In 1961, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash of the Del Capris joined Patricia Holt and Sandra Tucker as replacement singers for Holt's singing group, The Ordettes. When Tucker's parents made her leave the group, she was replaced by Cindy Birdsong. Patricia Holt had her name changed to Patti LaBelle after the group became The Bluebelles. Though the first single was "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" (released as the Bluebelles), LaBelle relays in her memoir (Don't Block The Blessings) that the group didn't actually perform on the original track. As she tells it, the song's producer had recorded it with Starlets and renamed them the Bluebelles, but the group left upon the single's release. He quickly recruited the Ordettes to perform and promote the single using the Bluebells' moniker, and "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman" was later recut by the new group. The song was a hit, as was the new Bluebelle's 1963 follow-ups "Down the Aisle", "You'll Never Walk Alone" (1964; Rodgers & Hammerstein) and "Danny Boy" (a traditional Irish folk song). They signed with Atlantic Records in 1965, releasing "Over the Rainbow" and "Groovy Kind of Love" (later a hit for the Mindbenders and Phil Collins) with only mild success. They also contributed background vocals to Tony Kosinec's "Simple Emotion" and Wilson Pickett's hit "634-5789" in 1966. Along the line, they had extended their name to Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles.
In 1967, the group became a trio after Cindy Birdsong left to join the Supremes, replacing Florence Ballard. Three years later, the group lost their contract and hired Vicki Wickham, a British TV producer, to remake their image. She changed the name to Labelle and pushed the group to a more contemporary sound, incorporated glam influences, particularly in the spectacular spacey stage costumes that included large amounts of glitter, feathers and other acoutrements. In the early 70s, Labelle opened for the Who and lent their unmistakably powerful vocals to Laura Nyro's Gonna Take a Miracle album in 1971 (now considered a classic). Two songs from this album ("Desiree" and "Gonna Take a Miracle") were used in the 2004 Colin Farrell film A Home at the End of the World to great dramatic effect -- especially "Gonna Take a Miracle," at the end of the film. Labelle also contributed to Nikki Giovanni's "Peace Be Still".
The group released Labelle in 1971 on Warner Brothers Records. It included covers of songs by the Rolling Stones, Kenny Rogers, Carole King and Laura Nyro. The following album, Moonshadow (1972), even though it included covers of famous songs ("MoonShadow" by Cat Stevens and the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"), gave Hendryx more freedom to write material for Labelle. The album flopped commercially, as did the third Labelle album, Pressure Cookin, (1973), released on RCA Records. By this time and until Labelle's break-up, Hendryx wrote most of Labelle's material, taking the songs in a highly experimental direction that was a far cry from the sound that the Bluebelle's (and most other "girl groups" of the era) had performed. Although the album wasn't commercially successful, Pressure Cookin' allowed her to hone her talents as a songwriter, clearly demonstrated by the moving "(Can I Speak to You Before You Go to) Hollywood," which was based on the way the ladies felt when people who had "made it" in the business no longer were interested in keeping in contact with Patti, Sarah, or Nona.
After Pressure Cookin', Labelle signed with Epic Records and recorded an album, Nightbirds, with Allen Toussaint, a famous record producer. "Lady Marmalade", a sexy, funky disco song about a New Orleans prostitute(with a come-hither French chorus, "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?") became a massive hit in 1975 and one of the first mainstream disco hits (Jones and Kantonen, 1999). The success of the single also pushed the album to the top of the charts. It would be covered by numerous artists including Madchester-era indie The Happy Mondays (spliced into "Kinky Afro") and most notably Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and P!nk for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack.
Labelle's commercial momentum after Nightbirds and "Lady Marmalade" decreased, in spite of several hits and the critically acclaimed experimental albums Phoenix (1975) and Chameleon (1976). When the group split up in 1976, Hendryx and LaBelle managed successful solo careers, while Sarah Dash had a few notable dance hits: "Sinner Man" (1978, which gained her much public attention), and "Lucky Tonight" (1984), with Sylvester singing background vocals. Dash also acted on television for the PBS series "Watch Your Mouth," (1978), and has performed on Broadway. Her career picked up again om the 90s when she was asked to sing with The Rolling Stones on their Steel Wheels album, and even more so when she became one of Keith Richards' "X-pensive Winos," and was given solo and duet opportunities with his band (namely the (duet) ballad, "Make No Mistake," and solo "Time Is on My Side," which Richards said in his autobiography is "the best version he has ever heard").
LaBelle, Hendryx, and Dash have reunited several times including a famed 1991 reunion at the Apollo Theater 30 years after the group first stole the audience's hearts at the same venue. The concert was recorded as a live album. A brief reunion came in the form of the huge dance succes "Turn It Out," from the To Wong Foo soundtrack. They reunited again in 2001 to honor Patti on BET's "Walk of Fame," where the performed an explosive version of "What Can I Do for You," as well as "Lady Marmalade" The most recentl reunion was in 2005 during a tribute to Patti's 45th anniversary in show business. In January 2006, Labelle again reunited to record "Dear Rosa," a tribute to the late civil rights champion Rosa Parks. The release date of the single has not been set at this time. There are also plans for an entire reunion album and tour, most likely to happen in 2007. In addition, Labelle will contribute songs for the soundtrack for the upcoming film, "Preaching to the Choir."
There are other artists with the same name:
2) LaBelle (aka LaBelle Rocks) is a rock band from Madrid, Spain with strong influence from 1950s music and appearance. Their current lineup consists of Alicia Montesquiu, Pedro Herrero, Mey Alean and Carlos Mirat.
Cinema is his first album produced by filmmaker Juanma Bajo Ulloa with a first celebrated single FIRE! and the musical production by Fernando Montesinos and David Kano. His second album Accidents a very personal and enveloping work, again with the musical talent of Fernando Montesinos in production for Noisy Sound and Paco Ortega for Musigrama in one of the songs.
3) Labelle (Jérémy Labelle,Maloya-Electronic Composer from Reunion Island. Founder member of Eumolpe.)
"...Resolutely syncretic, the universe of Labelle unites Maloya (from Réunion traditional music) and electronics, colored with Indian and African touches..."
Messin' With My Mind
Labelle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did I hold you, but you didn′t need gettin thru
Why do you keep singing that same ol' saying?
Saying I love you, steady you doin the things you do
I get a warnin when the seasons gonna change
And I know grey matter is enough to make more rain
If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up
I'll play it, you win. I gonna give you one more hand
Why you keep me worried all the time?
When it′s evident, this old spirit can′t be bet
Why do you keep sending bad vibes my way?
Cause what goes around will come to you one day
Even when it's cloudy doesn′t mean it's going to rain
I know your ------ain′t no horse and buggy------
If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up
If you keep it up, I′m gonna give you up
I'll play it, you win. I gonna give you one more hand
AAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Messin, Messin, On Messin, Messin
Messin, Messin, Messin, Messin
Messin all the time, messin all the time, messin all the time
Ooooooooooo
OooooooAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Keep it up, messin... keep it up messin
Yooooou are messin with my mind
You are, You are, You are,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
OooooooooooAH
AHooooooooooo
You can't do that to me no
You can′t, you can′t play with my heart
The lyrics of Labelle's song "Messin' With My Mind" convey a sense of frustration and confusion towards someone who is causing emotional turmoil. The singer questions why this person is continuously disturbing their thoughts and emotions, wondering if their actions are intentional or unintentional. The repetition of phrases like "Why do you keep messin' my mind" and "Why you keep me worried all the time" highlights the repetitive and intrusive nature of the behavior that is affecting the singer.
The lyrics also touch upon themes of uncertainty and warning signs. The singer mentions being able to sense when a change is coming and references "grey matter," symbolizing a clouded mind or confusion. The imagery of rain may represent emotional turmoil or distress that is caused by the person's actions. Despite the warnings and signs, the singer seems to be contemplating giving up on the relationship if the disruption continues.
The repeated chorus of "If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up" emphasizes the singer's resolve to distance themselves from the negative influence if the behavior persists. There is a sense of resignation and finality in the decision to let go if the situation does not improve. The mention of playing one more hand could signify giving the person one final chance before making a definitive choice to move on.
The bridge section with the vocalizations, including "AAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAA" and "OooooooAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA," adds an emotional intensity to the song, conveying the magnitude of the impact that the person's actions have on the singer's mental state. The repeated refrains of "Messin, Messin" and "You are messin with my mind" further emphasize the central theme of emotional disturbance and manipulation. The final plea of "You can't play with my heart" asserts the singer's boundaries and refusal to allow further emotional manipulation, signaling a clear stance of self-preservation and empowerment.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do you keep messin my mind
Why do you constantly manipulate my thoughts and emotions
Did I hold you, but you didn't need gettin thru
Did I support you, but you didn't require assistance
Why do you keep singing that same ol' saying?
Why do you keep repeating that same message?
Saying I love you, steady you doin the things you do
Claiming to love me while continuing questionable actions
I get a warnin when the seasons gonna change
I sense a warning when things are about to shift
And I know grey matter is enough to make more rain
I understand that a troubled mind can lead to further issues
If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up
If you persist, I will end the relationship
I'll play it, you win. I gonna give you one more hand
I'll let you win this round, but it's the last chance you'll get
Why you keep me worried all the time?
Why do you consistently cause me anxiety?
When it's evident, this old spirit can't be bet
When it's clear that my resilience can't be doubted
Why do you keep sending bad vibes my way?
Why do you continue to project negative energy towards me?
Cause what goes around will come to you one day
Because karma will eventually catch up to you
Even when it's cloudy doesn't mean it's going to rain
Just because there are problems doesn't mean they will escalate
I know your ------ain't no horse and buggy------
I know your deception is not to be taken lightly
AAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAA
Musical vocalization
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sustained musical vocalization
Messin, Messin, On Messin, Messin
Continuously messing with my emotions
Messin, Messin, Messin, Messin
Constantly causing confusion and turmoil
Ooooooooooo
Long vocalization
OooooooAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Combination of musical vocalization
Keep it up, messin... keep it up messin
Continue with your deception, keep causing confusion
You are messin with my mind
You are manipulating my thoughts and emotions
You are, You are, You are,
Reinforcing the statement
OooooooooooAH
Musical vocalization
AHooooooooooo
Musical vocalization
You can't do that to me no
You cannot treat me this way
You can't, you can't play with my heart
You cannot manipulate my emotions
Writer(s): Nona B. Hendryx
Contributed by Nora N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@justaloe
Why do you keep messin my mind
Did I hold you, but you didn't need gettin thru
Why do you keep singing that same ol' saying?
Saying I love you, steady you doin the things you do
I get a warnin when the seasons gonna change
And I know grey matter is enough to make more rain
If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up
If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up
I'll play it, you win. I gonna give you one more hand
Why you keep me worried all the time?
When it's evident, this old spirit can't be bet
Why do you keep sending bad vibes my way?
Cause what goes around will come to you one day
Even when it's cloudy doesn't mean it's going to rain
I know your
-----ain't no horse and buggy-----If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up
If you keep it up, I'm gonna give you up
I'll play it, you win. I gonna give you one more hand
AAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Messin, Messin, On Messin, Messin
Messin, Messin, Messin, Messin
Messin all the time, messin all the time, messin all the time
ooooooooooo
oooooooAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Keep it up, messin... keep it up messin
Yooooou are messin with my mind
You are, You are, You are,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
oooooooooooAH
AHooooooooooo
You can't do that to me no
You can't, you can't play with my heart
@jenn_juniper95
Covid 19 brought me here. Jamming with amazing LaBelle! Love that bass.
@johnhairstonii6889
There will never be a group like LABELLLE again......
@noavgjoe
Preach!
@candycesaturday7218
Ever..never!!
@andrewcox1303
,👍🏾🖐️👋
@kshelaanofelaas1967
I got to see them in concert twice! And Yes, I FEEL BLESSED!
@ronnieb1958
Never!
@carlosleon8224
REAL singers, REAL musicians......REAL REAL REAL! Timeless....dont try this at home kids because you will DEFINITELY will hurt yourselves.
@J.Evans_Official
Vocally they are hands down the best girl group NO ONE CAN TOUCH THOSE VOICES
@cocalove06
THIER WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER ONE LIKE THESE LADYS