Lee was born in Chicago, but as a child relocated to Detroit with her mother. After a few years, she was adopted by Rev. E. Allan Rundless, who had previously been a member of the Soul Stirrers, and his wife Ernestine, who led a gospel group, The Meditation Singers. Featuring Della Reese, they were the first Detroit gospel group to perform with instrumental backing. The group recorded on the Specialty label in the mid 1950s, appeared on the LP Della Reese Presents The Meditation Singers in 1958, and in the early 1960s recorded for Checker Records.
As Laura Lee Rundless, she replaced Reese in The Meditation Singers in 1956, and over the next few years toured widely around the country. In 1965, as Laura Lee, she launched her secular solo career as an R&B singer in clubs in Detroit, although she also continued to record occasionally with The Meditation Singers. She first recorded solo for Ric-Tic Records in 1966, with "To Win Your Heart".
The following year, she signed with Chess Records and, after initially recording in-house with the label's producers in Chicago, it was decided to send her to Rick Hall’s FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals to record "Dirty Man". This became her first hit, reaching #13 R&B and #68 pop. She stayed with Chess until 1969, also recording "Up Tight Good Man" (#16 R&B) and "As Long As I Got You" (#31 R&B)).
A short spell with Atlantic subsidiary, Cotillion resulted in two singles and then in 1970, Lee moved to former Motown producers, Holland, Dozier and Holland’s newly established Hot Wax label in Detroit. One of her first recordings for Hot Wax, "Women’s Love Rights", became one of her biggest hits, reaching #11 on the R&B chart in 1971 and #36 pop. In 1972, "Rip Off" became her biggest R&B hit at #3 but only climbed to #68 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also recorded an album, Two Sides of Laura Lee, while in a relationship with singer Al Green. Most of her material on Hot Wax was produced by William Weatherspoon, formerly with Motown.
Lee left Invictus / Hot Wax in 1975 and signed with Ariola Records, but became seriously ill shortly afterwards and retired from the music industry for several years. She returned in 1983 with a gospel album, Jesus Is The Light Of My Life, on which she worked with Al Green. By 1990 she was recovered from her illness, and had been ordained as a minister. She has continued recording music, mostly gospel.
A Swedish garage rock band did an unexpected homage to Lee by baptizing themselves as Division of Laura Lee.
She made an appearance in the 1973 Blaxploitation film Detroit 9000, as a singer in the opening scenes.
Women's Love Rights
Laura Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, stand up
To all the women liberators
And men sympathizers
I thank you
For I'm Laura Lee
I'm starting a new movement today
For women's love rights
Stand up and fight
For your love rights
Love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Stand up girls
(Stand up and fight)
For your love rights
(For your love rights)
Love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
We do the washing
We cook and sew
Babies tie you down
While your man is on the go
Girls
You gotta right
(Yes we do)
Go out at night
Sitter's all around
To let you paint the town
Girls
Stand up and fight
For your love rights
Love who you wanna
'Cause a man's sure gonna
Stand up and fight
For your love rights
Love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Listen
We love one man
(Yes we do)
Trying to be fair
He's got three women
A pair, and a spare
He loves who he pleases
While you're at home in need
That's unsatisfaction
A piece of the action
Stand up and fight, girls
For your love rights
Love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Stand up and fight, girls
For your love rights
Love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
(Love rights)
I'm here to tell you about it girls
Talking 'bout love rights
A few of your love rights
One
You've got a stake
In all he owns and makes
Two
Money he can't claim
Into faking your own name
Three
Be taking out to eat
At least once a week
Four
A set of car keys
To go when you please
(It ain't no question)
And when you window shop, girls
In your favorite spot
(Get some satisfaction)
Don't just cry at home
Buy it, take it home
Love rights
Talking 'bout love rights
(Talking 'bout your love rights, girl)
Stand up and fight girls
For your love rights
You gotta love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Girls, stand up and fight
For your love rights
You can love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Girls, stand up and fight
For your love rights
Love who you wanna
'Cause a man is sure gonna
“Women’s Love Rights” by Laura Lee is an anthem empowering women to stand up for their rights in relationships. The lyrics begin with Laura Lee acknowledging the women’s liberation movement and thanking the men who support it. She then introduces her new movement which is focused on women’s love rights. The chorus is a call to action for women to stand up and fight for their love rights because men will always do so. The song highlights the societal expectations of women to do household chores, take care of children and satisfy men sexually. It shows that women also have the right to enjoy their lives, have fun and love who they want. The lyrics urge women to go out at night, hire babysitters and paint the town. The song also highlights the unfair and unequal treatment of women in relationships, with men having the freedom to love and please themselves with multiple partners while women are often isolated and neglected. The song asserts that women are entitled to their fair share in a relationship, including having some financial independence and personal freedom. It encourages women to take control of their lives and happiness, to buy the things they want and not just window-shop.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hear me girls
Listen up, ladies
Oh, stand up
Get ready to take action
To all the women liberators
To all the women fighting for freedom and equality
And men sympathizers
And men who support the cause
I thank you
I am grateful to you
For I'm Laura Lee
As for me, I am Laura Lee
I'm starting a new movement today
I am launching a new initiative for change
For women's love rights
To secure rights for women in matters of love
Stand up and fight
Get up and take a stand
For your love rights
To fight for your rights in love and relationships
Love who you wanna
Love whoever you choose
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Because men do the same without hesitation
We do the washing
We do the laundry
We cook and sew
We handle the cooking and sewing
Babies tie you down
Raising children can be limiting
While your man is on the go
While your partner is free to do as they please
Girls, you gotta right
Ladies, you have the right
(Yes we do)
(And we will assert it)
Go out at night
Go out and have a good time in the evening
Sitter's all around
Babysitters are available
To let you paint the town
So that you can have a fun, carefree night out
Listen
Pay attention
We love one man
We are devoted to one man
(Yes we do)
(That's right)
Trying to be fair
Trying to be just and equitable
He's got three women
But he has three other women he is involved with
A pair, and a spare
Two regulars and one backup
He loves who he pleases
He chooses to love whoever he wants
While you're at home in need
While you are at home needing his love and attention
That's unsatisfaction
That leads to dissatisfaction
A piece of the action
Some of the love and attention he is giving to others
I'm here to tell you about it girls
I am here to inform you about this fact, ladies
Talking 'bout love rights
Discussing your rights and liberties in love
A few of your love rights
Certain rights you have in the context of romantic relationships
One
Firstly,
You've got a stake
You have a share or interest in his possessions and earnings
In all he owns and makes
In everything he possesses and earns
Two
Secondly,
Money he can't claim
Money that he cannot take away from you
Into faking your own name
To use it to fake your own identity
Three
Thirdly,
Be taking out to eat
To be taken out for a meal
At least once a week
At least once every week
Four
Lastly,
A set of car keys
A set of keys to his car
To go when you please
To use the car to go wherever you want, whenever you want
(It ain't no question)
(There's no doubt about it)
And when you window shop, girls
And when you go browsing around stores, ladies
In your favorite spot
In your preferred location
(Get some satisfaction)
(Give yourself some enjoyment)
Don't just cry at home
Don't just sit around and be sad at home
Buy it, take it home
Buy it and take it home with you instead
Girls, stand up and fight
Ladies, rise up and resist
For your love rights
For your liberty and autonomy in love
Talking 'bout love rights
Discussing the rights women have in romantic relationships
Stand up and fight, girls
Stand up and be counted, ladies
You gotta love who you wanna
You have the freedom to love whomever you choose
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Because men exercise this freedom all the time
For your love rights
To protect your rights in matters of love and affection
Love who you wanna
Love whoever you wish
Girls, stand up and fight
Ladies, resist and fight
For your love rights
For women's rights in love and intimacy
You can love who you wanna
You have the freedom to love anyone you choose
'Cause a man is sure gonna
Because men take advantage of this freedom as well
Contributed by Gianna J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
motownbaby
Love Laura Lee's voice.....Just ordered her 3 Hot Wax LP's on Amazon and have been jammin for the past 3 days! Better late than never....even though I've always loved this song! Check out "Don't Leave me Starving"! She's my new favorite artist.
Gina Hickerson
I was 5 yrs old, this was my favorite song, and I still live by everything she said
Donna Means
Thank you so very much for posting this gem. It made my day!
xunclexx
DetroittBlack, she was a class act. My group did a gig with her in 1972 down in Miami, FL and she showed that star quality. Also, she had the most sexy eyes back in the day.
xunclexx
She Energized the women in the audience, Lifetimepanther1944. Her first song was Aretha Franklin's "You're A Dirty, Dirty Man". Then from the dressing room, we heard her doing a monologue for and about women who were in bad relationships. Then she broke out with some other tunes before finishing up with "Women's Love Rights". Truly a class act. I beg to differ about her voice. She sings much like Millie Jackson.
Tony Russi
Aretha Franklin never did "Dirty Man", Laura Lee is the ORIGINAL of that record from 1967.
Mary Burrell
I was a young kid when this was out but as an adult I get where Ms. Laura was coming from.
Nick Palmer
Remember this. Always Loved her voice.
Cafe` Skype
lol Brings back memories of playing this on my first radio shows on campus on WBAU, and trying to keep the girlfriends from buying into her stuff to make my life more difficult with them! lmao
paul simmons
Love that gritty voice and those large, saucer shaped eyes of Laura's...She was the best singer of pro-feminist anthems during the 1960s and '70s until Millie Jackson came marching onto the scene...