Born in Washington, D.C., Dyson grew up in Brooklyn, New York where he sang in church choirs. At just 18 years of age, he won a lead part in the Broadway production of Hair, debuting in New York in 1968. Dyson became an iconic voice of the 1960s with the lead vocal in the show's anthem of the hippie era, "Aquarius". It is Dyson's voice leading off the song and opening the show with the famous lyric "When the Moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars..." He made a cameo appearance in the 1979 motion picture version of "Hair", singing "3-5-0-0" with another "Hair" alumnus, Melba Moore.
Dyson also appeared in the 1969 film Putney Swope.
After Hair, Dyson pursued his stage career with a role in Salvation in 1970. His recording of a song from the Salvation score, "(If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?", successfully launched his record career, breaking into the Top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number eight in 1970. The follow-up, "I Don't Wanna Cry", was a strong US R&B seller, climbing to number nine.
In 1971, "When You Get Right Down To It", of which his was a more dramatic cover version of a song that had been a hit the previous year for The Delfonics, made the US charts, and reached number 34 on the UK Singles Chart in December that year.
His record company, Columbia Records, sent him to Philadelphia in 1973 to be produced by Thom Bell, one of the premier producers of the day, for several tracks. Bell's highly orchestrated style suited Dyson with hits including "One Man Band (Plays All Alone)", which reached number 28 on the Hot 100 and number 15 on the R&B chart, and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" peaking at number 60 on the Hot 100 and number 29 on the R&B chart. These appeared on an album which was also made up of re-mixes of some earlier recordings, including "When You Get Right Down To It".
Dyson remained with Columbia working with top-line producers for another three albums, The More You Do It (1976), Love in All Flavors (1977) and If The Shoe Fits (1979). The title track of the first of the three resulted in one of the singer's biggest-selling records, reaching number six on the R&B chart. It was produced by Charles "Chuck" Jackson (half brother of Jesse Jackson and no relation to the more famous singer of the same name who, interestingly enough, recorded for the same company in the '60's) and Marvin Yancy, who had been responsible for successfully launching the career of Natalie Cole with a series of hits. (Jackson and Yancy had also produced hits for a Chicago soul group, The Independents, with whom Jackson was also lead singer.)
In 1986, Dyson also provided the vocals for the song Nola on the She's Gotta Have It soundtrack.
Dyson then moved to an Atlantic Records subsidiary label, the Cotillion Records label, in 1981 for two albums and several singles which were only moderately successful. His acting and singing career had begun to stall in the late 1970s due to ill health, and it was in 1983 that Dyson appeared on the R&B chart for the last time on Cotillion with "All Over Your Face". His final solo recording was "See The Clown" in 1990.
Dyson died at the age of 40 from heart failure in late 1990, in Brooklyn, New York.
A posthumous release on Society Hill Records appeared in 1991, when a duet with Vicki Austin, "Are We So Far Apart (We Can't Talk Anymore)", dented the US R&B chart, reaching number 79 during a five-week run.[5]
MAKE IT WITH YOU
Ronnie Dyson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Really reaching out for the other side?
I may be climbing on a rainbow
But Baby, here goes...
Dreams are for those who sleep
Life is for is for us to keep
I'd like to make it with you
I really think that we can make it, girl
(oh Baby, that's a no-no)
No, you don't know me well
And every little thing only time will tell
And you'll do the things that I'll do
Then we'll see it through
Life can be short or long
Love can be right or wrong
And if I had to choose just one to see me through...
I'd like to make it with you, girl
(Oh Baby, that's a no-no)
I really think that we can make it, girl
(oh Baby, that's a no-no)
Yes, yes, yes!!
Dreams are for those who sleep
Life is for is for us to keep
And if I had to choose just one to see me through...
I'd like to make it with you, girl
(Oh Baby, that's a no-no)
I really think that we can make it, girl
(oh Baby, that's a no-no)
I know, we can make it, girl
(Oh Baby, that's a no-no)
I know, I really think we'll make it, make it
(Oh Baby, that's a no-no)
I know, I really think we'll make it, make it
(And fade)
The lyrics to Ronnie Dyson's song "Make It With You" talks about taking a leap of faith in a relationship and the optimism that comes with it. The song begins with the singer asking if one has ever tried to reach out to the other side, hinting at the need for taking risks in love. The imagery of climbing on a rainbow further emphasizes the idea of following dreams without bounds. Dyson recognizes that life can be unpredictable, and love is not an exemption to its risks. However, he insists that both can be worth fighting for.
Dyson uses repetition throughout the song, using the line "I'd like to make it with you" to emphasize his desire for the relationship to work out. The singer understands that it takes time for them to get to know each other and build a future together. He recognizes that love can be right or wrong and that life can be short or long, but if he had to choose one thing to see him through, it would be making it with his partner. In the chorus, Dyson confirms that he strongly believes in the relationship's success and is optimistic about their future together.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey! Have you ever tried
Hey, have you ever tried to make a connection with someone on the other side? Have you ever tried to understand someone from a completely different background than your own?
Really reaching out for the other side?
Have you ever made a genuine effort to communicate with someone who is unlike you, perhaps to form a friendship or intimate relationship?
I may be climbing on a rainbow
I know that pursuing something as ethereal and perfect as a rainbow may seem unrealistic or strange, but I can't help how I feel.
But Baby, here goes...
Despite my reservations, I am willing to take a chance on you.
Dreams are for those who sleep
People only dream when they are asleep, but if we want to make something of our lives and build a meaningful relationship, we have to be awake and put in the work.
Life is for us to keep
We have a limited amount of time to live our lives, so we need to make the most of it and enjoy every moment.
And if you're wondering what this all is leading to...
If you're curious about where this relationship is going, I want to make it clear that I want to build something meaningful with you.
I'd like to make it with you
I want to be with you and build something strong and lasting together.
I really think that we can make it, girl
I have confidence in our ability to build something great together.
(oh Baby, that's a no-no)
I know that some people might not approve of our relationship, but I don't care. I want to be with you.
No, you don't know me well
I know that we are just getting to know each other, and there is a lot we still need to learn about one another.
And every little thing only time will tell
We can't predict the future or know for sure how this relationship will turn out. We will have to wait and see what happens.
And you'll do the things that I'll do
As we get to know each other better, we will start to adopt each other's mannerisms and do things in similar ways.
Then we'll see it through
Once we begin to build our relationship and get to know each other better, we will work together to overcome any obstacles that come our way.
Life can be short or long
Life can be unpredictable and we never know how much time we have, so we should live in the moment and take risks while we can.
Love can be right or wrong
Love can sometimes be a gamble, and it's not always easy to tell whether the person we care for is the right one for us.
And if I had to choose just one to see me through...
If I had to choose just one person to be with for the rest of my life, it would be you.
Yes, yes, yes!!
I am excited and enthusiastic about starting a relationship with you.
I know, we can make it, girl
I am confident that we can build a strong and meaningful relationship together.
I know, I really think we'll make it, make it
I believe that we are meant to be together and that our relationship will be successful.
(And fade)
The song gradually fades away, suggesting that the relationship will continue to grow and develop over time.
Contributed by Parker B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.