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
This Is the Right Time
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh yeah yeah yeah
Ooh oh oh
Everyone knows, if you don't demand it shows
That you understand the light shining inside us
It's more than tonight, it's forever more, it's right
You know it's all that you'll ever need
'Cause you're seeing love, and seeing it clearly
There's no doubt about it, you just have to shout out
[Chorus]
This is the right time, this is the right time
I can see it in your eye
This is the right time to believe in love
Everyone knows it's a special thing, it's a love
That will never, ever be wrong, 'cause this love is strong
You know it's all that you'll ever need
'Cause you're seeing love, and seeing it clearly
There's no doubt about it, you just have to shout out
[Chorus: x2]
So when you know that there's someone there you want
And you want him so tonight, more than you've ever done anyone
You know it's all that you'll ever need
'Cause you're seeing love, and seeing it clearly
There's no doubt about it, you just have to shout out
[Chorus: x2]
Well do you believe baby
'Cause I believe baby
Do you believe baby
This is the right time, this is the right time
This is the right time to believe in love
This is the right time, this is the right time
This is the right time to believe in love
The song "This Is the Right Time" by Lisa Stansfield is an upbeat, catchy melody that speaks of the moment when you know that you are ready for love. The song encourages listeners to embrace the moment, as it is the perfect time to believe in love. The song starts with Lisa belting out the title phrase, driving home the message that this is the pivotal moment to give in to love.
In the first verse, Lisa sings about the need to demand love, or it will not materialize. She mentions that when there is someone to hold you through the night, it provides comfort and stability; therefore, people must be vigilant to recognize when that special person comes along. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "This is the right time" repeatedly, with Lisa backing up the message by saying that she can see that her lover's eyes are telling her that the time is right to believe in love.
In the second verse, the song speaks of how love is a special force, and that when it is right, it will never be wrong. The bridge of the song then goes on to say that when people know that they have found someone special, it is all that they will ever need. This song conveys a message of hope for people looking for love and of encouragement not to let love slip away.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the right time to believe in love
Now is the perfect moment to have faith in the power of love
Ooh yeah yeah yeah
An exclamation of excitement or agreement
Ooh oh oh
An exclamation of excitement or agreement
Everyone knows, if you don't demand it shows
It is widely known that if you don't push for what you want, it may never happen
That you understand the light shining inside us
You have a deep understanding of the positive energy within yourself and others
It's more than tonight, it's forever more, it's right
This love is not just for a fleeting moment, but for eternity
When there's someone there through the night to hold you close
Having someone to hold you tight throughout the night brings comfort and security
You know it's all that you'll ever need
Love is the only thing you will ever require
'Cause you're seeing love, and seeing it clearly
Your perception of love is unclouded and distinct
There's no doubt about it, you just have to shout out
You are certain about your feelings and need to express them boldly
Everyone knows it's a special thing, it's a love
This type of love is an extraordinary, unique feeling
That will never, ever be wrong, 'cause this love is strong
This love is so powerful that it can never be incorrect
So when you know that there's someone there you want
When you realize that there is someone you desire to be with
And you want him so tonight, more than you've ever done anyone
Your desire for them is so intense tonight that it surpasses any feeling you have experienced before
Well do you believe baby
Asking the question of whether you have faith in love
'Cause I believe baby
Expressing the belief in the power of love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDY MORRIS, IAN OWEN DEVANEY, LISA JANE STANSFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
B.Allen
I luv this woman. Her voice is so beautiful
Lando CalrisiaN
2019 and this song and video is still so intoxicating. Love this era!! Thank you Lisa and your team.
NDittt1
still a breath of fresh air!
Lordcron
Good lord!.... As a teen of the 1980's I didn't pay much attention to what she looked like but now?! Damn! Lisa is fine as all hell! Damn!
The Real Gen X
Same here.
marcos francisco de melo
Linda e canta muito !
LANPartyAnimal
I had forgotten how much I love listening to her. So funky!
chukwu
90s nostalgia at it's best. 💯🔥
theexmann
Great song. Possibly my favorite from her. Though her rendition of Down in the Depths is right up there.
Stony P
Pure pop perfection