Stephanie Mills first came to fame as "the little girl with the big voice" as the star of the hit Broadway play, The Wiz, an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic book, The Wizard Of Oz. She had many R&B hits such as "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love," "I Feel Good All Over," "(You're Puttin') A Rush On Me," "Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel)" and "Home" along with one certified million selling single, "Never Knew Love Like This Before." In addition, she also had five gold albums: Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin', Sweet Sensation, Stephanie, If I Were Your Woman and Home.
Mills honed her rich vocals singing gospel music at Brooklyn's Cornerstone Baptist Church as a small child. At age 9, she began appearing in the Broadway play Maggie Flynn. She was presented with first prize after winning "The Amateur Hour" talent contest six weeks straight at New York's famed Apollo Theater when she was nine. That success led to her being chosen as the opening act for The Isley Brothers, eventually becoming good friends with lead singer Ronald Isley. Many years later, Isley would manage and later marry singer/songwriter Angela Winbush, who co-wrote one of her number one R&B hits. Mills' début album, Movin' In The Right Direction was recorded for ABC Records in 1974. A year later, she won the role of Dorothy in The Wiz. Her rendition of the beautiful ballad "Home" was a showstopper, mesmerizing audiences nightly for a number of years. The original cast recording of The Wiz was produced by Jerry Wexler and issued by Atlantic Records in spring 1975. Curiously, when The Wiz was made into a full length feature film by Motown Records' film division and Universal Pictures, Diana Ross played the role of Dorothy instead of Mills. The film ended up being a major flop.
Singer Jermaine Jackson referred Mills to Motown head Berry Gordy, who signed her to the label. Her Motown debut was For the First Time, written and produced by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, being issued in October 1976. For the First Time is a sweet affair with Mills convincingly covering Bacharach/David standards, most of which were originally recorded by Dionne Warwick. In 1978, she signed to 20th Century Records and was teamed with the hit production duo of James Mtume — later leader of Mtume, who had a gold single with "Juicy Fruit" — and Reggie Lucas. Her first LP for the label, Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin', went gold, going to number 12 R&B and number 22 pop on Billboard's charts in summer 1979 and spawned the singles, "Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'" and "You Can Get Over." Her next LP, Sweet Sensation (#3 R&B, #16 Pop, spring 1980) yielded "Sweet Sensation," "Never Knew Love Like This Before," and the radio-aired LP track, "Try My Love." Around this time, she briefly married former Soul Train dancer Jeffrey Daniels of the group Shalamar. Next came the LP titled Stephanie in spring 1981, which also was a huge hit, peaking at #3 R&B and #30 Pop. The album included notable songs such as "Two Hearts" — a midtempo duet with Teddy Pendergrass — "Night Games" and the radio-aired LP cut, "Don't Stop Doin' What Cha Do."
In 1981, Mills switched to Neil Bogart's Casablanca Records. Her LPs for the label included Tantalizingly Hot, Merciless and I've Got The Cure. During 1983, she had her own NBC-TV daytime talk show and reprised on role in a Broadway revival of The Wiz. She also signed with MCA Records, where she released her Stephanie Mills album.
The first single from the Stephanie Mills album was "Stand Back," in late 1985, which also included the passionate ballad "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love." "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love" was initially written by Rene Moore and Angela Winbush — best known as the hit singing duo Rene & Angela — as a gospel song and originally was recorded by Alton McClain and Destiny on their self-titled 1978 Polydor LP. The original version is available on Polygram's Power of Love: Best of Soul Essentials Ballads. Because of its massive radio play as an album track, Mills' version of "I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love, — produced by Philly Soul keyboardist Ron Kersey — was reissued as an A side holding the #1 R&B spot for two weeks in spring 1986. Its follow-up, "Rising Desire" reached #11 R&B in summer 1986.
Her next LP's title cut was the Clay McMurray/Gloria Jones/Pam Sawyer song, "If I Were Your Woman," originally a 1971 #1 R&B, #9 Pop smash for Gladys Knight and the Pips. Philly-based producer Nick Martinelli gave Mills her second #1 R&B hit with "I Feel Good All Over," written by husband and wife songwriting duo, Gabriel Hardeman and Annette Hardeman. The song held the #1 R&B spot for three weeks in spring 1987. Originally submitted to Mills' fellow MCA labelmate Patti Labelle by the Hardemans, the track was included on Mills' LP If I Were Your Woman, issued June 1987 and peaked at #30 Pop in summer 1987. Paul Laurence produced and co-wrote with Timmy Allen the chugging '"(You're Putting) a Rush On Me" giving the singer her third #1 R&B hit in fall 1987. The single made it to #85 Pop and was followed by "Secret Lady," which landed at #7 R&B in late 1987. Her covers of "If I Were Your Woman" and "Where Is The Love" followed. All were included on her If I Were Your Woman album, which peaked at #1 R&B, #30 Pop in summer 1987. Following these hits, Mills contacted Ronald Isley about working with singer/songwriter/producer Angela Winbush who had hits as half of Rene and Angela and was forging a hit-filled career as a recording artist and producer for the group Body among others. The collaboration between Mills and Winbush resulted in another #1 R&B single, "Something In The Way You Make Me Feel," in summer 1989.
Having starred for five years in the smash Broadway show The Wiz and recorded the song "Home for the play's 1975 original cast soundtrack album, she wanted to record the song again as a posthumous tribute to the play's producer, Ken Harper, and the song's composer, Charlie Smalls. On her new version of "Home," Take 6 sung the background vocals. The song went to #1 R&B in late 1989 and was followed by "Comfort Of A Man" and "Real Love." The Home LP ended up peaking at #5 R&B, #82 Pop in summer 1989. She then recorded a charting single with J.T. Taylor titled "Heart To Heart" in late 1991. Her final MCA album, Something Real included the hit "All Day All Night" and "Never Do Wrong." Following this album, she recorded a gospel album, Personal Inspirations, for Interscope Records and recorded several tracks at Philadelphia International Records with Bunny Sigler among others in the late '90s.
After a hiatus from recording Mills returned with sixteenth album, "Born For This" in 2004. It includes the singles "Can't Let Him Go" and "Healing Time." Mills is currently working on her seventeenth album titled "Breathless." The lead single chosen is a song called, "Yesterday."
What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'
Stephanie Mills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, I'm wishin'
Boy, I got my eyes on you
This mystery is thrillin'
I'm not sure just what to do
Ooh, hoo, hoo, this oasis
Touchin' gently
Feel the love in me
Tell me what cha gonna do with my lovin'
I'm crazy a??bout your smilin' eyes
What cha gonna do with my lovin'
Please don't make me fantasize
What cha gonna do with my lovin'
Tell me now, oh
(Doo, doo, doo, doo)
So hard lovin' daydreams
All my pleasures make believe
But with you as my daydream
I never want to leave
Ooh, ooh, ooh, this feeling
Shines like a precious jewel
And here if you want
All my love is for you
Tell me what cha gonna do with my lovin'
I'm crazy a??bout your smilin' eyes
What cha gonna do with my lovin'
Please don't make me fantasize
What cha gonna do with my lovin'
Tell me now, oha?tell me now
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do) Come on
(What cha gonna do) Tell me
Come on (Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?), tell me
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do) What cha gonna do
(What cha gonna do) Tell me
Come on (Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?) tell me, tell me, oha?
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do) Baby
(What cha gonna do) What cha gonna do with my lovin', yeah
(Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?) Oh, tell me, baby
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do)
(Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?)
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do) What you gonna do, baby
(What cha gonna do) What you gonna do
(Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?) Hey, oh
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do) Come on, tell me, baby
(What cha gonna do) Come on, tell me
(Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?) Tell me, baby
Tell me what you gonna do with all my lovin', hey, hey, hey, hey
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do) Tell me
(What cha gonna do) What you gonna do
(Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?) What you gonna do with my lovin'
Come on, tell me, what cha gonna do, hey
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do) What you gonna do
(What cha gonna do) Tell me, come on, come on, come on tell
(Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?) All you got to do is tell me
What cha gonna do, oha?oha?
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do) Eee, hee, hee, yeah
(Ah, ah, ah, ha, ha, ah, ah, ah, aha?) Tell me, are you ready to tell me, tell me, baby, hey
(What cha gonna do, what cha gonna do)
(What cha gonna do)
The lyrics to Stephanie Mills’s “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'” convey a message of affection, longing, and uncertainty. The singer seems to be enraptured by a person, but uncertain of how they feel, and uncertain of what their next moves will be. The opening lines of the song “I’m wishin’ / Boy I got my eyes on you / This mystery is thrillin’ / I’m not sure just what to do” express this sense of wonder, excitement, and hesitation all at once. The singer then goes on to describe how the “oasis” she’s found in this person’s arms is no mirage, as she feels their touch gently and feels the love inside her.
Throughout the song, the singer invites the object of her affection to make a move or to express how they feel. She makes it clear that she’s “crazy ‘bout your smilin’ eyes” and doesn’t want to be left fantasizing about what could be. The repeated refrain “tell me what cha gonna do with my lovin'” drives home this desire for action and clarity, with the singer asking for a definite answer to her question. The song ends on this note of anticipation and ambiguity, with the singer repeating the refrain and asking for an answer.
Overall, the lyrics to “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'” are a moving expression of romantic longing and the desire for clear communication. They convey the universal experience of falling for someone and not quite knowing how they feel or how to proceed.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, I'm wishin'
I am wishing
Boy, I got my eyes on you
I have my eyes on you, boy
This mystery is thrillin'
This mystery is thrilling
I'm not sure just what to do
I am not sure what to do
Ooh, hoo, hoo, this oasis
This oasis is exciting
Is no mirage to me
It is real and not an illusion to me
Touchin' gently
Touching gently
Feel the love in me
Feel the love within me
Tell me what cha gonna do with my lovin'
Tell me, what are you going to do with my love
I'm crazy a??bout your smilin' eyes
I am crazy about your smiling eyes
Please don't make me fantasize
Please do not make me fantasize
Tell me now, oh
Tell me now
So hard lovin' daydreams
My daydreams about love are intense
All my pleasures make believe
All my pleasures are imaginary
But with you as my daydream
But with you as my fantasy
I never want to leave
I never want to leave this fantasy
Ooh, ooh, ooh, this feeling
This feeling is amazing
Shines like a precious jewel
It is as valuable as a precious jewel
And here if you want
And it is here if you want it
All my love is for you
All my love belongs to you
Come on, tell me
Come on and tell me
What cha gonna do with my lovin'
What are you going to do with my love
Hey, oh
Hey, oh
All you got to do is tell me
All you need to do is tell me
What cha gonna do
What are you going to do
Eee, hee, hee, yeah
Eee, hee, hee, yeah
Tell me, are you ready to tell me, tell me, baby, hey
Tell me, are you ready to tell me, tell me, baby, hey
What you gonna do
What are you going to do
Come on, come on, come on tell
Come on, tell me
All you got to do is tell me
All you need to do is tell me
Tell me, baby
Tell me, baby
What cha gonna do, oha? oha?
What are you going to do, oha? oha?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Reggie Lucas, James Mtume
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nett1200z
This woman is a legend who never gets mentioned with the divas and that's a shame. Steph been killing it. Forever a queen.
@vicxcertified1215
What do you mean? She is one of the "divas" lol. What crowd you know that doesn't mention Stephanie as one of the 80s divas...
@stephaniemills_fanpage
She is mentioned..She is one of the divas of the 80s lol
@codymann6152
@@vicxcertified1215 Right!!
@codymann6152
She gets mentioned . Relax . She good.
@geraldrhymes3632
Your right she doesn't
@lilliandale4470
Maybe she never received the fame
she deserved, but she’s a legend in
her own way. Her music continues
to live on with that unusual voice.
@shirleybutler2623
OMG Lillian You just hit a homerun with those comments 🎯I'm soooooo happy I grew up on this magical sound so grateful to have lived through this era of beautiful music this kind of music will never go out of style and the lyrics that yank ur heartstrings for decades 💖💖 Do U Agree?? This is what true talented sounds like 🎯Still listening how about June 14 2022
@johngulick5629
We know she will rock it out like no other, RIP sweet Stephanie
@rayedel1975
@@johngulick5629 WTH?!?!?! Stephanie is NOT dead!!!