The Dells grew up in Harvey, Illinois and began singing together while attending Thornton Township High School. Forming in 1952 under the name the El-Rays, the group initially consisted of Marvin Junior, Mickey McGill, Lucius McGill, Verne Allison, Chuck Barksdale, and Johnny Funches. Lucius soon left the group and the remaining quintet signed with Checker Records, releasing their first single, "Darling I Know," which flopped.
In 1955, the group renamed themselves the Dells and signed with Vee-Jay Records. In 1956, they recorded their first hit, "Oh, What a Nite" (a song co-written by Johnny Funches, who also sang lead on the recording alongside Marvin Junior), which hit the Top 5 of the R&B singles chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song is ranked #260 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In November 1958, the Dells suffered a car accident that left McGill in a hospital in Ohio for six months. The group temporarily disbanded and Barksdale sang as a member of Harvey Fuqua's spinoff Moonglows act, Harvey and the Moonglows, which included a young Marvin Gaye. In 1961, the Dells reunited and auditioned for Dinah Washington. After Washington agreed to hire them, Johnny Funches left the group to take care of his family. Funches was replaced by Flamingos founding member Johnny Carter and sang background for Washington for two years. In 1966, they were hired to open for Ray Charles, only to be fired after a performance resulted in several standing ovations. The group would also sing background for Barbara Lewis, mainly on Lewis' 1963 hit, "Hello Stranger", while also working with Quincy Jones, who helped to fine-tune their vocals for standards and jazz material.
In 1966, the Dells returned to Chess under the label's Cadet subsidiary working with Bobby Miller and future Earth, Wind & Fire arranger Charles Stepney. In 1967, the Dells issued the album There Is which included their first R&B chart-topper in years with the title track, which showcased the sharp baritone of Marvin Junior and the harmonies with the four other Dells. The song was also their first top 20 pop hit.
Subsequent R&B hits included "Wear It on Our Face," "Always Together" (Top 20 Pop, "I Can Sing a Rainbow - Love is Blue (medley)" (UK #15), and their first #1 R&B hit and first Top Ten pop hit, 1968's "Stay in My Corner," which reached #10 on the pop chart and showcased both Carter and Marvin in lead vocals. In the following year, 1969, The Dells' soulful remake of their debut hit, "Oh What a Night" gave the group their second chart-topping R&B single and also reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. For a second time, the song sold over a million copies. Subsequent hits included "Open Up My Heart," "Oh What A Day," and "On the Dock of the Bay." In 1971, the Dells' "The Love We Had Stays on My Mind" became another Top Ten hit on the R&B charts, also reaching the pop Top 30. By this time Charles Stepney had taken over production duties from Bobby Miller. 1973's "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation" was their third certified gold record. The song was written by L.V. Johnson and produced by Don Davis.
Leaving Cadet around the end of 1974 with the parent company in financial difficulties, the group would continue recording in order under the Mercury, ABC, and Virgin labels finding some hits, including 1980's "I Touched a Dream", which returned the group to the top 40 on the R&B charts. The Dells were confined mostly to the oldies market afterwards until they were asked to be creative consultants to Robert Townsend's acclaimed 1991 film, The Five Heartbeats, which was loosely based on the lives of The Dells and other groups of its era. The group recorded a composition titled "A Heart Is a House for Love". The song reached number 13 on the Billboard R&B chart, making them only one of two groups to have hit singles in five decades. The following year, signing with PIR, they released the album, I Salute You. The Dells continued performing and recording sporadically in the early years of the new millennium. In 2004, the group were inducted to both the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The group continued performing until 2012.
Original Dells vocalist Johnny Funches died of pneumonia on January 23, 1998, at the age of 62.
Johnny Carter died of cancer on August 21, 2009, at the age of 75. Carter is one of the few artists to be a double Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, having been inducted with The Flamingos in 2001, and the Dells in 2004.
On May 29, 2013, founding member Marvin Junior died in his sleep at his home in Harvey, Illinois, succumbing to complications of kidney failure and a weak heart at the age of 77.
Chuck Barksdale died on 15 May 2019, at the age of 83.
Members
Marvin Junior (born Marvin Curtis Junior, January 31, 1936, Harrell, Arkansas – May 29, 2013) - lead baritone, lead vocals (1952-1958, 1960–2012)
Verne Allison (b. June 22, 1936, Chicago) - second tenor, background vocals (1952-1958, 1960-2012)
Mickey McGill (b. February 17, 1937, Chicago) - baritone, background vocals (1952–1958, 1960-2012)
Chuck Barksdale (January 11, 1935 - May 15, 2019) - bass, background vocals (1952–1958, 1960-2012)
Johnny Funches (July 18, 1935, Chicago – January 23, 1998) - first tenor, lead vocals (1952–58, 1960-1961)
Lucius McGill (b. 1935, Chicago) - second tenor, background vocals (1952–54)
Johnny Carter (June 2, 1934, Chicago – August 21, 2009) - first tenor/falsetto, lead vocals (1961–2009)
A Heart Is A House For Love
The Dells Lyrics
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And I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to build it up. (Build it up.)
Build it up, build it up, build it up.
Ooh
Two wrongs don't make it right,
But too long was the night I kept you guessing.
It's all I can do, (All I can do.)
Now I see that the wonder of devotion,
It doesn't, it doesn't come free.
A heart is a house for love
And I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to break.
A heart is a house for love
And I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to build it up.
Oh
Today I understand,
I'll pay the price to be all the man you need.
You know you got to be free.
(Go find your way.) Go find your way,
Find your way back to me.
Now I see (I see) that the wonder of devotion,
It doesn't, it doesn't come free.
A heart is a house for love
And I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to break.
A heart is a house for love
And I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to build it up. Build it up.
A heart is a house for love
And I learned, I learned, I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to break.
A heart is a house for love, hey, hey, hey.
I learned that it don't take much to build it up.
Build it up, build it up, build it up.
Oh, yeah.
Build it up, build it up, build it up (Mm)
Build it up together either near or far.
(Oh, oh, oh)
Build a house full of hearts to stand it all.
Is there a heart,
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
Stand up. (Stand up)
Stand up, let me know.
Let me know that you understand.
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
You got to have love (You got to have love.)
Love in your heart tonight.
Build it up together and then it won't fall.
Build it up.
Build a house full of hearts to withstand it all.
Two hearts are better than one.
Build it up together and then it won't fall.
Two hearts belong together.
Build a house full of hearts to withstand it all.
Build it up.
Is there a heart,
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
Stand up. (Stand up)
Stand up, let me know that you understand.
Better listen to me.
Love doesn't come free, you gotta build it up.
Is there a heart,
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
Stand up. (Stand up)
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
One love, our love, your love, somewhere, somebody.
Is there a heart,
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
Always, never out my mind.
You're always on my mind.
I love, love, love, love you all the time.
(Build it up, build it up, build it up.)
Oh, build it up. (A heart is a house for love.) Build it up.
Build it up, build it up.
Build it up. (A heart is a house for love.)
Let me know that you understand.
(Build it up, build it up, build it up.)
A heart is a house for love.
The Dells's song "A Heart Is A House For Love" speaks about the importance of love and the effort that two individuals need to put in it. The song suggests that a heart is a place where love dwells, and it takes considerable work to build and maintain it. The lyrics imply a broken relationship, and the singer acknowledges his mistake of not appreciating his partner's worth. The phrase "Two wrongs don't make it right, but too long was the night I kept you guessing" depicts regret and guilt for the singer's past actions that caused the relationship to fall apart.
Furthermore, the song encourages the idea that love is not a fleeting emotion, and individuals need to put meaningful work into maintaining it. The line "Now I see that the wonder of devotion, it doesn't come free" outlines that love is not free, and individuals need to invest time, energy and effort to make it work. The song encourages listeners to build love up instead of breaking it down and that love does not take much to build.
Line by Line Meaning
A heart is a house for love
Love resides in our heart and fills our being.
And I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to build it up. (Build it up.)
We can enrich our hearts and cultivate more love with minimal effort.
Two wrongs don't make it right,
But too long was the night I kept you guessing.
Revenge never solves anything, and it hurts even more to keep someone in the dark.
It's all I can do, (All I can do.)
And hope that maybe you'll come around again.
All we can do is hope that those we care about will return to our lives.
Now I see that the wonder of devotion,
It doesn't, it doesn't come free.
Loving someone requires effort, sacrifice, and commitment.
A heart is a house for love
And I learned (I learned) that it don't take much to break.
Love can be fragile, and we should handle it with care.
Today I understand,
I'll pay the price to be all the man you need.
We should be selfless and willing to do whatever it takes to make those we love happy.
You know you got to be free.
(Go find your way.) Go find your way,
Find your way back to me.
We should never hold onto those we love too tightly and allow them to find their own path.
Build it up together either near or far.
We can build and strengthen our love regardless of our proximity to one another.
Build a house full of hearts to stand it all.
We should surround ourselves with loving people and establish a supportive community.
Is there a heart,
Is there a heart in your house tonight.
Stand up. (Stand up)
Stand up, let me know.
Let me know that you understand.
We should all recognize and appreciate the love in our lives and let others know how much we care.
Love doesn't come free, you gotta build it up.
Love requires time, effort, and investment to grow and flourish.
One love, our love, your love, somewhere, somebody.
Love is universal and can be found and shared by anyone, anywhere.
Always, never out my mind.
You're always on my mind.
I love, love, love, love you all the time.
Our love for someone can be ever-present, even when they're not physically with us.
Oh, build it up. (A heart is a house for love.) Build it up.
We should continuously work on strengthening the love in our hearts and relationships.
Let me know that you understand.
Expressing understanding and appreciation for those we love is important.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert Thiele Jr., Davitt Sigerson, Tristan Sigerson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind