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
Sincerity
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They'd like to care for others, but frankly,
They don't have the time
'Cause they're always doin' the things
They have to do so they'll be alright
Their always lookin' out for their own side
People think they've got priorities right
Sincerity
The road we need to travel for a better way of life
Sincerity
An attitude we need to take if we want to survive
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Heartaches, everybody now and then
They're cryin' out for others,
To listen to them like a friend
But we're always sayin' we don't have the time
But we really sympathize, maybe another time
Don't think about tomorrow
Do it while you've got the chance
Sincerity
The road we need to travel for a better way of life
Sincerity
An attitude we need to take if we want to survive
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
But we're always sayin' we don't have the timeWe really sympathize, well, maybe another time
Don't think about tomorrow
Do it while you've got the chance
Sincerity
The road we need to travel for a better way of life
Sincerity
An attitude we need to take if we want to survive
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
In this song, Lisa Stansfield highlights the problem of people being too busy with their own lives to care for others. She points out that people have their own priorities and don't have time to lend an ear to others who may be going through heartaches. Stansfield implores the listener to have sincerity towards others by understanding their problems and taking the time to care.
The repetition of the phrase 'come on give me sincerity' is a clear indication of the importance of this attitude. Stansfield sings that this sincerity is the road we need to travel for a better way of life and it's an attitude we need to take if we want to survive. She encourages people to stop thinking about tomorrow and do the right thing while they have the chance.
The message of the song is simple and yet so powerful. It reminds us that amidst our busy lives, we need to take the time to care for others and have the sincerity to understand their troubles. This is the key to a better way of living and survival.
Line by Line Meaning
People, rushin' 'round in their lonely lives
People are busy with their own lives and don't often pause to care for others.
They'd like to care for others, but frankly, They don't have the time
People would like to help others, but their busy schedule doesn't allow them to do so.
'Cause they're always doin' the things They have to do so they'll be alright
People prioritize their own personal goals before anything else, even if it means sacrificing helping others.
Their always lookin' out for their own side
People are always putting themselves first instead of helping others in need.
People think they've got priorities right
People assume they're making the right choices by focusing more on their personal goals and less on helping others.
Heartaches, everybody now and then
Everybody faces problems and heartaches at some point in their life.
They're cryin' out for others, To listen to them like a friend
During hard times, people often reach out to others, hoping for someone to listen and offer kindness like a friend.
But we're always sayin' we don't have the time
Even when others seek help, people often respond by saying they're too busy to lend an ear.
But we really sympathize, maybe another time
People often express sympathy but don't take action to help when others need it.
Don't think about tomorrow Do it while you've got the chance
Lisa encourages people to act now instead of waiting for tomorrow to offer help and kindness.
Sincerity The road we need to travel for a better way of life
Being sincere and helping others is necessary to lead a fulfilling life.
Sincerity An attitude we need to take if we want to survive
In a world where everyone is busy with their own lives, being sincere and offering kindness is what helps people to survive.
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Lisa calls on people to forget about their personal goals for a moment and focus on being sincere and offering help to those in need.
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
She repeats her call for people to be sincere and help others in need.
Come on give me (come on) sincerity
Once again, Lisa calls for people to prioritize sincerity over personal goals.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDY MORRIS, IAN OWEN DEVANEY, LISA JANE STANSFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TEBOPR
Sade, Lisa Stansfield, Lisa Fischer, Anita Baker, Basia...why can't modern artists create magical music like these ladies used to do?
@marinamarinkina6892
Absolutely agree🤝
@ericfelix152
The great producers are no more.
@louiseleite3866
And Tracy Thorn from Everything But The Girl / Corinne from Swing Out Sister ❤
@aboycalledvenus
@@louiseleite3866 Agreed! ...I was gonna mention Corinne and Billy Ray Martin, also.
@nildetecardoso7969
Cá estou eu ouvindo lisa 01 /07/25 top demais ❤
@aboycalledvenus
Lady Lisa! ...Your voice will always wreck me, for as long as this music lives. You are true to the art of class and sophistication. Just sublime to hear you sing live, I truly wish I lived in England just for the chance to see you in person. May God continue in his glory to bless your wonderful and magical heart. The days and nights I have spent listening to this beautiful music and voice. makes me so happy to be alive! Thank you so much. This album is still on rotation in my home. Touching my soul to depths I cannot even describe, still!
@Pete_KPJ
2021 still sounding as fresh as 1990, loved this song and album
@lakeabrown5061
I love this woman. Her music is the truth!
@jimdayhew4070
Revisiting the goodness of Lisa Stansfield. Her voice pierces the heart and mind. Better by the year.