He secured her an album deal with Soul Train Records and work began on her first release. The Whispers returned the favor and appeared on background vocals, baby brother of course provided keyboards and co-wrote two songs. Lucas wrote four additional tunes.
"Simply Carrie" was released in 1977. The one and only 12" single pulled from the album cemented her name in disco history. From it's release, "I Gotta Keep Dancing" was an instant hit, racing to number one on the club charts. The song was penned by her cousin Malcolm Anthony, and cousins Merlin and Wayne Bell also wrote three songs for the album. The album was rounded out with ballads and R&B numbers aimed at making Carrie a MOR artist. The album was a real family affair.
By now Griffey and Lucas had become an "item" and both suffered from negative talk in the L.A. music scene. Undeterred they began work on her sophmore release, 1978's "Street Corner Symphony." The album had Greg on keyboards/arrangements, and even Griffey added his vocal lead on a track, The Whispers added backgrounds and served as co-producers as well. Once again a single 12" was released of the title track, a hommage to 1960's doo wop groups. This album was released on Griffey's own label the newly formed Solar Records (Sound Of Los Angeles Records).
Carrie had set a formula and true to it, she released one album and one 12" single in 1979. By now Griffey's stable of artists included Lakeside, The Whispers, Carrie Lucas, Shalamar, and Dynasty. He was enjoying considerable success with all of them and like the producers of the sixties he would cross-collaborate them. For her album "Carrie Lucas In Danceland" Griffey brought in Jody Watley (Shalamar) for backgrounds, Lakeside (co-producers and backgrounds) and Walter and Wallace Scott (Whispers) for backgrounds. Famed organist Kossi Gardner wrote (and played on) the hit "Dance With You" which propelled the album to the top of the dance charts. By the beginning of the new decade, with the outstanding success of "Dance With You," Carrie was poised for her most successful release yet.
1980's "Portrait Of Carrie" was her finest album and most popular, producing three smash hits. The first 12" was an updated reworking of her first hit, this time around entitled simply "Keep Smilin'." Followed by the cutesy "It's Not What You Got (It's How You Use It)" and then the pro-feminist anthem "Career Girl." This time around Dick shared production duties with Leon Sylvers and Kossi Gardner. Backgrounds were once again courtesy of The Whispers.
Carrie was slowly moving out of the music business and her next release wasn't until 1982. "Still In Love" recorded and released under the banner of Solar Records was now distributed by Elektra/Asylum. The album produced two 12" singles, "Men" and the more successful "Show Me Where You're Coming From." As usual Carrie surrounded herself with friends and family for the undertaking. Leon Sylvers co-produced and Walter and Wallace Scott were their co-producing and singing. As a sidenote the future Sheila E. co-wrote the title track.
Her last full length album was released in 1985. By now Griffey had started a new label under the distribution of MCA Records. The Constellation Records release "Horsin' Around" was her most ambitious ever. It spawned four 12" singles "Charlie," "Horsin' Around," "Summer In The Street" and "Hello Stranger." Her remake of the Barbara Lewis classic, "Hello Stranger" reached number 20 on the R&B charts and like Lewis, who had used The Dells, Carrie used The Whispers to create that smooth sound.
Carrie's last know recording was an appearance on the 1990 soundtrack to "Lambada: Set The Night On Fire." She performs the song "I Like The Rhythm." Carrie, now married to Dick Griffey has instead decided to retire from the music business and concentrate on married life and her beloved horses. Unidisc Records in Canada has released a "Greatest Hits" package that contains most of her 12" mixes in 1999. Perhaps someday she'll come out of retirement and grace the dancefloors once more?.
Hello Stranger
Carrie Lucas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop)
Hello, stranger
(ooh) It seems so good to see you back again
How long has it been?
(ooh, seems like a mighty long time)
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, m
I'm so glad
You stopped by to say "hello" to me
Remember that's the way it used to be
Ooh, it seems like a mighty long time
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
Oh-uh-oh
I'm so glad you're here again
Oh-uh-oh
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
Oh-ahh-uh-oh
If you're not gonna stay
(ooh) Please don't treat me like you did before
Because I still love you so a-a-although
It seems like a mighty long time
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh
It seems like a mighty long time
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, my
I'm so happy that you're here again
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby)
The song "Hello Stranger" by Carrie Lucas starts with a repetitive shoo-bop, shoo-bop that sets the tone for the classic doo-wop love song. The lyrics express the happiness of the singer to see someone who they haven't seen in a long time, addressing the stranger as "my baby." The singer asks the stranger how long it has been to which they reply that it seems like a mighty long time, emphasizing the feeling of longing they both have for each other.
The singer is glad that the stranger has stopped by to say hello and is reminded of the way things used to be between them. They express their happiness about the stranger being there again, but also lets them know that they can't take the pain of being left again. The singer tells the stranger that they still love them and requests not to be treated like before if they are not going to stay. The song ends with the singer expressing their joy at the stranger’s visit and the shoo-bop, shoo-bop repetition.
Line by Line Meaning
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby)
The song starts with a catchy tune.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop)
The tune continues to play in the background.
Hello, stranger
The singer greets someone who they haven't seen for a while.
(ooh) It seems so good to see you back again
The singer expresses how happy they are to see the person again.
How long has it been?
The singer asks how long it's been since they last met.
(ooh, seems like a mighty long time)
The singer emphasizes how long it has been since they last met.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
The tune continues to play in the background.
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, m
The singer expresses their joy by humming and vocalizing.
I'm so glad
The singer expresses their happiness to see the person again.
You stopped by to say "hello" to me
The singer appreciates the person coming to say hello.
Remember that's the way it used to be
The singer recalls how things used to be between them.
Ooh, it seems like a mighty long time
The singer reiterates how much time has passed since they last met.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh)
The tune continues to play in the background.
Oh-uh-oh
The singer hums to express their joy.
I'm so glad you're here again
The singer expresses their happiness to have the person around again.
Oh-uh-oh
The singer hums to express their joy.
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
The tune continues to play in the background.
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
The tune continues to play in the background.
Oh-ahh-uh-oh
The singer vocalizes to express their emotions.
If you're not gonna stay
The singer expresses their concern that the person might leave again.
(ooh) Please don't treat me like you did before
The singer asks the person to treat them well and not hurt them as they did before.
Because I still love you so a-a-although
Despite their past, the singer still loves the person.
It seems like a mighty long time
The singer repeats how long it's been since they last met as a reminder.
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby, ooh
The tune continues to play in the background.
It seems like a mighty long time
The singer repeats how long it's been since they last met as a reminder.
Oh-uh-oh, I my, my, my, my
The singer hums and vocalizes to express their happiness.
I'm so happy that you're here again
The singer expresses their happiness to have the person around again.
(shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby)
The tune continues to play in the background.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARBARA ANN LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Wolfsky9
PLEASE, take me back to the 70's & 80's, when handsome guys & gorgeous ladies were singing REAL MUSIC ! ------------OMG, I miss it so much , sometimes, I choke-up, just thinking about it. -------Gorgeous, Miss Carrie Lucas. ----------------------WolfSky9, 72 y/o
@lynellemurray7491
Wolfsky9 your comment deserves a billion likes love it
@chibuzonwachuku5624
@Calvin Hodge Lake you're damn right.
@ianpass2562
your so right..where did it all go.??
@loreto3702
Leave with you please❤️
@coylerhythm-blues3958
I hear yah! Me too first time that I heard this was in May 2021...smooth, cool 😎 and nice flow.
@intelligentleader123
I love this music so much. I can play it twenty times in a day and never get tired of it. A big shout out to Barbara Lewis.
@donnalombardo1135
I like Yvonne elliman version the best
@danielmapulanga8765
Me too🕺
@carlalinton1005
Carla Linton. Me too.