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 My Love
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gently rising with the sun
She gives me cause to face the day
And brings me joy when day is done
Heaven is my woman's love
Heaven is the way I live
She gives me all the love she can
And when I see her in the morning light
I feel the same as in the dark of night
She is my everything and I'm proud of
The heaven of my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
Gently reaching out for me
All she wants is what I am
Searching not for what I'll be
Heaven is my woman's love
Happiness is what she gives
As long as she's with me I'll find
Heaven everyday I live
And when I see her in the morning light
I feel the same as in the dark of night
She is my everything and I'm proud of
The heaven of my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
Heaven is my woman's love
The lyrics of The Dells' song "Oh My Love" express a deep and profound appreciation for the singer's romantic partner, referring to her love as a heavenly force in their life. The repetition of the phrase "Heaven is my woman's love" emphasizes the pure and uplifting nature of the love they share. It suggests that this love brings light and warmth to their world, much like how heaven is often associated with positivity and tranquility.
The lyrics describe the woman's love as constant and reliable, likening it to the rising sun that marks the beginning of each new day. She is portrayed as a source of strength and motivation for the singer, helping them face the challenges of daily life and bringing them joy and fulfillment by the end of the day. This portrayal reinforces the idea that the woman's love is a guiding light and a source of comfort in the singer's life.
The singer expresses gratitude and admiration for their partner, describing her as giving all the love she can and always finding more to give. This sentiment highlights the selflessness and generosity of the woman's love, suggesting that it knows no bounds and is always overflowing. The singer's pride in the woman's love reflects a deep respect and admiration for her character and the positive impact she has on their life.
Overall, the lyrics of "Oh My Love" celebrate the transformative power of love and the profound connection between two individuals. The repetition of the phrase "Heaven is my woman's love" serves as a poetic refrain that reinforces the central theme of the song, which is the extraordinary and heavenly nature of the love shared between the singer and their partner. This heartfelt expression of love and appreciation conveys a sense of warmth, tenderness, and devotion that resonates with listeners and captures the essence of a deep and meaningful relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven is my woman's love
My partner's love is like a heavenly blessing in my life
Gently rising with the sun
Her love grows and shines brightly like the sun as the day begins
She gives me cause to face the day
Her love motivates me to tackle whatever challenges come my way
And brings me joy when day is done
Her love brings happiness and contentment at the end of each day
She gives me all the love she can
She shows me immense love and care to her fullest capacity
And then somehow finds more to give
Even when I think she has given her all, she still manages to give me more love
Gently reaching out for me
Her love is always there, tenderly reaching out to support and comfort me
All she wants is what I am
She loves me for who I am, without any conditions or expectations
Searching not for what I'll be
She does not seek to change me or expect me to become someone else in the future
Happiness is what she gives
Her love brings me joy and contentment, making my life happier
As long as she's with me I'll find
As long as she is by my side, I will always find happiness and fulfillment
Heaven is my woman's love
My partner's love is truly like a heavenly paradise for me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK NESLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
themightydells
The Mighty Dells: (1952 - 2012) 60 Years of Musical Excellence.
2004 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Inductees.
The 24th Annual NAACP IMAGE AWARD, Recipients.
2004 Vocal Group Hall of Fame Inductees.
The Soul of American Music Award.
The 1991 R&B Foundation 'Pioneer Award'
The Doo Wop of America Award.
EMMY Winning Documentary"Oh What A Night" Youtube, Part 123
The '5 Heartbeats' Movie, based on the career of The Dells.
The Dells: Marvin Junior, Johnnie Carter, Michael 'Mickey' McGill,
Verne Allison, Chuck Barksdale ... 'Long Live The Mighty Dells'
Chris Brown
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS!!!!! I'VE BEEN SEARCHING AND SEARCHING
themightydells
The Dells - Blowin 'Gut wrenching Soul'
mustbherpersonality
I have been looking for this for a looong time. It used to come on the radio... This was my song... Middle School...
betty rumph
one of my many favorite by the dells
dreamdrmm
I feel you. I was 17 at time this came out and going through something missing my family. God saw me and answered my prayers.
Myrna Abney
THEY SING THE HELL OUT OF THIS , BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES !!!!!! D=A=M=N/.
Marcus Cerdan
You ARE HOLDING OUT on us, this is what you make babys on!!!!!!! OH MY LOVE that song should be only with the ANGELS of soul!!!!
504mrbig
WOW I FINALLY FOUND THIS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS NOT KNOWING THE NAME OF THE SONG... I HAD AN IDEA IT WAS THE DELLS THO....I DID SOME SEARCHING
Terry Middlemiss
Real power a big big tune from the everlasting DELLS THANX FOR POSTING
shannyboo75
One of my favorite songs playing in 92 on wtmp on my way to high school.. I miss that station..This song is beautiful.