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)
Higher And Higher
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Than I've ever been lifted before
Your love is liftin' me higher
Than I've ever been lifted before
So keep it up, quench my desire
And I'll be at your side forevermore
Now once, I was downhearted
Disappointment was my closest friend
But you came, he soon departed
And he never showed his face again
Ohh I'm so glad I finally found you
You're that one in a million man
When you wrap your lovin' arms around me
I can stand up and face the world again
Your love is liftin' me higher
Than I've ever been lifted before
So keep it up, quench my desire
And I'll be at your side forevermore
Oh your love is liftin' me higher
Than I've ever been lifted before
So keep it up, quench my desire
And I'll be at your side forevermore
Your love is liftin' me higher
Than I've ever been lifted before
So keep it up, quench my desire
And I'll be at your side forevermore
The Dells’s hit song, “Higher and Higher,” is a classic, soulful love song that celebrates the transformative power of romantic love, as expressed through the soaring, exuberant metaphors of lifting, rising, and soaring. At its core, the song is about the way that love can change a person’s life, giving them the strength and courage to face the world again after experiencing disappointment, heartbreak, or despair. The lyrics describe a powerful and transformative connection between the singer and his lover--a connection that is so uplifting, joyful, and transformative that it lifts him “higher than he’s ever been lifted before.”
The opening lines of the song are among its most memorable and powerful, as the singer declares that his lover's love is literally lifting him up, beyond his own limitations, and into a new realm of possibility and happiness. He speaks of being lifted “higher than he’s ever been lifted before,” which is a powerful and memorable metaphor for the transformative power of love. This metaphor is conveyed both through the lyrics and through the soaring, upbeat melody and harmonies of the song, which create a sense of joyful exuberance and celebration.
Throughout the song, the singer celebrates the power of his lover's love to transform his life, giving him a new sense of strength and purpose, and helping him to face the world with renewed confidence and optimism. He declares that his lover is “that one in a million man” who has finally given him the love and support that he needs to overcome his past disappointments and heartbreaks, and to embrace the present with joy and passion. In the end, the song is a powerful tribute to the transformative power of romantic love, and a celebration of the way that true love can lift us up and give us the strength to face life’s challenges with courage, grace, and joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Your love is liftin' me higher
The love of the person being addressed is elevating the singer's emotions to new heights.
Than I've ever been lifted before
The level of emotion experienced by the singer is greater than any they have felt previously.
So keep it up, quench my desire
The singer is requesting that the person continue to show their affection and fulfill their wants.
And I'll be at your side forevermore
The singer is pledging their loyalty and devotion to the person who has inspired such strong emotions.
Now once, I was downhearted
The singer is recalling a time when they felt depressed and disheartened.
Disappointment was my closest friend
During this period of sadness, the singer found themselves surrounded by disappointment and failure.
But you came, he soon departed
However, with the arrival of the person being addressed, these negative feelings were quickly dispersed.
And he never showed his face again
The singer implies that they have not experienced disappointment since the person being addressed came into their life.
Ohh I'm so glad I finally found you
The singer expresses their gratitude and joy at having met the person they are addressing.
You're that one in a million man
The person being addressed is being praised for being a unique and irreplaceable individual.
When you wrap your lovin' arms around me
The singer feels a sense of security and comfort when held by the person they are singing to.
I can stand up and face the world again
The person's affection gives the singer the strength and motivation to tackle whatever life throws at them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CARL SMITH, GARY JACKSON, RAYNARD MINER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind