The group formed in the late 1950s when The Chanteurs (Record, Robert "Squirrel" Lester, and Clarence Johnson) teamed up with Marshall Thompson and Creadel "Red" Jones to form The Hi-lites. Wishing to add a tribute to their home town of Chicago, they changed their name to the Chi-Lites" in 1964. Johnson left later that year, and their name was subsequently shortened to The Chi-Lites.
Eugene Record was the group's primary songwriter, though he frequently collaborated with others, such as Barbara Acklin.
Their major hits came in 1971, with "Have You Seen Her?", and 1972, with "Oh Girl".. In fact, The Mighty Majors ("You Can Never Go Back") won 1st Place at the Apollo Theatre Wednesday night Talent Show the night that The Chi-Lites were performing one of their finest performances ever at The Apollo that night in the early '70's.
Other transatlantic chart smashes followed, although the output became more fragmented as the group's personnel came and went. For example, bass singer Creadel Jones left in 1973 and was replaced in quick succession by Stanley Anderson; Willie Kensey; and then Doc Roberson. Shortly thereafter, Eugene Record left, and David Scott and Danny Johnson entered.
More personnel changes ensued, when Johnson was replaced by Vandy Hampton in 1977.
At that point the group totally disintegrated, but re-formed in 1980 with the mid sixties quartet of Record, Thompson, Jones, and Lester back together. Creadel Jones left for a second time in 1982, leaving the group as a trio. Record left again in 1990, and new lead Anthony Watson was recruited, considered by many to be one of the best in the group's history. (It should be noted that Robert Lester took over lead of "Oh Girl", while Watson led the other songs.) The group also featured an ever-changing female member.
Once the hits had completely dried up, further changes took place. In the early 1990s, Creadel Jones returned again, but would subsequently leave. Throughout the 1990s, Watson left twice; each time Frank Reed took over as lead singer. In 2002 the group was comprised of Marshall Thompson, Robert Lester, Anthony Watson, and Tara Henderson. Watson left for a third time, when Thompson's wife took over as female vocalist.
The present day group is virtual 'ever presents' - Marshall Thompson, and Robert Lester; plus Tara Thompson, and new lead singer, Frank Reed. Robert :Squirrel" Lester Passed away on Jan. 21st, 2010.
One relatively unknown album track by the group from the 70's, 'Are You My Woman', had its main riff sampled by Destiny's Child group member Beyoncé Knowles, on her massive world-wide hit 'Crazy in Love'.
In addition, their song "Oh Girl" was sped up and sampled by Paul Wall in his song "Girl".
The original lead vocalist, and main songwriter, Eugene Record died on Friday, July 22, 2005
Have You Seen Her
The Chi-Lites Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ooh
A one month ago today
I was happy as a lark
But now I go for walks
To the movies, maybe to the park
I have a seat on the same old bench
To watch the children play
You know tomorrow is their future
But for me just another day
Well, they all gather 'round me, huh
They seem to know my name
Well, we laugh, tell a few jokes
But it still doesn't ease my pain
Well, I know I can't hide from a memory
Though day after day I've tried
I keep sayin' she'll be back
But today again I've lied
Oh, I see her face everywhere I go
On the street and even at the picture show
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Oh, I hear her voice as the cold winds blow
In the sweet music on my radio
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Why, oh, why
Did she have to leave and go away, oh yeah
Oh, I've been used to havin' someone to lean on
And I'm lost, baby, I'm lost
Oh, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Oh, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Oh, she left her kiss upon my lips
But left that break within my heart
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Oh, I see her hand reaching out to me
Only she can set me free
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Why, oh, why
Did she have to leave and go away, oh yeah
Oh, I've been used to havin' someone to lean on
And I'm lost, baby, I'm lost
Oh, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Oh, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
As another day comes to an end
I'm lookin' for a letter or somethin' (doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
Or anything that she would send (have you seen her?)
With all the people I know, huh (tell me have you seen her?)
I'm still a lonely man (oh)
You know it's funny (doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
But I thought I had her in the palm of my hand (doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(Have you seen her)
Tell me have you seen her
Oh doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo (oh yeah)
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Have you seen her (have you seen her)
Tell me have you seen her (have you seen her)
Have you seen her
Tell me have you seen her
Have you seen her (have you seen her)
Tell me have you seen her (have you seen her)
The Chi-Lites’ “Have You Seen Her” is a soulful ballad about the pain of lost love. The song follows a man's attempt to move on from the person he loves, but finds himself constantly haunted by her memory everywhere he goes. The first verse establishes his daily routine: he takes walks and watches children play on a bench. He tries to distract himself by laughing and joking with them, but the pain of his loss never really goes away. The chorus poses the central question of the song, “Have you seen her,” acknowledging the woman's presence all around him in memories and everyday life.
The second verse reveals more about the singer's lingering feelings. He imagines seeing her face all over town and hearing her voice in sweet music on the radio. He wonders why she had to leave and wishes for the comfort of someone to lean on. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer checking for a letter or some kind of communication from his lost love.
Overall, “Have You Seen Her” is a poignant depiction of the difficulty of moving on from love and the power of memories to haunt us long after a relationship has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
A one month ago today
It has only been a month since she left
I was happy as a lark
I was really happy before she left
But now I go for walks
I go for walks to try to clear my head
To the movies, maybe to the park
I go to the movies or the park to take my mind off things
I have a seat on the same old bench
I sit on the same old bench and watch the children play
To watch the children play
I watch the children play and think about their future
You know tomorrow is their future
I think about how the children's tomorrow is their future
But for me just another day
But for me, it's just another day without her
Well, they all gather 'round me, huh
The children all gather around me because they know me
They seem to know my name
They seem to know who I am
Well, we laugh, tell a few jokes
We laugh and tell jokes together
But it still doesn't ease my pain
But it never eases my pain
Well, I know I can't hide from a memory
I know I can't hide from the memories of her
Though day after day I've tried
Even though I try every day
I keep sayin' she'll be back
I keep telling myself she will come back
But today again I've lied
But today, like every other day, I lied to myself
Oh, I see her face everywhere I go
I keep seeing her face everywhere I go
On the street and even at the picture show
I see her on the street and even while watching movies
Oh, I hear her voice as the cold winds blow
I hear her voice in the cold winds that blow
In the sweet music on my radio
I hear her in the sweet music on my radio
Why, oh, why
I don't understand why she had to leave
Did she have to leave and go away, oh yeah
I don't understand why she had to leave and go away
Oh, I've been used to havin' someone to lean on
I'm used to having someone to lean on, but now I'm lost
And I'm lost, baby, I'm lost
I feel lost without her
Oh doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Instrumental
With all the people I know, huh
Even with all the people I know
I'm still a lonely man
I'm still lonely without her
You know it's funny
It's strange
But I thought I had her in the palm of my hand
But I thought I had her and she loved me
She left her kiss upon my lips
Her kiss still lingers on my lips
But left that break within my heart
But she broke my heart when she left
Oh, I see her hand reaching out to me
I see her hand reaching out to me in my mind
Only she can set me free
Only she can make me feel free again
As another day comes to an end
As another day ends
I'm lookin' for a letter or somethin'
I keep looking for a letter or anything from her
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
Instrumental
Or anything that she would send
Anything that she might send me
Tell me have you seen her
I keep asking if anyone has seen her
Have you seen her
I'm desperate to find her
Tell me have you seen her
I keep asking if anyone has seen her
Tell me have you seen her
I'm desperate to find her
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Barbara Acklin, Eugene Record
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind