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)
Jeepers Creepers
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the weatherman says it's raining
You'll never hear me complaining
I'm certain the sun will shine
I don't care how the weather vane points
When the weather vane points to gloomy
It's gotta be sunny to me
Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?
Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those eyes?
Gosh all, git up, how'd they get so lit up?
Gosh all, git up, how'd they get that size?
Golly gee, when you turn those heaters on
Woe is me, got to put my cheaters on
Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?
Oh, those weepers, how they hypnotize!
Where'd ya get those eyes?
The first two sections of the song set up a contrast between what the weatherman says and what the singer feels. The weatherman predicts rain and gloom, but the singer remains optimistic and certain that the sun will shine. This optimistic attitude is born out of the fact that the singer is in love with someone, and when that person looks into their eyes, the world lights up. This feeling transcends any external circumstances and makes the singer feel invincible.
The second half of the song is an ode to the object of the singer's affections. The phrase "Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?" is a playful expression of admiration for the person's eyes, and the singer marvels at how bright and captivating they are. The lyrics "Golly gee, when you turn those heaters on, Woe is me, got to put my cheaters on" further emphasize how the singer is blindsided and overwhelmed by the person's beauty. The phrase "those weepers, how they hypnotize" speaks to the emotional resonance that the singer's eyes have on others.
Overall, the song is a joyful celebration of love and the transformative effect it can have on the way we see the world. The singer is captivated by the person they are in love with and can't help but be swept up in their allure.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't care what the weatherman says
The opinion of the weatherman does not matter to me.
When the weatherman says it's raining
Even if the weatherman says it's raining, I am not bothered.
You'll never hear me complaining
I will not express my displeasure towards chaotic weather.
I'm certain the sun will shine
I am sure that the sun will come out eventually.
I don't care how the weather vane points
I am not interested in the direction of the weather vane.
When the weather vane points to gloomy
Even if the weather vane shows gloomy weather conditions, I do not care.
It's gotta be sunny to me
I only recognize sunny weather.
When your eyes look into mine
Only when I look into your eyes does what's around me start to matter.
Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?
The singer is inquiring about where the person got their compelling eyes.
Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those eyes?
The singer asks where someone obtained such gorgeous eyes.
Gosh all, git up, how'd they get so lit up?
The singer and the listener are taken aback by how bright the eyes are.
Gosh all, git up, how'd they get that size?
The singer and the listener are perplexed by how vast the eyes are.
Golly gee, when you turn those heaters on
The singer is impressed when the listeners' attractive eyes illuminate.
Woe is me, got to put my cheaters on
The singer must put on his glasses in order to see properly.
Jeepers creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?
The listeners' captivating eyes continue to astound the singer.
Oh, those weepers, how they hypnotize!
The listeners' beautiful eyes have a mesmerizing effect.
Where'd ya get those eyes?
The singer is still taken aback by the listeners' attractive eyes.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Harry Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind