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)
I Need A Lot Of Love
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make me thrill with delight
Let me know where I stand from the start
I want you
I need you
I love you
With all my heart
All my cares disappear
Darling, you're all that I'm living for
I want you
I need you
I love you
With all my heart
Well, I thought I could live without romance
Until you came to me
But now I know that I will go on
Loving you eternally
Won't you please be my own?
Never leave me alone
'Cause I die every time we're apart
I want you
I need you
I love you
More and more
Well, I thought I could live without romance
Until you came to me
But now I know that
I will go on loving you eternally
Won't you please be my own?
Never leave me alone
'Cause I die every time we're apart
I want you
I need you
I love you
With all my heart
The lyrics of "I Want You" by The Dells express the intense feelings of love and devotion that the singer has for their significant other. The song opens with a plea to hold the singer close and tight and make them feel thrilled with delight. The singer expresses a desire to know where they stand with their partner from the start, emphasizing the importance of honesty in a relationship. Through the rest of the song, the singer repeats the phrases "I want you," "I need you," and "I love you" with increasing intensity, making it clear that they are deeply committed to their partner.
The middle section of the song describes how the singer felt before they met their partner. They thought that they could live without romance, but meeting their partner changed everything. The singer declares that they will go on loving their partner eternally, emphasizing the depth and permanence of their love.
The final verse of the song is a plea for their partner to be theirs forever, never leaving them alone. The singer is unable to tolerate being apart from their loved one, stating that they "die every time" they are apart. The song concludes with a final repetition of the chorus, with the singer declaring their love "more and more."
Line by Line Meaning
Hold me close, hold me tight
I want to feel your warm and strong embrace, holding me secure and safe.
Make me thrill with delight
I want your touch and presence to fill me with joy and excitement.
Let me know where I stand from the start
I need to know if you're with me or not, and if you'll treat me honestly and fairly.
I want you
I desire you, both physically and emotionally.
I need you
I depend on you for love, affection, and support.
I love you
My feelings for you are deep, strong, and enduring.
With all my heart
My love for you is complete and whole, encompassing every part of me.
Every time that you're near
Whenever you're in my presence or close to me,
All my cares disappear
My worries and concerns fade away, replaced by my focus on you.
Darling, you're all that I'm living for
My purpose and reason for living is to be with and love you.
Well, I thought I could live without romance
I believed I could be content without a romantic connection or relationship.
Until you came to me
But then you entered my life and everything changed.
But now I know that I will go on
I understand that my love for you will continue into the future.
Loving you eternally
My feelings for you will never fade or diminish; they will last forever.
Won't you please be my own?
Will you commit to me and be my partner, exclusively and fully?
Never leave me alone
I can't bear the thought of being without you or separated from you.
'Cause I die every time we're apart
Being away from you feels like torture, and I long for your presence constantly.
I love you
My feelings for you are deep, strong, and enduring.
More and more
My love for you grows stronger and more intense each day.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
themightydells
The Mighty Dells (1952 - 2012) 60 Years of Musical Excellence: '2004 NAACP Image Award'
2004 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Inductees
2004 Vocal Group Hall of Fame - 1991 R&B 'Pioneer Award. - Doo wop Hall of Fame Award.
'Soul of American Music Award'
"OH What A Night" ( EMMY).
Number (11) in the top (100) Greatest Vocal Groups
Long live The Mighty Dells ..... Junior, Allison, McGill,
Carter, Barksdale.
Read more
Marshall L Smith
A truly "TIMELESS" masterpiece.
Kenneth Hayes
This song is also on TERRY CALLIERS WHAT COLOR IS LOVE album, I love them BOTH!
themightydells
The Dells are fast becoming
'INTERNET GODS' since the 'Pepsi Generation' has caught on to them, After 'The 5 Heartbeats' based on their tumultuous 60 year career. The group currently has 245 singles on Youtube.
Joyce Patrick
His voice gives me chill bumps, love the Dell's
Patrice-Maria Love
Actually, this is my favorite record! I plays this over and over again! This is a Masterpiece indeed! I personally know Vern who is my brother's best friend. In Harvey, IL there is a street named after them called Dell's Way.
Thor Valiant
Group of Legend and Genuis ❤️🇺🇸🇫🇷
Dorian Harris
One of their all time best.
themightydells
The Dells: Marvin Junior, Johnnie Carter, Michael 'Mickey' McGill,
Verne Allison, Charles Barksdale.
The 'Longest Running' R&B Group.
Stan Woods
I love this song
Tamara Margaret
So Soulful !! xx