Madeline Bell (born 23 July 1942, Newark, New Jersey) is an American soul s… Read Full Bio ↴Madeline Bell (born 23 July 1942, Newark, New Jersey) is an American soul singer, who became famous as a performer in Britain during the 1960s, having arrived from the U.S. in the Gospel show Black Nativity in 1962, with vocal group The Bradford Singers.

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)

Your Smile
Madeline Bell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Your smile is like a sun through clouds shining over me
You can make my heart beat so loud when you touch me
But I wonder do you still love me as much as before
And I wonder do you think of me sometime

In your day, once a day
Oh you stay on my mind
No, I'm not being kind

It's true
I love you

I feel just like a child full of laughter when I'm beside you
And my heart beats even faster there's nothing I can do
But I wonder do you still want me as much as before
Baby [is] I hold you so close in my arms

On that day, [loveful] day
We won't waste any time
Together we'll find

It's you and me
And love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Madeline Bell's song "Your Smile" speak to the singer's deep feelings of love and affection for their significant other. The song describes the way that the singer's partner makes them feel, comparing their smile to "a sun through clouds shining over me." This image conveys a sense of warmth, brightness, and hope, suggesting that their partner's presence brings happiness and light into their life, even in times when things might be difficult or cloudy.

The singer also acknowledges that they sometimes have doubts and worries about their relationship. They wonder if their partner still loves them as much as before and if they think of them often. These lines suggest that the singer has some insecurity about their relationship and is seeking reassurance. However, they also express a deep and enduring love for their partner, saying "I love you" directly.

The song also conveys a sense of playfulness and joy, with the singer describing feeling like a child full of laughter when they are with their partner. This image suggests a deep sense of comfort and safety with their loved one, as well as a sense of innocence and purity in their love.

Line by Line Meaning

Your smile is like a sun through clouds shining over me
Your smile brightens up my day like the sun breaking through the clouds

You can make my heart beat so loud when you touch me
Your touch makes my heart skip a beat and fills me with joy

But I wonder do you still love me as much as before
I have doubts about whether you still love me the way you used to

And I wonder do you think of me sometime
I wonder if you ever think about me or miss me

In your day, once a day
You're always on my mind

Oh you stay on my mind
You occupy my thoughts and are constantly on my mind

No, I'm not being kind
I'm not just saying this to be nice - it's the truth

It's true
What I'm saying is not false, it's the truth

I love you
I have strong feelings of affection and adoration towards you

I feel just like a child full of laughter when I'm beside you
I feel carefree and happy when I'm with you, like a child filled with joy and laughter

And my heart beats even faster there's nothing I can do
My heart beats faster and my feelings for you grow stronger, and I can't help it