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)
It's All Up To You
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd write you a letter
If I had the blues today
You could make me feel better
I tried to be independent but
I know I'm fooling myself
I know I can only be
Just what you make of me
There'll never be anyone else
I would always be happy
I would always be blue
I'll be your friend or your lover
Baby, it's all up to you
I will be your fancy
(I'll be your fancy)
And I will be your dancer
(I'll be your dancer)
And if you want romance
Just count on me
(Count on me, count on me)
And I will be your pleasure
(It's all up to you)
And you will be my treasure
(It's all up to you)
Just give me half a chance
And you will see, you will see
If you want some music tonight
I'll sing at your window
If you wanted colors of life
I'd bring you a rainbow
Honey, for what it's worth
When you get down to Earth
I need your love to be mine
I'll? wait for you
Do what I got to do
To make sure it works out all right
I would always be happy
I would always be blue
I'll be your friend or your lover
Baby, it's all up to you
I will be your fancy
(I'll be your fancy)
And I will be your dancer
(I'll be your dancer)
And if you want romance
Just count on me
(Count on me, count on me)
And I will be your pleasure
(It's all up to you)
And you will be my treasure
(It's all up to you)
Just give me half a chance
And you will see, you will see
I will be your fancy
(I'll be your fancy)
And I will be your dancer
(I'll be your dancer)
And if you want romance
Just count on me...
The Dells's song "It's All Up to You" is all about surrendering oneself to the will of another. The song begins with the singer admitting to not being able to find the right words to express his feelings, wishing he could write a letter or find solace in the presence of his lover. He asserts that despite his attempts at independence, he knows that he is incomplete without his partner's guidance and support. The chorus then follows, highlighting the singer's willingness to be everything his partner needs him to be. He promises to adjust himself according to their needs, to be their friend and lover, and to fulfil all their desires. He implores his partner to give him a chance, suggesting that he has everything they could want in a partner.
The second half of the song is a repeat of the first, however, the singer adds another layer to their plea. He promises to be their "fancy" and dance to their tune, promising to be their "pleasure," while designating them as their "treasure." He reiterates his loyalty multiple times and promises to wait for them until they come around to their love.
Line by Line Meaning
If I knew the words to say
I wish I knew what to say to you.
I'd write you a letter
I would express my feelings for you through writing.
If I had the blues today
If I'm feeling down today.
You could make me feel better
You have the power to make me happy.
I tried to be independent but
I attempted to be self-sufficient, but
I know I'm fooling myself
I understand that I'm pretending.
I know I can only be
I realize that I can only become
Just what you make of me
What you create me to be.
There'll never be anyone else
No one else can take your place.
I would always be happy
I could consistently be joyful
I would always be blue
I would be persistently sad
I'll be your friend or your lover
I can be a platonic friend or a romantic partner to you.
Baby, it's all up to you
It's your call, darling.
And I will be your pleasure
I will provide you with satisfaction.
(It's all up to you)
(It depends on you)
And you will be my treasure
You will be highly valued by me.
Just give me half a chance
Allow me an opportunity to prove myself.
And you will see, you will see
You will observe how I can be of benefit to you.
If you want some music tonight
If you're in the mood for music tonight
I'll sing at your window
I'll serenade you outside your window.
If you wanted colors of life
If you desire the vibrancy of life
I'd bring you a rainbow
I'll present you with a colorful symbol of hope.
Honey, for what it's worth
My dear, for the value it holds.
When you get down to Earth
When you return to reality.
I need your love to be mine
I yearn for your affection to be directed at me.
I'll wait for you
I will patiently anticipate your response.
Do what I got to do
I will do whatever is necessary.
To make sure it works out all right
To ensure that everything goes well.
And if you want romance
And if you desire a romantic relationship
Just count on me
Just rely on me.
Contributed by Landon A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.