When Wansel was 12 years old, he got the job of a gofer for the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia, going to get sandwiches and clothes out of the cleaners for the various acts that performed at the venue like Stevie Wonder and Patti Labelle. Many years later, Wansel would co-write a number one R&B hit for Labelle. In 1975, Wansel met Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff when he was a member of a band called Yellow Sunshine, which also boasted guitarist Roland Chambers who would later become a part of MFSB, the house band for Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records. Becoming a part of the staff creative collective, Wansel began arranging, playing keyboards, and writing songs for the label's acts including the O'Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, and the Intruders, among others.
When Patti Labelle signed with PIR, she recorded Wansel's "Shoot Him on Sight," a song Wansel intended for Jackson Browne, on her 1981 album The Spirit's in It. A song Wansel co-wrote with Kenneth Gamble and Cynthia Biggs, the lovely unrequited love ballad "If Only You Knew," held the number one R&B spot for four weeks in early 1984. It was on her I'm in Love Again LP, which went gold, hitting number four R&B.
A partial list of Wansel-associated sides would include Jean Carn's popular radio-aired LP tracks "I'm in Love Once Again," "You Are All I Need" (music by Instant Funk), "Where Did You Ever Go," "Free Love," and the dance classic βGive It Up"; Shirley Jones' βLast Night I Needed Somebody" and "She Knew About Me"; The Jacksons' "Keep on Dancin'," "Living Together," "Do What You Wanna Do," and "Jump for Joy"; The Stylistics' βHurry Up This Way Again,"; keyboardist Patrice Rushen covered βHurry Up This Way Again"; The O'Jays' dreamy ballad "I Really Need You Now"; Phyllis Hyman's radio-aired track "Living All Alone"; The Jones Girls' "We're a Melody", the exotic "Nights Over Egypt," "Love Don't Ever Say Goodbye," and "Why You Wanna Do That to Me"; Archie Bell and the Drells' "Old People"; and Evelyn "Champagne" King's "Till I Come Off the Road" and the radio-aired LP track ballad "The Show Is Over."
Wansel's own charting LPs were Life on Mars from summer 1976 (includes two tracks with Instant Funk, "Life on Mars" and βYou Can Be What You Wanna Be"), What the World Is Coming To, Voyager (with its great space-age oriented graphics) from spring 1978, and Time Is Slipping Away from 1979. Several tracks from his LPs were radio-aired LP tracks (the lushly orchestrated βTheme From the Planets," the spacy, funky "Disco Lights") and some songs β "Together Once Again," "One Million Miles From the Ground," and "Holdin' On" β are still in singers' repertoire today. "Holdin' On" was a radio-aired LP track from actor Lawrence Hilton Jacobs' self-titled album produced by Lamont Dozier. "Global Warming" from the 1991 PIR/Zoo/BMG CD Universe Featuring Dexter Wansel received some airplay on smooth jazz radio stations. During the '90s, Wansel continued to work with the reactivated Philadelphia International Records and occasionally toured.
Dexter Wansel-related releases are Grover Washington, Jr. Ultimate Collection, Heaven & Earth-That's Love, Best of MFSB: Love Is the Message, and Best of the Intruders.
The Sweetest Pain
Dexter Wansel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Words can't explain
It's got to be the sweetest pain
When I'm in your arms
Hold me tight
Turn out the light
Turn out the light
and when you kiss me
I love the way you make me feel
Do what you want
Do what you need
To satisfy the need in me
When I look into your eyes
I get lost in paradise
Paradise
Only you can set me free
from this yearning misery
Misery
Misery
Oooo
I love you so bad it hurts me
It hurts so good inside
Ooo
I love you so good it hurts me
It hurts so good inside
Ooo
I love you so good it hurts me
It hurts so good inside
Feels so good
Words can't explain
its got to be the sweetest pain
When you touch me,
my body chills,
and then the fire starts to build.
Rock me baby
Love me baby
and give me everything you've got.
Love the way you make love to me,
no don't stop, don't you ever stop.
When I look into your eyes,
I get lost in paradise
Paradise
Only you can set me free
From this yearning misery
Ooo
I love you so good it hurts me
It hurts so good inside
Ooo
I love you so good it hurts me
It hurts so good inside
Ooo
I love you so good it hurts me
It hurts so good inside
Ooo
I love you so good it hurts me
It hurts so good inside
Ooo
Feels so good
Words cant explain
its got to be the sweetest pain
Love me baby
Love me baby
It's got to be the sweetest pain
Sweetest pain
Its got to be the sweetest pain
Baby Yeah
Its got to be the sweetest pain
Its got to be the sweetest pain
The song "The Sweetest Pain" by Dexter Wansel is a love song that explores the intense feelings of being in love. The lyrics convey a sense of overwhelming joy and pain, with the singer stating that the love they feel is so good it hurts. The opening lines, "Feel so good, words can't explain, it's got to be the sweetest pain" set the tone for the rest of the song.
The singer expresses their love for their partner, stating that being in their arms is like paradise and that only their partner can set them free from their yearning misery. The lyrics highlight the intense physical connection between the two, with the singer describing how their body chills when their partner touches them and the fire that starts to build. The singer asks their partner to do what they want and need to satisfy the singer's desires.
Overall, the song is a celebration of the intense, all-encompassing love that the singer feels for their partner, despite the pain that comes from being so deeply in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel so good
I am experiencing feelings of intense pleasure and happiness.
Words can't explain
The emotions and sensations I am experiencing are too complex and intense to be adequately expressed through language.
It's got to be the sweetest pain
Despite the fact that my feelings are causing me discomfort, they are still unbelievably wonderful.
When I'm in your arms
When I am physically close to you.
Hold me tight
Embrace me firmly.
Turn out the light
Switch off the source of illumination in our surroundings.
and when you kiss me
When you press your lips against mine.
I can't keep still
I am unable to remain motionless due to the intensity of my emotions and the sensations I am experiencing.
I love the way you make me feel
I derive great pleasure and happiness from the way you interact with me.
Do what you want
Act according to your desires.
Do what you need
Act in accordance with what is necessary or important.
To satisfy the need in me
To fulfill the desires and requirements that I have.
When I look into your eyes
When I gaze into the depths of your eyes.
I get lost in paradise
I feel as if I have been transported to a state of perfect happiness and contentment.
Only you can set me free
You are the only one who has the power to release me from my current state of emotional captivity.
from this yearning misery
From the painful longing and distress that I am experiencing.
Oooo
An expression of intense emotion and pleasure.
I love you so bad it hurts me
My love for you is so intense that it causes me physical and emotional discomfort.
It hurts so good inside
Despite the discomfort I am experiencing, the pleasure I am feeling is even more intense and overwhelming.
Feels so good
The sensations I am experiencing are extremely pleasurable and enjoyable.
When you touch me,
When you come into physical contact with me.
my body chills,
My body reacts to your touch with a shiver or tremble.
and then the fire starts to build.
My passion and desire for you intensifies and grows stronger.
Rock me baby
Hold me and sway me gently as if we were dancing.
Love me baby
Express your love and affection for me.
and give me everything you've got.
Give me all of your love, passion, and attention.
no don't stop, don't you ever stop.
Continue doing what you are doing because it brings me great pleasure and happiness.
Love me baby
Express your love and affection for me.
It's got to be the sweetest pain
Despite the fact that my feelings are causing me discomfort, they are still unbelievably wonderful.
Sweetest pain
The unique blend of pleasure and discomfort I am experiencing from my emotions and sensations.
Baby Yeah
An expression of affection and adoration for my partner.
Its got to be the sweetest pain
Despite the fact that my feelings are causing me discomfort, they are still unbelievably wonderful.
Writer(s): Dexter Wansel, Cynthia de Mari Biggs
Contributed by Jayden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dexter Wansel
Thank you once again victornewman06 for this wonderful post. The vocalist is Terri Wells. Background singers are The Jones Girls. The keyboard I played in the beginning is a Fender Rhodes 73. The synthesizer I played is an Arp 2600 V. Produced and arranged by myself. Drums, Quinton Joseph, bass Jimmy Williams, guitars Herb Smith and Mark Rubin, percussion Miquel Fuentes. Written by myself and Dr. Cynthia Biggs El. Once again thank you and thanks to everyone for all the wonderful comments. God bless. Dexter Wansel
Kevin Richmond
Classic Mr Wansel π―π―
baxter jones
This was a Great Song!!!!!
Sandra Jones
I have always loved this song as a kid!!π₯π₯π₯πππ
B F
Love your music the arrangement is amazing
T. Annie
Beautiful β€οΈ
sammie smith
I remember this classic back in 1979 and remember when Loose Ends covered it 1986.
rlvTV
Loose Ends version is amazing
Sherrie Steele-Petty
I'm going to have to hear LOOSE ENDS version for sure! Don't believe I ever have...π€
Deborah Harlin
sammie smith 1979 in my bedroom in the basement grooving to Dexter Wensel, Roy Ayers and start loving Jazz in my senior year of high school. Thank you for the memories.