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
All Woman
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She smiles at him as he walks through the door
She wonders if it will be okay
It's hard for her when he doesn't respond
He says Babe, you look a mess
You look dowdy in that dress
It's just not like it used to be
[Chorus]
I may not be a lady
But I'm all woman
From Monday to Sunday I work harder than you know
I'm no classy lady
But I'm all woman
And this woman needs a little love
To make her strong
You're not the only one
She stands and lets the tears flow
Tears that she's been holding back so long
She wonders where did all the loving go
The love they used to share when they were strong
She says yes I look a mess
But I don't love any less
I thought you always thought of me
To always be impressed
[Chorus]
He holds her and hangs his head in shame
He doesn't see her like he used to do
He's too wrapped up in working for his pay
He hasn't seen the pain he's put her through
Attention that he paid
Just vanished in the haze
He remembers how it used to be
When he used to say
You'll always be a lady
'Cause you're all woman
From Monday to Sunday I love you
Much more than you know
You're a classy lady
'Cause you're all woman
This woman needs a loving man to keep her warm
You're the only one
You're a classy lady
'Cause you're all woman
So sweet the love that used to be
So sweet the love that used to be
We can be sweet again
The song "All Woman" by Lisa Stansfield tells the story of a woman who works tirelessly from Monday to Sunday and receives no recognition or love from her husband. The man, who is too busy with work, criticizes her appearance and contradicts her every effort to connect with him emotionally. The woman cannot help but feel neglected and wonders where the love they used to share has gone. She expresses her frustration and disappointment and admits that she may not be a lady, but she is all woman. She needs love and support to feel strong, which she currently lacks.
The chorus emphasizes the woman's strength as a hard worker, although she may not be dressed in their usual classy attire. She is still all woman and needs love to continue going. The song is a powerful message about the appreciation and validation of a woman's efforts, whether at home or in the workforce. It conveys the idea that women are more than just their appearance or how they are perceived by their partner. Above all, they need love and support to feel strong and continue to give their best effort.
Line by Line Meaning
He's home again from another day
After spending time at work, he's home again.
She smiles at him as he walks through the door
She greets him with a smile after he arrives home.
She wonders if it will be okay
She has questions about what might happen next.
It's hard for her when he doesn't respond
It's difficult for her when he doesn't react to her presence.
He says Babe, you look a mess
He comments on her appearance and says she doesn't look good.
You look dowdy in that dress
He criticizes her clothing choice and says she looks unfashionable.
It's just not like it used to be
Things are not the same as they used to be.
Then she says
She responds to his comments.
I may not be a lady
She acknowledges that she may not fit society's expectations of a lady.
But I'm all woman
She asserts that she is a complete woman with all her flaws and strengths.
From Monday to Sunday I work harder than you know
She explains that she works hard all week long, and he may not fully understand just how hard.
I'm no classy lady
She denies being a sophisticated woman.
But I'm all woman
She reiterates that she is a complete woman, unapologetically.
And this woman needs a little love
She expresses her desire for more love and affection.
To make her strong
She says that love would help her be even stronger.
You're not the only one
She reminds him that he's not the only one who needs love and affection.
She stands and lets the tears flow
She stands up and cries, letting out all the emotions she's been holding back.
Tears that she's been holding back so long
She's been suppressing her emotions for a while now.
She wonders where did all the loving go
She questions where their love and affection have gone.
The love they used to share when they were strong
She reminisces about the love they had when they were in a better place in their relationship.
She says yes I look a mess
She agrees with his comment about her appearance.
But I don't love any less
She affirms her love for him, regardless of her appearance.
I thought you always thought of me
She expresses her hope that he still sees her as highly as he used to.
To always be impressed
She wants him to always be struck by her charm.
He holds her and hangs his head in shame
He embraces her and feels guilty for how he's treated her.
He doesn't see her like he used to do
He realizes he hasn't been seeing her in the same way anymore.
He's too wrapped up in working for his pay
He's been too focused on his work and earning money.
He hasn't seen the pain he's put her through
He's been unaware of the pain he's caused her.
Attention that he paid
He acknowledges the attention he used to give her.
Just vanished in the haze
It disappeared gradually, becoming less tangible over time.
He remembers how it used to be
He reminisces about how their relationship was before.
When he used to say
He thinks back to things he used to tell her.
You'll always be a lady
He reassured her that she was a lady and deserving of respect.
'Cause you're all woman
She's a full woman, deserving of his love and respect.
From Monday to Sunday I love you
He's expressing that he loves her every day of the week.
Much more than you know
He loves her even more than she realizes.
You're a classy lady
He calls her a classy lady, acknowledging her sophistication and poise.
This woman needs a loving man to keep her warm
He recognizes that she needs love to be happy and fulfilled in the relationship.
You're the only one
He promises to fulfill that need and tells her she's the only one for him.
So sweet the love that used to be
He reflects on the love they had before, missing it.
We can be sweet again
He believes they can have that same love again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDY MORRIS, IAN OWEN DEVANEY, LISA JANE STANSFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert L Jr Richardson
Masterpiece !!!...still jamming this and tearing up in 2019
Dynita Tinch
Jamming it 2021!
Anne Mccabe
Me too in November 2021.
Dennis Mc laurin
6-25-22 listener.
kizzie jones
2022 SunDay Night ❣️
Yolanda M
2/12/23
Ashra Zira
her deep voice is giving me chills. Such a stellar singer!
Sidora Kenley
MY GOD YES
Dennis Mc laurin
The 1994 live version is just as good.
Tommy Jackson
Her voice is sultry...