Born near Sidon, Mississippi and raised in Belzoni, she sang in church choirs before moving to Chicago in the early 1960s. She sat in with R&B musicians and wrote songs, influenced by country music as well as the blues, before winning a recording contract with Chess Records in 1967. Her first single, "A Love Reputation" was a modest regional hit.
She established an independent production company, Crajon, with her then husband Bill Jones. Her song "Trapped By A Thing Called Love" (1971) was released on Detroit-based Westbound Records. This reached #1 on the national R&B chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song ranked at #85 on the 1971 year-end chart. The RIAA gold disc award was made on November 30, 1971 for a million sales.
She also wrote successful follow-ups, "Now Run And Tell That" and "Man Sized Job" which made #3 and #4 in the R&B Top Ten and also charted in the Hot 100. Her early hits were recorded at the Hi recording studios in Memphis, operated by Willie Mitchell, using the cream of southern session players. She continued to have hits on Westbound and then on ABC Records through the mid-1970s, including "Love Me Right" (#10 R&B, #80 pop) She continued to produce and perform live. Her co-penned song, "Married, But Not to Each Other" (#16 R&B) was included in the 1979 The Best of Barbara Mandrell, compilation album.
In the early 1980s, she signed as a singer and songwriter with Malaco Records, for whom she released a string of critically acclaimed albums over more than 20 years, starting with Lady in the Street (1983) and Right Place, Right Time (1984). Both albums became major successes among soul blues, R&B and soul fans and on urban radio stations. In 1985, she enjoyed her only recognition in the UK Singles Chart, when her cover version of Rockin' Sidney's "My Toot Toot" reached #6.
LaSalle appeared at the 1984 and 1993 versions of the Long Beach Blues Festival, and also in 1993, she performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival. Her album Smokin' In Bed (1997) sold well. After more than a decade away, when she recorded three albums with small Memphis-based soul-blues label, Ecko, she returned to Malaco for her 2010 outing called "24 Hour Woman". She continues to work as a live performer, particularly at festivals, and more recently has branched out into the gospel genre. In 2011, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
LaSalle lived with her husband, James E. Wolfe, in Jackson, Tennessee, where she opened a restaurant called Blues Legend CafΓ©. The restaurant was located at 436 E. Main Street and has since closed.
In 2013 and 2014, LaSalle was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Soul Blues Female Artist' category. On June 6, 2015, LaSalle was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.
Discography
Albums
1967 Love Reputation
1971 "craving for you"
1972 Trapped By A Thing Called Love
1972 Doin' it right
1973 On The Loose
1975 Here I Am Again
1976 Second Breath
1977 The Bitch Is Bad!
1978 Under The Influence
1978 Shot Of Love
1979 Unwrapped
1980 I'm So Hot
1981 Guaranteed
1983 A Lady In The Street
1984 Right Place Right Time
1985 Love Talkin'
1985 My Toot Toot
1986 Rain And Fire
1987 It's Lying Time Again
1989 HittinΒ΄ Where It Hurts
1989 Holdinβ Hands With The Blues
1990 Still Trapped
1992 Love Me Right
1994 I'm Here Again ... Plus
1995 Still Bad
1997 Smokinβ In Bed
1999 Godβs Got My Back
2000 This Real Woman
2001 I Get What I Want β The Best Of
2001 Thereβs No Separation
2002 Still The Queen
2003 My Toot Toot: Definitive Anthology
2004 Wanted
2007 Pay Before You Pump
2010 24 Hour Woman
Singles
1967 "Love Reputation" / "One Little Thing"
1970 "Trying To Forget" / "Weβve Got Love"
1971 "Trapped By A Thing Called Love" / "Keep It Coming"
1972 "Now Run And Tell That" / "The Deeper I Go, The Better It Gets"
1972 "Man Sized Job" / "Iβm Over You"*
1972 "Heartbreaker Of The Year" / "Hung Up Strung Out"
1972 "Too Late To Check Your Trap" / "Heartbreaker Of The Year"
1972 "Right Track" / "Too Late To Check Your Trap"
1973 "What It Takes To Get A Good Woman" / "Make a Good Thing Better"
1973 "Your Man And Your Best Friend / "What Am I Doing Wrong"
1974 "Don't Nobody Live Here (By The Name Of Fool)" / "Good Goody Getter"
1974 "Get Up Off My Mind" / "Best Thing I Ever Had"
1975 "My Brand On You" / "Any Time Is The Right Time"
1975 "Here I Am Again" / "Hung Up Strung Out"
1975 "Count Down" / "A Promise Is A Promise (And Fly Me To The Moon)"
1976 "Married But Not To Each Other" / "Who's The Fool"
1976 "Hellfire Loving" / "Versions"
1977 "Freedom To Express Yourself" / "Second Breath"
1977 "Love Me Right" / "Fool Me Good"
1978 "One Life To Live" / "Before You Take It To The Streets"
1978 "Workin' Overtime" / "No Matter What They Say"
1979 "P.A.R.T.Y. (Where Is It?)" / "Under The Influence"
1979 "Think About It" / "Versions"
1980 "Try My Love" / "May The Funk B With You"
1980 "Iβm So Hot" / "Versions"
1981 "Iβm Trippinβ On You" / "Iβll Get Some Help (& Satisfaction)"
1983 "Down Home Blues" / "X-Rated Versions"
1983 "Lady In The Street" / "I Was Not The Best Woman"
1983 "Lay Me Down" / "I Was Telling Him About You"
1983 "Come To Bed" / "Keeps Me Running Back"
1983 "Come To Bed" / "I Was Not The Best Woman"
1984 "Right Place Right Time" / "Come To Bed"
1984 "Right Place Right Time" / "Bump And Grind"
1984 "Treat Your Man Like A Baby" / "Come To Bed"
1984 "Heβs Not Available" / "Right Place Right Time"
1985 "My Toot Toot" / "Give Me Yo' Most Strongest Whisky"
1985 "Santa Claus Got The Blues" / "Love Is A Five Letter Word"
1986 "Let The Four Winds Blow" / "Sometimes" / "Right Time, Right Place"
1986 "Whatβs Going On In My House" / "Learnin' How To Cheat On You"
1989 "Bring It On Home To Me" / "Write This One Off"
1989 "I Forgot To Remember" / "Caught In Your Own Mess"
1989 "Donβt Cry No More" / "Eee Tee"
1990 "Drop That Zero" / "Trapped 1990"
1992 "Donβt Pick It Up" / "Don't Jump My Pony"
1992 "When Weβre Making Love" / "Don't Pick It Up"
1992 "Don't Jump My Pony" / "Juke Box Strip"
1992 "Fool Me Good" / "Love Me Right"
1995 "Right Side Of The Wrong Bed"
1995 "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy"
2001 "There's No Separation"
2002 "24 Hours"
Love And Happiness
Denise LaSalle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Al Green
Love and happiness, yeah
Something that can make you do wrong, make you do right
Love
But wait a minute
Something's going wrong
Someone's on the phone
Three o'clock in the morning
Talkin' about how she can make it right, yeah
Well, happiness is when, you really feel good with somebody
But nothing wrong with being in love with someone, yeah
Oh, baby, love and happiness
Love and happiness
Love and happiness (love and happiness) oh
I have to say
Love and happiness (love and happiness)
Love and happiness (love and happiness)
You be good to me
I'll be good to you
We'll be together, yeah
We'll see each other
Walk away with victory, yeah oh baby
Love and happiness (love and happiness)
Love and happiness (love and happiness)
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Make you do right, love'll make you do wrong
Make you come home early
Make you stay out all night long
The power of love
Wait a minute
Let me tell you
Oh the power
Power of love
Power of love, power
Make you do right, love'll make you do wrong
Ha yeah
(Love and happiness, love and happiness)
Say love
(Love and happiness, love and happiness)
Make you want to dance
Love and happiness
Love is, wait a minute, love is
Yeah, walkin' together, yeah, talkin' together
Say it again, say it together, yeah
Say wanna moans
Moan for love, say, hmm
Moan for love, hmm
Moan for love
Talkin' 'bout the power
The song "Love and Happiness" by Al Green is a soulful and upbeat track that speaks to the universal desire for love and happiness. The song's title alone implies a connection between these two states of being, but the lyrics make it clear that they are not the same thing. Love is an intense, often all-consuming emotion that can inspire both great joy and great pain. Happiness, on the other hand, is a more peaceful and contented state, one that comes from being with someone who makes you feel good about yourself and your life.
The song opens with Green singing about the power of love and happiness to make you do right or wrong. He acknowledges that sometimes love can lead you astray, but ultimately, it is love and happiness that give life its meaning and purpose. As the song progresses, Green introduces the idea that love and happiness can bring people together, even in the midst of adversity. He sings about someone calling him in the middle of the night, offering to make things right between them. He urges his partner to be good to him, so he can be good to her, and together they can triumph over any obstacle.
The lyrics of "Love and Happiness" are a potent reminder of what really matters in life: human connection and the joy it brings. Green's soulful voice lends the song an added sense of urgency and passion, underscoring the importance of these emotions in our daily lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Love and happiness, yeah
Love and happiness are positive feelings that go along with being in a healthy and joyful relationship.
Something that can make you do wrong, make you do right
Love and happiness can have a strong influence on one's actions and behavior, sometimes leading to mistakes or doing the right thing.
But wait a minute
Just a moment, there may be something worth considering.
Something's going wrong
There is a sense of unease or discomfort, indicating that something is not quite right.
Someone's on the phone
Someone is calling, possibly with an urgent or important message.
Three o'clock in the morning
The time of the call, suggesting that it is late and unexpected.
Talkin' about how she can make it right, yeah
The person on the phone is trying to make amends or fix something.
Well, happiness is when, you really feel good with somebody
True happiness comes from feeling content and satisfied in the company of another person.
But nothing wrong with being in love with someone, yeah
It is perfectly okay to be in love with someone, as long as it brings happiness and fulfillment.
Oh, baby, love and happiness
An expression of affection and joy that comes from experiencing love and happiness.
You be good to me
A request for good treatment or behavior from the partner.
I'll be good to you
Promising to reciprocate the same level of kindness and consideration.
We'll be together, yeah
A declaration of unity and togetherness with the partner.
We'll see each other
Making plans to spend time together.
Walk away with victory, yeah oh baby
Coming out successful and triumphant as a couple, feeling fulfilled and content.
Hey, hey, hey, hey
An expression of excitement, enthusiasm or surprise.
Make you do right, love'll make you do wrong
Love has the power to influence and sway one's actions, sometimes causing them to do things they normally wouldn't do.
Make you come home early
Love can create a sense of urgency or longing to be with the partner, even if it means coming home early.
Make you stay out all night long
Love can also lead to not wanting to leave the partner's side, even if it means staying out all night.
The power of love
An acknowledgment of the intense effect that love can have on a person's thoughts, feelings and actions.
Wait a minute
A pause for a moment of reflection or consideration.
Let me tell you
An invitation to share a personal experience or insight with the listener.
Oh the power
A recognition of the great impact that love can have on one's life.
Power of love
The immense influence that love can have on a person's decisions, behaviors and emotions.
Make you want to dance
Love can create a joyful and energetic feeling that inspires one to dance or move with joy.
Love is, wait a minute, love is
A pause for emphasis, highlighting the importance of love.
Yeah, walkin' together, yeah, talkin' together
The simple pleasure of spending time with the partner, walking and talking together.
Say it again, say it together, yeah
Repeating a statement together, emphasizing a shared belief or sentiment.
Say wanna moans
An invitation to express oneself vocally, perhaps through singing or moaning.
Moan for love, say, hmm
An expression of feeling or emotion, through vocalization or sound.
Talkin' 'bout the power
A reference to the incredible force and impact that love can have on a person's life and state of being.
Writer(s): Al Green, Mabon Hodges
Contributed by Madison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rose Kelley
Love is when you borrow something supposed to pay it back love is not game
Rose Kelley
Bob if you don't bargain onion don't pay it back
Brenda Winters
πtrue it will ππβ€yesir π