Fontella Bass (born July 3, 1940 in St. Louis, Missouri - died December 26,… Read Full Bio ↴Fontella Bass (born July 3, 1940 in St. Louis, Missouri - died December 26, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri) was an American soul and rnb singer, recording the iconic hit "Rescue Me" in 1965. The daughter of gospel singer Martha Bass (of the Clara Ward Singers), Bass was exposed to music at an early age. She was singing in her church's choir at just six years old.

As a teenager, Bass was attracted by more secular music. Throughout high school she began singing contemporary R&B songs at local contests and fairs. In 1961, Bass found steady work on the local Leon Claxton Show, playing piano and singing in the chorus. She also began playing piano on blues vocalist Little Milton's records. With the support of Bob Lyons, the manager of St. Louis station KATZ, Bass recorded several songs released through Bobbin Records. She saw no notable success outside her home town, however.

Two years later, she moved to Chicago after a dispute with Little Milton. She auditioned for Chess Records, who immediately signed her as a recording artist. Her first works with the label were several duets with blues singer Bobby McClure, also a newcomer to the label. Released early in 1965, "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing" found immediate success, reaching the top five at R&B radio and peaking at #33 at pop. They followed their early success with "You'll Miss Me (When I'm Gone)" that summer, a song that had mild success, reaching the top 30 at R&B, but barely charting at pop.

After a brief tour, Bass returned to the studio. The result was an original composition with an aggressive bass and drum work by Maurice White, of the future Earth, Wind, & Fire. The song, "Rescue Me," shot up the charts in the fall and winter of 1965. After a month-long run at the top of the R&B charts, the song reached #4 at the pop charts.

She followed with "Recovery," which did moderately well, peaking at #13 at R&B and #37 at pop in early 1966. The same year brought two more R&B hits, "I Can't Rest" (backed with "I Surrender)" and "You'll Never Know." Her only album with Chess Records, The New Look, sold reasonably well, but Bass decided to leave the label after only two years, in 1967.

In 1970 Bass recorded two albums with the Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass and Les Stances A Sophie. The latter was the soundtrack from the French movie of the same title. Bass' vocals, backed by the powerful, pulsating push of the band has allowed the Theme De YoYo to remain an underground cult classic ever since.

The next few years found Bass at a number of different labels, but saw no notable successes. After her second album, Free, flopped in 1972, Bass retired from music. She returned occasionally, being featured as a background vocalist on several recordings, including those of her husband, Lester Bowie, a jazz trumpeter and member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago. In the 1990s she hosted a short-lived Chicago radio talk show, and has released several gospel records on independent labels.

Like many outstanding artists of her time, Bass experienced a revival of interest. Her still-powerful tones can be heard on the 2002 Cinematic Orchestra album, 'Everyday'.

She has been inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. She is the older sister of R&B singer David Peaston, who was a former Showtime at the Apollo champion.

Fontella Bass, 72, died of heart-attack complications in her home town of St. Louis, Missouri, 26 December 2012. She is survived by four children.

Discography

Albums

* The New Look (1966, Chess) US: #93
* Les Stances A Sophie , with the Art Ensemble of Chicago (1970, Nessa Records)
* The Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass, (Prestige Records, 1970)
* Free (1972, Paula)
* From The Root To The Source (1980)
* No Ways Tired (1995, Nonesuch)
* Now That I Found a Good Thing (1996, Jewel)
* Travelin (2001, Justin Time)

Singles

* "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing" (1965, Chess) R&B: #5 US: #33 with Bobby McClure
* "You'll Miss Me (When I'm Gone)" (1965) R&B: #27 US: #91 with Bobby McClure
* "Rescue Me" (1965) R&B: #1 US: #4 UK: #11
* "Recovery" (1966) R&B: #13 US: #37 UK: #32
* "Safe and Sound" (1966) US: #100 (b-side of "Recovery")
* "I Can't Rest" (1966) R&B: #31
* "I Surrender" (1966) R&B: #33 US: #78 (b-side of "I Can't Rest")
* "You'll Never Know" (1966) R&B: #34

Since I Fell For You
Fontella Bass Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When you just give love
And never get love
You'd better let love depart
I know it's so, and yet I know
I can't get you out of my heart

You made me leave my happy home
You took my love and now you're gone

Since I fell for you

Love brings such misery and pain
I guess I'll never be the same
Since I fell for you

Well, it's too bad
And it's too sad
But I'm in love with you
You love me, then you snub me
But what can I do?
I'm so in love with you

I guess I'll never see the light
I get the blues most every night

Since I fell for you
Since I fell for you

Overall Meaning

Fontella Bass's song "Since I Fell For You" is a poignant exploration of the deep, painful emotions that can accompany the experience of falling deeply in love. The song opens with the recognition that giving love without receiving love in return can cause one to fall into a deep emotional pit, where realigning one's life without love can be challenging. The singer's acknowledgment of these feelings is both raw and vulnerable; she recognizes that she may need to let love go, even as it lives on in her heart.

But the chorus of the song shows that she cannot help but feel deeply enchanted by the person she loves, even though they have caused her to leave her happy home and removed her love from the equation. The pain that comes from all of this remains a consistent thread through the lyrics, but it is also rendered in counterpoint to the joy and passion that the singer feels for the person she loves.

The lyrics of "Since I Fell For You" are some of the most introspective of any love song in popular music, grappling with the competing desires and conflicting emotions of love, passion, and heartbreak. For anyone who has ever experienced these intense feelings, the song presents a raw and honest portrait of what it feels like to fall head over heels for someone, even as the relationship causes untold anguish and frustration.

Line by Line Meaning

When you just give love
When you show love to someone without receiving love in return

And never get love
But you never receive love from that person

You'd better let love depart
It's better to end the relationship if love isn't being reciprocated

I know it's so, and yet I know
I am aware that this is true, yet I still feel the same

I can't get you out of my heart
I cannot stop thinking about you

You made me leave my happy home
You are responsible for making me leave my happy and peaceful life

You took my love and now you're gone
You took my love and left me alone

Love brings such misery and pain
Love can cause a lot of pain and heartbreak

I guess I'll never be the same
My life has changed forever since falling in love with you

Well, it's too bad
Sadly, this is the reality

And it's too sad
It's a truth that is difficult to accept

But I'm in love with you
Even though it causes me so much pain, I am still in love with you

You love me, then you snub me
You express love towards me, but then reject me

But what can I do?
What actions can I take when I am so deeply in love with you?

I'm so in love with you
My love for you is so intense and strong

I guess I'll never see the light
I feel like there's no hope for my situation and I will never find happiness

I get the blues most every night
I feel sad and depressed every night since falling in love with you

Since I fell for you
All of these negative emotions and changes in my life have occurred since I fell in love with you

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BUDDY JOHNSON WOODROW

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Nikodem Wróblewski

4y↑6

LYRICS:

You made me leave my happy home
You took my love and now you're gone
Baby, since I fell for you

I guess I'll never see the light, oh yeah
I get the blues most every night
Baby, since I fell for you

It's too bad
And it's too sad
But I'm in love with you
You love me, then you snub me
But what can I do?
I'm in love with you

I guess I'll never see the light, oh yeah
I get the blues most every night
Baby, baby, since I fell for you

It's too bad
And it's too sad
But I'm in love with you
You love me baby and then you snub me
But what can I do baby?
I'm in love with you

I, I, I guess I'll never never see the light, oh yeah
I get the blues most every night
Baby, baby, baby, since I fell for you
Baby, baby, since I fell for you
Baby, baby, since I fell for you
Baby, baby, since I fell for you

All comments from YouTube:

Nikodem Wróblewski

4y↑6

Mauro Sergio

4y↑1

Great version!

Bazier VT

9y↑8

Fabulous song!

JomoDaMusicMan

9y↑4

Since I fell for u, Dinah, Ella Washington & Mavis's Song. The crowd will never let me play a 4rh version. Fontella did a great job, but with Mavis & Dinah& Ella will keep Fontella on my shelf for a while longer