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
Make It Right
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Make it right)
You've been on my mind
Cause the last words I said
Felt so wrong ,so unkind
No one's to blame
But somewhere along the way
I know that something's changed
And what was done
Is not the way of love
Just look what we've become
[Chorus:]
Feel me touch you tenderly
I'm makin' an apology
Please hold me close tonight
(Make it right)
Can we try to love once more
And make it like it was before
I need you by my side
(Make it right)
(Make it right)
As we close our eyes
Can you hear me prayin'
How can lovers be so blind
It hurts me so, just don't know
That we could fall again
Help me understand
Can we forgive
Can we compromise
Just believe that we can
Leave it all behind
We can get to where
We feel good inside
Open up our hearts
And keep this love alive
[Chorus]
(Make it right)
(Make it right)
Ooh make it right for me, babe
(Make it right)
(Are we gonna) Make it right
(We can see it) See it in our eyes
(Can we do it) Do you want to try
(Don't you know I)
I'll always love you, baby
(Give a listen)
Listen to the words I'm sayin'
(Tell you that it's)
It's only love we're makin'
(All you gotta) Ooh
[Chorus]
(Make it right)
I'm touchin' you so tenderly
(Please hold me close tonight)
Never let me go (Make it right)
Can we try to love once more
And make it like it was before
I need you by my side
(Make it right)
[Chorus]
Make it right
In the song "Make It Right" by Lisa Stansfield, the singer expresses regret over the last words she said to her lover, which were unkind and felt so wrong. No one is to blame but she knows that something has changed between them. The song is about making amends, forgiving, and moving on in a relationship. The lyrics suggest that the couple should open up their hearts and try to love once more, making it right the way it was before. Lisa sings in the chorus, "Feel me touch you tenderly, I'm making an apology, Please hold me close tonight, (Make it right). Can we try to love once more, And make it like it was before, I need you by my side (Make it right)."
The song is an emotional ballad that tells a story of love that is worth fighting for. It is a heartfelt plea for reconciliation and understanding between lovers who have hurt each other. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has been in a relationship and has experienced the ups and downs that come along with it. The song's catchy melody and Lisa's powerful vocals add an emotional depth to the lyrics, making it a beautiful love song that can touch the heart of anyone who listens to it.
Line by Line Meaning
(Make it right)
Asking for a resolution to the situation.
(Make it right)
Re-emphasizing the need for a resolution.
You've been on my mind
Expressing that the person has been constantly on the singer's thoughts.
Cause the last words I said
Referring to the previous conversation that left the singer feeling guilty.
Felt so wrong ,so unkind
Admitting that the words that were spoken were inappropriate.
No one's to blame
Stating that there is no single person at fault.
But somewhere along the way
Acknowledging that something went wrong.
I know that something's changed
Noticing that things are different from before.
What was said
Referring to the inappropriate things that were spoken.
And what was done
Referring to the actions that were wrong.
Is not the way of love
Admitting that the situation is not consistent with love.
Just look what we've become
Reflecting on the relationship's current state.
[Chorus:]
The start of the chorus.
Feel me touch you tenderly
Offering a show of affection.
I'm makin' an apology
Expressing that the singer is sorry for their actions.
Please hold me close tonight
Asking the person to demonstrate physical comfort.
(Make it right)
Repeating the need for resolution.
Can we try to love once more
Suggesting giving the relationship another chance.
And make it like it was before
Wanting the relationship to be fixed and restored to how it used to be.
I need you by my side
Stating that the singer desires the person to be close.
(Make it right)
Repeating the need for resolution.
(Make it right)
Re-emphasizing the need for a resolution.
As we close our eyes
Setting the scene of the moment.
Can you hear me prayin'
Asking the person to listen closely to the following thoughts.
How can lovers be so blind
Asking how two people in love can miss out on important things.
It hurts me so, just don't know
Expressing that the current situation is causing pain.
That we could fall again
Suggesting that the relationship is worth trying again.
Help me understand
Asking for more insight from the person in the relationship.
Can we forgive
Asking whether forgiveness is possible.
Can we compromise
Questioning whether the two can reach a mutual agreement.
Just believe that we can
Encouraging the person to have hope.
Leave it all behind
Suggesting moving on from past mistakes.
We can get to where
Expressing that the two can get to the place they want to be in the relationship.
We feel good inside
Referring to feeling comfortable with the person in a relationship.
Open up our hearts
Suggesting being emotionally vulnerable.
And keep this love alive
Encouraging the relationship to stay strong.
[Chorus]
The start of the chorus.
(Make it right)
Repeating the need for resolution.
Ooh make it right for me, babe
Putting personal emphasis on the need for resolution.
(Make it right)
Repeating the need for resolution.
(Are we gonna) Make it right
Questioning whether the couple will actually reconcile.
(We can see it) See it in our eyes
Believing the love can be seen through one's eyes.
(Can we do it) Do you want to try
Asking whether the person is willing to make it work.
(Don't you know I)
Emphasizing the singer's love for the other person.
I'll always love you, baby
Repeating that the singer will always love the other person.
(Give a listen)
Suggesting that the person should listen closely to the following words.
Listen to the words I'm sayin'
Directing the person to focus on the message being conveyed.
(Tell you that it's)
Clarifying a message that will be given.
It's only love we're makin'
Explaining that the relationship is only about love.
(All you gotta) Ooh
Intensifying the lyrics with a soulful expression.
[Chorus]
The start of the chorus.
(Make it right)
Repeating the need for resolution.
I'm touchin' you so tenderly
Showing affection through physical touch.
(Please hold me close tonight)
Asking the person to provide comfort and be physically close.
Never let me go (Make it right)
Asking the person to never let go of the singer.
Can we try to love once more
Suggesting giving the relationship another shot.
And make it like it was before
Stating that things can be fixed and restored to how they used to be.
I need you by my side
Clarifying the importance of the person's presence in the relationship.
(Make it right)
Repeating the need for resolution.
[Chorus]
The start of the chorus.
Make it right
Final line of the song, ending with one last plea for resolution.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CRYSTAL BERNARD, CRYSTAL LYNN BERNARD, RHETT LAWRENCE, SUSIE BENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind