Roy Ayers was born in Los Angeles. Thanks to his trombone playing father and piano teaching mother, he became immersed in music from day one and the story goes that he was given his first set of vibe mallets by his hero Lionel Hampton at the age of 5. Constantly performing and recording since the 1960s, he is one of the most famous jazz vibraphonists. He has produced some of the most loved modern soul-jazz records of all time such as, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", most influential afro-jazz with musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (Africa - Centre Of The World) and the most seminal jazz-funk, such as "Running Away". And that's just the surface. 2004 saw the release of "Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981" which were 'lost' sessions tapes that he had discarded. Gilles Peterson described this as the equivalent of finding a lost Beatles album. No doubt this helped him win the Gilles Peterson 2004 Worldwide Lifetime Achievement Award. Roy Ayers is ageless and evergreen and as per the title of another one of hits, remember "We All Live In Brooklyn Baby".
Timeline
Ayers started recording as a bebop sideman in 1962 and rose to prominence when he dropped out of City College and joined jazz flutist Herbie Mann in 1966.
In the early 70's, Roy Ayers started his own band called Roy Ayers Ubiquity, a name he chose because ubiquity means a state of being everywhere at the same time.
Ayers was responsible for the highly regarded soundtrack to Jack Hill's 1973 blaxploitation film Coffy, which starred Pam Grier. He later moved from a jazz-funk sound to R&B, as seen on Mystic Voyage, which featured the songs "Evolution" and the underground disco hit "Brother Green (The Disco King)", as well as the title track from his 1976 album Everybody Loves the Sunshine.
In 1977, Ayers produced an album by the group RAMP, Come into Knowledge, commonly and mistakenly thought to stand for "Roy Ayers Music Project". That fall, he had his biggest hit with "Running Away".
In late 1979, Ayers scored his only top ten single on Billboard's Hot Disco/Dance chart with "Don't Stop The Feeling," which was also the leadoff single from his 1980 album "No Stranger to Love", whose title track was sampled in Jill Scott's 2001 song "Watching Me" from her debut album Who Is Jill Scott?
In the late 70's, Ayers toured in Nigeria for six weeks with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, one of the Africa's most recognizable musicians. In 1980, Phonodisk released Music of Many Colors in Nigeria, featuring one side lead by Ayers' group and the other lead by Africa '70.
In 1981, Ayers produced an album with the singer Sylvia Striplin, Give Me Your Love (Uno Melodic Records, 1981). He has also worked in collaborations with soul songstress Erykah Badu.
Ayers performed a solo on John "Jellybean" Benitez's production of Whitney Houston's "Love Will Save The Day" from her second multi-platinum studio album Whitney. The single was released in July 1988 by Arista Records.
Ayers has played his live act for millions of people across the globe, including Japan, Australia, England and other parts of Europe.
Ayers is known for helping to popularize feel good music in the 70's, stating that "I like that happy feeling all of the time, so that ingredient is still there. I try to generate that because it's the natural way I am". The types of music that he used to do this consisted of funk, salsa, jazz, rock, soul and rap.
1990s to present
In 1992, Ayers released two albums, Drive and Wake Up, for the hip-hop label Ichiban Records.
In 1992, Ayers collaborated with Rick James for an album and is quoted to have been a very close friend of his.
In 1993, Ayers appeared on the record Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol.1 featuring on the vibraphone in the song "Take a Look (At Yourself)".
In 1994, Ayers appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African-American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.
During the 2000s and 2010s, Ayers ventured into house music, collaborating with such stalwarts of the genre as Masters at Work and Kerri Chandler.
Ayers started two record labels, Uno Melodic and Gold Mink Records. The first released several LPs, including Sylvia Striplin's, while the second folded after a few singles.
In 2004, Ayers put out a collection of unreleased recordings called Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased recordings 1976β1981 which allowed fans to hear cuts that didn't make it onto the classic Polydor albums from his more popular years.
Roy Ayers hosts the fictitious radio station "Fusion FM" in Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).
In 2015, he appeared on Tyler, The Creator's new album Cherry Bomb on the track "Find Your Wings".
A documentary the Roy Ayers Project featuring Ayers and a number hip hop producers who have sampled his music and other people who have been influenced by him and his music has been in development for a number of years.
Pharrell Williams cites Roy Ayers as one of his key musical heroes.
Ayers is a recipient of the Congress of Racial Equality Lifetime Achievement Award.
http://www.royayers.com
http://www.bassics.de/ayers.html
http://www.discomuseum.com/RoyAyers.html
Love Will Bring Us Back Together Again
Roy Ayers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just party like you just don't care
Everybody say rock, jazz, blues, soul
Wave your hands in the air
Come on and party like you just don't care
Everybody say rock, jazz, blues, soul, funk
Wave your hands in the air
Just party like you just don't care
Wave your hands in the air
Just party like you just don't care
Rock, jazz, blues, soul rap on brother
Ubiquity hit me with the latest craze
You think a rocker to the beat I feel a different way
Going across the country all over the land
Add more shows to meet demand
- again and Roy is hot
Before you know it we make you rock
Free your mark and let the groove
-
Clap your hands
Stomp your feet
You move a little rock when you feel the beat
Now that we all have freed the mark
We'll be around for a very long time
Together we are rocking hard as a whole band
Why don't people just give us a hand
I want you near me
(Won't you come a bit closer)
Why can't you hear me
(Baby listen to me)
You seem so far away
Please don't say you strayed
Teardrops just keep falling
My heart just keeps crying
Love will bring us back together
Forever
I want you near me I want you near me baby
Why can't you hear me ooo why why why
You seem so far away
Please don't say you strayed
Teardrops just keep falling
My heart just keeps crying
Love will bring us back together
Forever
Turn me on
Won't you come on home
Turn me on
Won't you come on home
Turn me on
Won't you come on home
Turn me on
Won't you come on home
Turn me on
Won't you come on home
Turn me on
Won't you come on home
Turn me on
Won't you come on home
Turn me on
Woaaahh
Once once once once once
We were together, we were together baby
Our love love love love love was still strong
Cos it was it really was really was
Now we're far apart
Tell me what did I do what did I do to you baby
Tell me what did I do what did I do to you baby
Tell me what did I do what did I do do do
I just want you near me I want you near me baby
Why can't you hear me ooo why why why
You seem so far away
Please don't say you strayed
Teardrops just keep falling
My heart just keeps crying
Love will bring us back together
Forever
The lyrics of Roy Ayers's song Love Will Bring Us Back Together Again talk about partying, dancing, and having a good time with rock, jazz, blues, soul, and funk music. The song encourages the audience to wave their hands in the air, clap their hands, and stomp their feet to the beat. It talks about the success of Roy Ayers and his band, going across the country to meet the demand for their music. The verses also express longing for love and togetherness with lines like "I want you near me" and "tell me what did I do to you baby."
The chorus of the song, "teardrops just keep falling, my heart just keeps crying, love will bring us back together, forever," is a hopeful message that implies that love can heal and bring people back together. The lyrics combine fun and lightheartedness with deeper emotions and ultimately create a positive message of unity and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Wave your hands in the air
Get excited and celebrate!
Just party like you just don't care
Let loose and have fun without worrying about anything else!
Everybody say rock, jazz, blues, soul
Recognize the beauty in different types of music!
Come on and party like you just don't care
Don't hold back and enjoy yourself!
Everybody say rock, jazz, blues, soul, funk
Appreciate the variety of musical genres!
Ubiquity hit me with the latest craze
The latest trend caught my attention
You think a rocker to the beat I feel a different way
While others may enjoy rock music, I feel differently about it
Going across the country all over the land
Traveling everywhere to perform
Add more shows to meet demand - again and Roy is hot
The increased demand for shows shows that Roy Ayers is popular
Before you know it we make you rock
Our music will make you dance before you even realize it!
Free your mark and let the groove
Relax and let the music take over
Clap your hands
Show your excitement by clapping
Stomp your feet
Tap your feet to the rhythm
You move a little rock when you feel the beat
Dance a little when you're feeling the music
Now that we all have freed the mark
Now that we're all enjoying the music
We'll be around for a very long time
Our music will stand the test of time
Together we are rocking hard as a whole band
We're all playing together, creating amazing music
Why don't people just give us a hand
Why aren't more people recognizing our talent?
I want you near me (Won't you come a bit closer)
I want to be closer to someone I care about
Why can't you hear me (Baby listen to me)
I wish the person I care about would listen to me better
You seem so far away
The person I care about feels very distant
Please don't say you strayed
Please don't tell me you've been unfaithful
Teardrops just keep falling
I keep crying because of the situation with the person I care about
My heart just keeps crying
My heart is hurting because of the situation
Love will bring us back together
Love has the power to heal our relationship
Forever
Our love will be strong forever
Turn me on
Excite me
Won't you come on home
Come back to me
Once once once once once
In the past
Our love love love love love was still strong
Even though time has passed, our love is still powerful
Now we're far apart
We're not as close as we used to be
Tell me what did I do what did I do to you baby
I don't understand why our relationship became strained
Turn me on Woaaahh
Make me feel alive
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROY AYERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnblack9921
God has blessed Mr. Roy Ayers with longevity. Truly a jazz r&b legend. Sound tracks the whole nine yards
@seyiajala3892
Word to mother π₯
@chiefxx8259
God ! Will bring us back together.πΌβοΈπ
@MykeFord950
*in the words of Don Cornelius *
This was a STONE GROOVE!!! π₯
@EDDSMITTY1
This man is one of the all-time greats! I'm so glad that he is still out there doing his thing. If you haven't seen him perform in concert; you NEED to!
@sciocezze68
β€οΈ
@lambertnicolas9796
Eu la chance de le rencontrer aprΓ¨s son deuxiΓ¨me concert de la soirΓ©e Γ paris plus intime « au triptyqueΒ Β» un homme bon en plus dβlβun des plus grands β¦ amicalement funk
@xzysyndrome
47 years on this earth..and I just heard this song. Oh Happy Day. Music never ceases to amaze me.
@mrmaxxx94
Roy ayers musically is a incredible rhythmatic brother, Jazz, funk and smooth,harmony and cold arrangements and grooves,respect
@harmony3395
Wow canβt believe I found this song - 40 years later, still as good