Marcella Detroit (born Marcella Levy, June 21, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan) i… Read Full Bio ↴Marcella Detroit (born Marcella Levy, June 21, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan) is a vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. She was a member of the band Shakespears Sister, along with Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama. Detroit's soprano voice provided lead vocals on their biggest hit, Stay, which was No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart for eight weeks in 1992.

While she is best known for her work with Shakespears Sister, she has had a much wider career. She began her career in 1972 playing in Bob Seeger's band. Before long, she was playing in Eric Clapton's band, writing Lay Down Sally for clapton along the way. She has also released four solo pop albums, had a cameo role in Absolutely Fabulous, and added her distinctive voice to tracks by people like Alice Cooper, Arethra Franklin, and even The Simpsons. Her latest project is a the blues album The Upside of Being Down, released as the Marcy Levy Band.

James Brown
Marcella Detroit Lyrics

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(M. Detroit)
Tonight it feels like
The start of World War III
Looks are like arrows
And words are enemies
You with your silly games
And me trying to work it out
Take my hand and lead me down

Cause tonight I feel like James Brown
Now I know how it feels
To be lonely on a stage
Won't your conscience or your humor
Keep you from walking away
It's so hard not to fight
But I think I'll let you
Wear the crown
Take my hand and lead me down
Cause tonight I feel like James Brown
Human nature is blind and thick
It's chewing on this anger
That makes you sick
If we threw away our stones and sticks
What other games we could play
Please leave me some dignity
How low can I bow
Somebody take my hand and lead me down
Cause tonight I feel like James Brown
Somebody help me now
Please............
C'mon
So take my hand
I'm gonna leave you now

Cause tonight I feel like
James Brown

Overall Meaning

In "James Brown," Marcella Detroit sings about the frustration and loneliness that can come with a strained relationship. The lyrics convey a sense of conflict, with the singer feeling like she's in the midst of a battle, with looks like arrows and words like enemies. She's trying to work it all out while her partner plays silly games, and ultimately she feels like she's on a lonely stage, trying to keep her dignity intact.

The James Brown reference comes in the chorus, where the singer declares that she feels like the soul singer, who was famous for his energetic, passionate performances. She knows what it's like to be on a stage, with all eyes on her, but she also knows what it's like to be lonely up there. She implores someone to take her hand and lead her down, acknowledging that she needs help to get through this difficult time.

Line by Line Meaning

Tonight it feels like The start of World War III
The tension between myself and another person feels so intense, it's similar to the start of a global conflict.

Looks are like arrows And words are enemies
The way someone looks at me feels like an attack, and their words hurt just as much.

You with your silly games And me trying to work it out
The other person is being immature and playing games, while I am trying to find a solution.

Take my hand and lead me down Cause tonight I feel like James Brown
I need someone to guide me right now, and I feel like I am in the spotlight, similar to how James Brown performed on stage.

Now I know how it feels To be lonely on a stage
I finally understand what it's like to be alone and vulnerable, like a performer on stage.

Won't your conscience or your humor Keep you from walking away
I hope that the person has enough empathy or a sense of humor to not abandon me right now.

It's so hard not to fight But I think I'll let you Wear the crown
I want to argue so badly, but I will let the other person win this time and feel like they are in charge.

Human nature is blind and thick It's chewing on this anger That makes you sick
Our natural instinct is to hold onto anger and it's consuming us, causing emotional distress.

If we threw away our stones and sticks What other games we could play
If we let go of our anger and bitterness, we could find new ways to interact and communicate.

Please leave me some dignity How low can I bow
I am asking the other person to not completely humiliate me and let me keep my dignity.

Somebody take my hand and lead me down Cause tonight I feel like James Brown
Again, I am asking for someone to help guide me through a difficult situation, and I still feel like I'm in the center of attention.

Somebody help me now Please............ C'mon
I am pleading for someone to assist me right now and urging them to act quickly.

So take my hand I'm gonna leave you now Cause tonight I feel like James Brown
I'm going to walk away from this situation now, but I am still feeling like I am in the spotlight, like James Brown would be on stage.

Contributed by Lillian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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