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 Real Thing
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never mind the when and the why
Got a feeling higher than high
This is the real thing
This is the real thing
No more living in shame
And I'm not gonna run or gonna hide away
It's been too long
No more living in chains
No, I don't give a damn what the people say
There's no use holding back desire
We've burnt our fingers now lets jump into the flames
Never mind the stars in the sky
Never mind the when and the why
Got a feeling higher than high
This is the real thing
Never mind the rain and the storm
We'll keep each other warm
We got something stronger than strong
This is the real thing
Gonna walk out hand in hand
So let them criticise 'cos they don't understand
We've got nothing to hide
It's just love
I've had enough of shy
So let's go out and show them what we have inside
There's no use holding back desire
We've burnt our fingers now let's jump into tho fire
Never mind the stars in the sky
Never mind the when and the why
Got a feeling higher than high
This is the real thing
Never mind the rain and the storm
We'll keep each other warm
We got something stronger than strong
This is the real thing
(Never mind the stars in the sky) Never mind them baby
(Never mind the when and the why) Never mind, never mind
(Never mind the stars in the sky) Oh hoo baby
'Cause I've got a feeling that's higher than high
Oh, what you do to me, baby
Oh, what you do to me, baby
This is the real thing
Never mind the stars in the sky
Never mind the when and the why
Got a feeling higher than high
This is the real thing
Never mind the rain and the storm
We'll keep each other warm
We got something stronger than strong
This is the real thing
(Never mind the stars in the sky)
(Never mind the when and the why) What you do, what yo do
(Never mind the stars in the sky) Keep doing it, doing it
'Cause I've got a feeling that's higher than high
Never mind the stars in the sky
Never mind the when and the why
Got a feeling higher than high
Never mind what people may say
They can't take this away
Let them try, I say hey
This is the real thing
The song "The Real Thing" by English singer Lisa Stansfield is a triumphant anthem about breaking free from societal expectations and embracing one's true desires. The lyrics encourage listeners to ignore external pressures and inhibitions and follow their hearts. The lines "No more living in shame" and "No more telling all those lies" suggest a long history of suppression before the singer finally embraces their true desires. The repeated refrain "This is the real thing" underscores the singer's conviction in the authenticity and purity of their emotions. The lines "Never mind what people may say/They can't take this away" validate the importance of a personal connection in the face of judgment and criticism.
The tone of the song is celebratory and joyful, with a driving beat and upbeat melody that propel the lyrics forward. The repetition of the phrase "never mind" throughout the song suggests a carefree attitude and a rejection of negative thoughts. The song ends with an exultant verse that celebrates the singer's confidence and the freedom to love without fear.
Line by Line Meaning
Never mind the stars in the sky
Forget about the universe and its mysteries
Never mind the when and the why
Forget about the past and the reasons behind it
Got a feeling higher than high
Experiencing a level of emotion unparalleled by anything else
This is the real thing
This moment is genuine and authentic
No more living in shame
No more being embarrassed or guilty about who we are
And I'm not gonna run or gonna hide away
I'm not going to escape from the person I am
No more telling all those lies
The era of falsehood is over
It's been too long
This behavior was practiced for too many years
No more living in chains
No more confinement or oppression
No, I don't give a damn what the people say
I'm not concerned about the judgments of others
There's no use holding back desire
There is no benefit in suppressing our longings
We've burnt our fingers now lets jump into the flames
We're willing to take risks and make mistakes because we've already been hurt
Never mind the rain and the storm
Ignore the bad weather
We'll keep each other warm
We'll support each other and provide comfort
We got something stronger than strong
Our bond is unbreakable
Gonna walk out hand in hand
We will exit together, side by side
So let them criticise 'cos they don't understand
Let's not be bothered by those who don't comprehend our relationship
We've got nothing to hide
There are no secrets between us
It's just love
Our affection for each other is simple
I've had enough of shy
I'm tired of being timid
So let's go out and show them what we have inside
Let's express our inner selves to the world
Never mind what people may say
Ignore the opinions of others
They can't take this away
They cannot diminish what we possess
Let them try, I say hey
They can attempt, but it won't succeed
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IAN OWEN DEVANEY, LISA JANE STANSFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@seth1455
All around the world
All Woman
Change
Give me just a little more love
Set your loving free
So natural
The real thing
This is the right time
Time to make you mine
What did I do to you
You can't deny it
Someday i'm coming back
People hold on
There are probably more, that I can't recall
The "best ever" is subjective, but it's a pretty good list of quality music
@n7st591
OUT.OF.THE.BOX.ROBOT :
I think you miss the point.
Tina (Teena) Marie, DID NOT sing Northern Soul genre.
Lisa Stansfield, put Northern Soul on the map in the United States and made it sound authentic and true. You can’t vocally riff Northern Soul the same way you could Motown Soul. It would not come out right if you tried. Northern Soul, is its own unique signature with its own tonal dialect.
Nobody epitomizes Northern Soul the way Lisa Stansfield has over the decades.
Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Mariah Carey, Stephanie Mills and Heather Headley, are just four (4) of the highest quality female pop vocals ever recorded. Yet absolutely NONE OF THEM could ever do Northern Soul justice, the way Lisa Stansfield did it.
Lisa Stansfield WAS Northern Soul defined. She made it popular in the United States. She redefined it as something unique and only Lisa Stansfield makes Northern Soul “cool” to listen to.
You can’t sing this like American Soul. I won’t come out right. It would come off over cooked and over baked. If you brought full blown Motown Soul annunciation and articulation to Northern Soul, it would simply be too much for the vessel.
Northern Soul requires smoother transitions and a continuous flowing connection between words and phrases that full blown American Soul would overheat and smoke out with its slower transitions and highly variable inflections. You can’t do that. It would be like trying to output Beethoven’s 5th in G using a 4:4 beat and then varying the Time Signature in the middle of the of the melody.
@JohnJoannou-xq5rq
Who's listening to this 24K gold classic in 2024?
@pauljackson7319
Absolutely ❤️❤️
@nurima.a
💓 February 2024
@mistergroove3041
Me march 2024
@user-eh8zq1vi4e
I saw her in concert in the eighties. She is my girl forever. She is smoke and heat. She is sultry blonde. I have had a thing for her since I first heard her in the eighties. She is sexy cool. Canadian Grandma Lori. C.
@nickhaswell6011
This girl dominated the 90s and boy was she good, hit after hit
And what a voice
Queen of the 90s
@raymondthomas1574
Lies Whitney Houston did that not her
@Fat_Dragon_84
@@raymondthomas1574 Whitney smokes crack
@user-eh8zq1vi4e
She was my sister in the 80s as well. Check out "Been around the world" her first cross over hit we all went crazy for in the 80s on the dance floor at the clubs Canadian Grandma. Lori. C.
@nickhaswell6011
@@user-eh8zq1vi4e i will check that out thanks