Once the frontwoman of UK band Blue Zone, which saw modest success with their single "Jackie", she became a major international star beginning with her guest vocal stint on Coldcut's record People Hold On.
Stansfield is probably best known for her first UK #1 single, All Around the World (1989), which also peaked at #3 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 the following year. Other worldwide hits from her debut solo album Affection include This is the Right Time (featuring a house music-styled production by Coldcut with Mark Saunders), Live Together, What Did I Do To You? and You Can't Deny It. "All Around the World" was the second song by a white female soloist to hit #1 on the Billboard R&B chart (the first being "Ooo La La La" by Teena Marie in 1988). "You Can't Deny It" also topped that chart. Affection went platinum in the U.S., and sold a total of five million copies worldwide.
In 1990, Stansfield was among a handful of high-profile artists to participate in the Red Hot + Blue charity album, which honored the songwriting career of Cole Porter, and benefitted AIDS research at a time when funding from government agencies was insufficient for those in need. She was given the chance to show her swing and jazz chops on the song "Down in the Depths" (video), which was one of a few throwback renditions to appear on the album. This likely won her the female lead in the independent film Swing (1999), for which soundtrack she also performed most of the songs. Thus began an illustrious and respected tradition of Stansfield offering jazz and torch songs to outside projects (she also sang I've Got the World on a String in the original movie soundtrack of 2003's Mona Lisa Smile).
In 1992, Stansfield won a BRIT Award as best British female solo artist. Her second album Real Love did not quite live up to the success of Affection, despite selling very well. However, it did spawn four Top 40 singles on the European charts: Change, All Woman, Time to Make You Mine and Set Your Loving Free. "Change" has since become one of her signature classics, and still receives regular air-play to this day. "All Woman" became Stansfield's third #1 single on the Billboard R&B chart, and due to the success of that song, the album went gold in the U.S. Filled with pathos and emotion, it is "kitchen sink soul", from the viewpoint of a woman taken for granted. Like "All Around the World", many critics initially believed that it had been performed by a black singer.
Stansfield continued recording disco-influenced soul throughout the 1990s. Her third album So Natural (1993) spawned three Top 40 European singles including the title track So Natural, In All the Right Places and Little Bit of Heaven, but the album was never released in the U.S. She had continued success throughout Europe, but her popularity in America had diminished.
sidenote: "In All The Right Places" was featured on the soundtrack of the movie Indecent Proposal (1993), for which Stansfield was shortlisted as the lead that eventually went to Demi Moore. You can catch her talking about it in this YouTube interview clip (@ 1:30).
Her self-titled fourth album Lisa Stansfield (1997) was a hit in Europe with two Top Ten singles - People Hold On (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Mix) (a re-released dance mix by The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and The Real Thing, and the Top 40 track Never, Never Gonna Give You Up (a remake of the late Barry White's 1973 hit). Upon being released in the U.S., the album scored some mainstream attention, but fared much better in the dance clubs where remixes were very successful; an astonishing four singles - "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up", Never Gonna Fall, I'm Leavin', and "People Hold On" reached #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. It charted modestly, peaking at #30 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #55 on the Billboard 200. Subsequently, The Remix Album was released due to revived interest in Stansfield within the dance community. The music video for "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" (video) was an eye-catcher featuring her strolling nude down a city street, acquiring a few items of clothing along the way. VH1 featured the clip and even gave it the Pop-Up Video treatment. During the promotion for the single, Stansfield appeared on the RuPaul Show, but inexplicably, did not sing the song (or any others, for that matter).
Her 2001 album Face Up was less successful, barely charting through a lack of publicity, but featured the singles Let's Just Call It Love and 8-3-1, which found her experimenting with newer styles of R&B such as 2-step while continuing with her established sound. Stansfield's husband, Ian Devaney, delivered an arrangement for the ballad How Could You?, which displayed his love of Burt Bacharach's legacy. Only one single was officially released in the UK.
Following the release of Face Up, a 2-CD greatest hits collection titled Biography: The Greatest Hits was released in 2003, which sold well in the UK and Europe. Stansfield then parted ways with Arista/BMG, ending an 18-year association with the label.
Stansfield signed with ZTT Records from the UK, and her 2004 release The Moment was produced by Trevor Horn, well-known for his work with Seal, Grace Jones, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, among others. The album was distributed in Europe by Edel, featuring the singles Treat Me Like a Woman (released as a double A-side with Easier) and If I Hadn't Got You, a song written by Chris Braide with ex-Squeeze songwriter Chris Difford. The album found her exploring more pop-oriented material, and focusing on lush ballads.
Despite this, as with her previous release, the album and supporting singles were not a success. At the time of the project's release, ZTT was directing large amounts of its resources into re-marketing its back catalogue, and producing the Trevor Horn concert for The Prince's Trust and its accompanying double CD Produced by Trevor Horn. The release of "Treat Me Like a Woman" was twice delayed, and the label eventually paired it with "Easier". While ZTT did erect a billboard to advertise the album in Stansfield's home area of Greater Manchester, print advertising and in-store displays were reportedly absent. Later that year ZTT dropped her from their label.
Stansfield's talents also extended into acting; she starred in the 1999 film Swing with actor Hugo Speer, and recorded covers of swing classics and a few original songs written in the style for the soundtrack. She later appeared on a London stage in The Vagina Monologues. In 2006, she guest-starred in the series Goldplated. In 2007, she starred in an episode of Marple: Ordeal by Innocence, and later joined the cast of The Edge of Love.
On June 2012, Lisa told the UK newspaper, The Sunday Mirror that she's working on her seventh studio album, her first in nine years, and that it is going to be released in spring 2013. Lisa announced in November 2012 that the album will be titled 'Seven'.
Official website: http://www.lisa-stansfield.com
Affection
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a big, big love in your heart
So strong
Feel a hand in your hand and a whisper sweet and low
That says I love you
We all know what we want
Affection, it's a way of life
Direction, all of us know which way we're going
With our affection
Affection, may be big or small but know that
We can have it all with our affection
We know which way to go
Take a walk in the sun with the one you love
And a big, big love in your heart
So strong
And rest a little while, keep on smilin', smilin'
We all know what we want
[Chorus]
Well, you could lay down and die for the one you're lovin'
There's a sweet, sweet love in your heart
So strong
When you're dancin' on the air, like you don't care
It's honey on your lips and sweeter to your fingertips
You know what we want
The lyrics to Lisa Stansfield's song Affection evoke a feeling of positivity, contentment and love. The opening lines encourage the listener to embrace the beauty of nature and love, with the image of feeling the sun on their face, wind in their hair and big love in their heart. The next line refers to the feeling of physical connection, with a hand in their hand and a sweet whisper of love. The chorus goes on to suggest that affection is not just a feeling, but a way of life, providing direction and purpose to our lives. The verses continue the theme of enjoying life with the one you love, taking a walk in the sun, resting and smiling.
The lyrics of this song, while simple and straightforward, are uplifting and inspiring. They emphasize the importance of love and affection in our lives, and suggest that it is possible for us to have it all, as long as we know which way to go. The song encourages us to live in the moment and find joy and contentment in the simple things.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel the sun on your face and the wind in you hair
Experience the warmth of the sun on your face and the gentle breeze in your hair
And a big, big love in your heart
Feel a strong love within your heart
So strong
The love felt is intense and powerful
Feel a hand in your hand and a whisper sweet and low
Sense a gentle touch and a soft whisper in your ear
That says I love you
The whisper expresses love for you
We all know what we want
Everyone has an idea of what they desire
[Chorus]
Recurring pattern in the lyrics
Affection, it's a way of life
Love and caring is a lifestyle
Direction, all of us know which way we're going
We are all aware of where we are heading
With our affection
Love and care helps us along the way
Affection, may be big or small but know that
Love can come in different sizes but it's still valid
We can have it all with our affection
We can experience love in all its forms
Take a walk in the sun with the one you love
Enjoy a stroll in the sunshine with your significant other
And rest a little while, keep on smilin', smilin'
Take a break and maintain a cheerful demeanor
Well, you could lay down and die for the one you're lovin'
Love can drive one to selflessness and ultimate sacrifice
There's a sweet, sweet love in your heart
A caring love resides within one's heart
When you're dancin' on the air, like you don't care
Feeling carefree and joyful as if dancing on air
It's honey on your lips and sweeter to your fingertips
The feeling of love is pleasurable and delightful
You know what we want
There is a shared desire for love and affection
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDY MORRIS, IAN OWEN DEVANEY, LISA JANE STANSFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Gogalen789
She really outdid herself on this tune - over the top, pure energy, fantastic voice, and hip instrumental. What a masterpiece !
@owethuweek6283
Oh God, we had this massive mellow tune back in the day!!! Still sounds great after 30 years.
@musicmadness3889
Good music has no preference or limitations. It can come from the most unsuspecting people. Lisa Stansfield and a host of other are a testament to this fact. Affection like All Around the World took Black folks by surprise. Lisa was official when she brought the house down at the Apollo in New York.
@melodymelina7774
This woman voice is sooo soulful I don't care if she is black or white she can sing an deserves to be on the list with the best of them she can sing all types of music very few can do that.
@deekaymusiclover2481
You are absolutely correct...CAN SING WITH THE BEST OF THEM...including Whitney Houston.
@shondaprice5506
Now, that is the only white singer that I can see in Teena Marie's bracket.
@jesuswilljudge7296
Showtime at the Apollo gave her a standing ovation.
@johnharless7586
Ms. Stansfield belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of the all-time best female vocals! There is not a bad track on this album. Soooo good. Damn ...
@buzzdavis
Now this is a wicked groove right here. Lisa's bringing the heat.
@tyrondavis4281
It was 25 years ago when this song came out. Now I am 38 years old. 1990 was the last time I heard it. Thanks 4 playing.