder?
Cause a every generation of us lie
For every group of individuals born into this world,
Reflects a movie scene often more than twice
Their life story often mirrors a past experience or storyline, repeating itself over and over.
Child is born to live within the master plan
At birth, each child becomes a part of a predestined course of events.
Boy grows up, leaves his home to be a man
As a boy matures, he eventually leaves his childhood and family behind and enters manhood.
Vintage years of wine for the wife
A time in life when a man's wife can sit back, relax and enjoy the spoils of their hard work.
Every generation of life of our lives
Each era of life that we experience in our own lifetime,
Reflects a movie scene often more than twice
Tends to resemble a familiar plot or setting that has occurred in the past, repeating itself throughout history.
Rise and plant your seeds in the early spring
Start fresh and cultivate new beginnings at the earliest opportunity.
Summer's gone away, winter's back again
Just as with the seasons, the time for rest and leisure eventually comes to an end and gives way to harder times.
Time will make us change, nothing stays the same.
The passage of time is inevitable and brings about change in all aspects of life, leaving nothing untouched.
A fool gets stung, hides his heart and plays the game.
Through naivety, a person sometimes experiences pain, but instead of facing it, conceals their feelings and continues to play the game of life.
Yeah!
An exclamation of agreement or enthusiasm.
Contributed by Emily T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.