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)
Oh%2C What A Nite
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That very very special night?
Do you remember a girl, that very special girl?
Well to the old and to the new
We rededicate this song to you
Oh, what a night (to love you dear)
Oh, what a night (to hold you near)
That's why I love you so
Oh, what a night to (love you dear)
Oh, what a night to (walk you dear)
Oh, what a night to (kiss you dear)
That's why I love you so
I won't forget all those things
You have told to me
The craze in my heart
Won't let me forget your love
Oh, what a night (to love you dear)
Oh, what a night (to walk you dear)
Oh, what a night (to kiss you dear)
That's why I love you so
Oh, what a night (to love you dear)
Oh, what a night (to walk you dear)
Oh, what a night (to kiss you dear)
That's why I love you so
No, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no
One more night
Can I walk you home one more night?
I wanna make love to you one more night
I love you baby
I want you baby, I need you baby
I love you baby, one more night
The Dells's song Oh What a Night is a love song that brings back memories of a special night when the singer met his love interest. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for that special moment. The opening lines, "Do you recall the night, that very special night?" immediately establish the theme of the song as one of reminiscence. The singer then asks his love interest if she remembers that very special girl he met that night. The chorus repeats the phrase "Oh, what a night" multiple times, emphasizing the significance of that particular moment.
The verses go on to describe the different memorable moments from that special night. The singer reminisces about the moment when he first laid his eyes on his love interest, the moment when he held her close, and the moment when he kissed her. Each verse ends with the declaration, "That's why I love you so," emphasizing the intensity of the singer's feelings for his love interest. The final verse has the singer asking for one more night with his love interest, expressing his desire to make love to her again.
Overall, the song Oh What a Night is a beautiful ode to a special moment in time, capturing the joy, passion, and excitement of falling in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you recall the night
Do you remember that special night?
That very very special night?
That one night that held something truly unique and unforgettable?
Do you remember a girl, that very special girl?
Can you recall that one special girl who left a lasting impression on you?
Well to the old and to the new
This song is for both those who remember that night and those experiencing it for the first time
We rededicate this song to you
This song is specially dedicated to you because that night was special to us as well
Oh, what a night (to love you dear)
That night was perfect to express my love for you
Oh, what a night (to hold you near)
That night was perfect to hold you in my arms
Oh, what a night (to squeeze you dear)
That night was perfect to feel your embrace
That's why I love you so
Feeling your love made that night even more special
Oh, what a night to (love you dear)
That night was meant to love you wholeheartedly
Oh, what a night to (walk you dear)
That night was meant to take a walk with you and enjoy each other's company
Oh, what a night to (kiss you dear)
That night was meant to share a tender kiss with you
I won't forget all those things
I will always remember everything you said and did that night
You have told to me
All the sweet and romantic things you shared with me that night
The craze in my heart
The strong emotions and feelings I had that night
Won't let me forget your love
The intensity of your love won't let me forget that special night
No, no, no, no, no
Empathizes the desire to not let the night end
One more night
Desire for another night like that one
Can I walk you home one more night?
May I accompany you home one more night?
I wanna make love to you one more night
I want to relive that special moment with you one more time
I love you baby
I'm in love with you, my dear
I want you baby, I need you baby
I want and need your love, dear one
I love you baby, one more night
I want to spend one more night experiencing your love
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marvin Junior, Johnny Funches
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind