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
The Line
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I almost start to cry
Blinded by the sun I'm trying to hold onto
The very last of precious time
Then I start to thinking what a mess we're making
And it won't get better by & by
Well we can paint it up and make it pretty but
[Chorus:]
We cannot overstep
We cannot overstep the
We cannot overstep the line
So many baby's arms with nothing to hold onto
But just a precious flake of life
You think you care about them
They think you care about them
But thinking's only wasting time
If we really want to say the things we want to
It takes a bigger man to try
Well we can paint it up and make it pretty but
We cannot overstep the line
(Chorus)
Well politicians sit and pretend they give a shit while
Little men go out to die
The only arms they're hugging are the ones they're running
Later to be justified
I say I don't mind
You say you don't mind
But what about the babies and what about the sunshine
Well we can paint it up and make it pretty but
We cannot overstep the line
(Chorus)
Say I don't mind
You say you don't mind
But what about the babies and what about the sunshine
Well we can point it up and make it pretty but
We cannot overstep the line
(Chorus)
In Lisa Stansfield's song "The Line", she contemplates the state of the world and the consequences of human actions. As she looks to the sky and thinks about her future, she feels overwhelmed and on the verge of tears. She acknowledges the mess that humanity has made and the fact that our situation will not improve if we continue down the same path. Although it may be tempting to try and cover up the damage we have done, we cannot hide the truth or deny the consequences. The chorus, "we cannot overstep the line", serves as a warning to listeners that there are limits to what we can do without causing irreparable harm.
Stansfield also touches on the issue of inequality, specifically referencing "baby's arms" as a symbol of innocence and vulnerability. She suggests that people may claim to care about those less fortunate, but in reality, their actions do not match their words. The song also critiques politicians and leaders who claim to care about their constituents but ultimately send them to war and justify their deaths. Stansfield urges listeners to think about the impact of their actions, especially on future generations.
Line by Line Meaning
I look at the sky to where my future's lying
I am contemplating my future.
And I almost start to cry
My future seems uncertain and I am almost emotional about it.
Blinded by the sun I'm trying to hold onto
Despite being distracted, I am trying to hold onto my identity.
The very last of precious time
I have limited time to make decisions about my future.
Then I start to thinking what a mess we're making
I reflect on the impact of our actions and how it affects us all.
And it won't get better by & by
I fear that the situation will not improve anytime soon.
Well we can paint it up and make it pretty but
We can try to make things look better, but...
We cannot overstep the line
We cannot cross the line and compromise our values and beliefs.
So many baby's arms with nothing to hold onto
So many people have nothing to hold onto for comfort and hope.
But just a precious flake of life
The only thing they cling to is the precious gift of life.
You think you care about them
You claim to care about those people,
They think you care about them
But the people feel neglected and unimportant.
But thinking's only wasting time
Merely thinking about a problem won't solve it.
If we really want to say the things we want to
If we truly desire to express ourselves,
It takes a bigger man to try
It takes great courage to speak up and take action.
Well we can paint it up and make it pretty but
We can try to make things look better, but...
We cannot overstep the line
We cannot compromise our values and beliefs.
(Chorus)
We must not cross the line.
Well politicians sit and pretend they give a shit while
Politicians only pretend to care while
Little men go out to die
The common people are the ones who suffer and die in wars.
The only arms they're hugging are the ones they're running
The arms of death embrace them as they run into wars.
Later to be justified
Their deaths may be rationalized afterward, but it is too late for them.
I say I don't mind
I may act like I don't care,
You say you don't mind
But you also pretend that you don't care.
But what about the babies and what about the sunshine
What about the people who are always affected by our actions?
Well we can paint it up and make it pretty but
We can try to make things look better, but...
We cannot overstep the line
We must not cross the line of ethical reasoning.
(Chorus)
We must not cross the line.
Say I don't mind
I may act like I don't care,
You say you don't mind
But you also pretend that you don't care.
But what about the babies and what about the sunshine
What about the people who are always affected by our actions?
Well we can point it up and make it pretty but
We can try to make things look better, but...
We cannot overstep the line
We must not cross the line and compromise our values and beliefs.
(Chorus)
We must not cross the line.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN OWEN DEVANEY, LISA JANE STANSFIELD, T. GAMWELLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cylotron5447
I was a DJ for many years and played the hell out of the "Loop Da Loop" remixes of this track, especially the speed garage remix. After all this time... this is now the 1st time I have ever heard the original. 😅
@daliapiper4603
I love this song! 💜💜
@babarockyofthebronx22
Cool, Industrial Video, Lisa's Courageous To Perform In This Type Of Setting, Most Women Wouldn't Do It, Go Lisa👍💯
@carmenrivasmaximusdenis2129
One of the best singer in the world
@deeglencairn2598
a sassy side of Lisa we don’t see very often. Incredible vibe to this tune 😎
@KittyCatFurbabiesMaria1972
Love this song soooo much , my fave LS song x
@user-gn5kx6ut2t
Гармония красоты и великолепного голоса!!!
@avalong8540
Here she looks amazing!
@reginepoulina2640
Love her she is beautiful. Super voice.
@ReneFranco86
She looks so good here