She worked as a session singer, most notably backing for Dusty Springfield, and can be found on early Donna Summer material as well. Her first major solo hit was a cover version of Dee Dee Warwick's single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", which performed better on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart than the original.
Madeline then joined contemporary pop combo Blue Mink, with whom she had a number of Top 20 hits with Philips Records in the UK, including "Melting Pot", "Our World", "Randy", "Banner Man", "Good Morning Freedom", "Sunday", "By The Devil I Was Tempted" and "Stay With Me". Before joining Blue Mink in late 1969 she sang solo, and her cover version of "Picture Me Gone" is still a Northern Soul favourite today, as is "What Am I Supposed To Do", from 1968, a two-minute B-side tune co-written with future Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones, then working as one of London's most in-demand session bassists (Bell also sang backup on Joe Cocker's Bye Bye Blackbird in 1969, which featured a guitar solo from another Led Zeppelin member, Jimmy Page) Jones later arranged, produced and recorded Bell's 1973 RCA album Comin' Atcha. She also contributed to the soundtrack of the romance film A Touch of Class (1973).
Bell has also provided backing vocals on a number of other artists' recordings notably Tom Parker's neo-classical arrangements and in 1975 performed with Sunny and Sue (originally members of Brotherhood of Man) at the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, Sweden, providing backing vocals for the German entry Ein Lied Kann Eine Brücke Sein performed by Joy Fleming. In 1976 she sang backing vocals on "We can't go on meeting like this", the second album by the band Hummingbird.
Since the 1970s, Madeline Bell has continued singing solo and also performed in a number of stage shows. She lives in Spain with her husband, drummer Barry Reeves, and regularly tours Europe singing jazz and popular songs. In 1982, she added background vocals to the fantasy film Alicja. She then again teamed up with John Paul Jones in 1985, contributing performances ("Take It or Leave It" and "Here I Am") to the soundtrack album Scream for Help.
Solo discography:
Bell's a Poppin (1967)
Doin' Things (1968)
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (1968)
Comin' Atcha (1973)
This Is One Girl (1976)
Beat out That Rhythm on a Drum (1998)
Blessed (2000)
MAKE IT WITH YOU
Madeline Bell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Really reaching out for the other side?
I may be climbing on rainbows
But baby, here goes
Dreams are for those who sleep
Life is for us to keep
And if you're wondering what this song is leading to,
I'd like to make it with you
I really think that we could make it, girl
Though you don't know me well
With every little thing only time will tell
If you believe the things that I do,
Then we'll see it through
Life can be short or long
Love can be right or wrong
And if I chose the one I'd like to help me through
I'd like to make it with you
I really think that we can make it, girl
Baby you know that dreams are for those who sleep
Life is for us to keep
And if I chose the one I'd like to help me through
I'd like to make it with you
I really think that we can make it, girl
In Madeline Bell's song Make It With You, the lyrics convey the idea of taking a risk and putting oneself out there to make a connection with someone. The singer asks if the listener has ever tried reaching out to the other side, possibly referring to the other side of a relationship or of oneself. The lyrics show vulnerability as the singer admits to climbing on rainbows, a whimsical image that suggests the risks we take when pursuing a dream. The lyrics contrast the notion of dreaming with the idea that life is for us to keep, emphasizing the importance of taking action and making things happen.
The singer suggests that if the listener believes in the things that she does, they can make it together. This implies the importance of trust and shared values in a relationship. The idea that life and love can be short or long, right or wrong, adds to the sense of risk and uncertainty that is inherent in any relationship. However, the singer believes that making a connection with someone is worth the risk, and she expresses a desire to make it with the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey have you ever tried
Have you ever attempted to do something that seems impossible?
Really reaching out for the other side?
Have you ever tried to achieve something that is beyond your reach?
I may be climbing on rainbows
I may be pursuing something that is unlikely to happen.
But baby, here goes
But now I am going to try anyway.
Dreams are for those who sleep
Dreams only come true for people who take action and work towards them.
Life is for us to keep
Life is a precious gift that we should cherish and make the most of.
And if you're wondering what this song is leading to,
If you're curious about the meaning behind this song,
I'd like to make it with you
I want to build a future with you and create something meaningful.
I really think that we could make it, girl
I am confident that we can achieve our goals together.
Though you don't know me well
Even though you and I are still getting to know each other,
With every little thing only time will tell
We can only find out if we are meant to be together over time and through our actions.
If you believe the things that I do,
If you share my beliefs and values,
Then we'll see it through
Then we can work together to make our dreams come true.
Life can be short or long
Life can be unpredictable in its duration.
Love can be right or wrong
Love can bring joy or heartache.
And if I chose the one I'd like to help me through
And if I had to choose someone to support me,
I'd like to make it with you
I'd choose you as my partner to work towards our shared dreams.
Baby you know that dreams are for those who sleep
You know that we have to work hard to make our dreams come true.
Life is for us to keep
We should make the most of our time and opportunities in life.
And if I chose the one I'd like to help me through
And if I had to choose someone to support me,
I'd like to make it with you
I'd choose you to be my partner in pursuing our dreams and creating a future together.
I really think that we can make it, girl
I have faith in our ability to achieve our goals together.
Contributed by Zachary L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.