The Dells were an American doo-wop group. Formed in high school in 1952 in … Read Full Bio ↴The Dells were an American doo-wop group. Formed in high school in 1952 in Harvey, Illinois by founding members Marvin Junior, Verne Allison, Johnny Funches, Chuck Barksdale, and Mickey and Lucius McGill, under the name The El Rays. They released their first recording in 1954 and two years later had their first R&B hit with "Oh What a Nite". After disbanding due to a near-fatal car crash in 1958, the band reformed in 1960 with Funches being replaced by Johnny Carter. This lineup remained together until Carter's death in 2009. In 2004 The Dells were inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. The group performed until illness forced longtime lead singer Marvin Junior and bass vocalist Chuck Barksdale into retirement, ending the group's 60-year run.

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)

Hold On To What You've Got
The Dells Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let me tell you now
Hold on, hold on to what you got
Everyday yeah, yeah
Hold on keep the home fires high

Well, you can′t judge a book by it's cover
So stop runnin′ around tryin' to be a lover
If you, if you got a good girl

Keep her by your side
You gotta love, trust and protect her
And keep her satisfied everyday now

Hold on, hold on to what you got
Every night yeah, yeah
Hold on keep the home fires high

You keep running round all over town
Gonna put you on the spot
But if you wanna get straight now
Don't hesitate
Now just hold on to what you got

Yeah, now the grass may look greener
On the other side of the fence
The sidewalk may look cleaner
But they made from the same cement
If you, if you got a good girl
Keep her by your side
You gotta love, trust her and protect her
And keep her satisfied everyday now

Hold on, hold on to what you got
Every night yeah, yeah
Hold on keep the home fires high

You keep running round all over town
Gonna put you on the spot
But if you wanna get straight now
Don′t hesitate
Now just hold on to what you got

Hold on, keep on, holdin′ on

Hold on, keep on, holdin' on
Hold on, keep on, holdin′ on...

Overall Meaning

The Dells's song Hold On To What You've Got is a classic R&B song with a message that still resonates today. The song begins with the band urging the listener to hold on to what they've got and keep the home fires high every day. The lyrics then go on to warn the listener about the dangers of judging a book by its cover and trying to be a lover to everyone. The advice given is to keep a good girl by your side and love, trust and protect her while keeping her satisfied every day.

The lyrics also suggest that it's easy to get distracted by the grass looking greener on the other side of the fence and that the sidewalk may look cleaner, but ultimately, everything is made from the same cement. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus and a call to hold on, keep on, and keep holding on.

The message of the song is clear: appreciate what you have and don't take it for granted. It's a timeless message that is just as relevant today as it was when the song was originally released in 1969. The Dells were known for their soulful harmonies and powerful vocals, and Hold On To What You've Got showcases their talents in full force.

Line by Line Meaning

Let me tell you now
Listen up, I've got something important to say

Hold on, hold on to what you got
Don't lose what you have, keep it safe

Everyday yeah, yeah
This is something you need to do consistently

Hold on keep the home fires high
Maintain the warmth and security of your home

Well, you can't judge a book by it's cover
Appearances can be deceiving

So stop runnin' around tryin' to be a lover
Don't waste time chasing after flings and instead focus on what's important

If you, if you got a good girl
If you have a loyal partner

Keep her by your side
Don't let her go

You gotta love, trust and protect her
You need to show her love, earn her trust, and keep her safe

And keep her satisfied everyday now
Make sure she's happy and content every day

Every night yeah, yeah
This is something you need to do every night