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)
Say That You'll Stay
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching you leaving
I couldn't see you go
You know that I was so sincere when
I said I need you here
‘Cause this is your home now
You're the one my everything
If you stay you'll make me sing
I'll give you my life
I'll give you my heart
Nothing will ever come between us
Ever come between us
Tonight, I'll show you the way
Just (promise me that you'll) promise me that you'll stay
Promise me that you'll stay
When you're with me I feel so alive
You're the Bone to my Clyde
We can paint the town
But you're so far. You're so far
And that can't even hold me down
I'll give you my life
I'll give you my heart
Nothing will ever come between us
Ever come between us
Tonight, I'll show you the way
Just (promise me that you'll) promise me that you'll stay
Promise me that you'll stay
And I know that I found so true
You are to me as I am to you
And I know that we can't just stay
Even though we ain't together
Our love still remains
I'll give you my life
I'll give you my heart
Nothing will ever come between us
Ever come between us
Tonight, I'll show you the way
Just (promise me that you'll) promise me that you'll stay
Promise me that you'll stay
The song "Say That You'll Stay" by The Dells is a love ballad that talks about a man pleading with his lover to stay with him, promising to give her his all. The song starts with the man standing on the other side, watching his lover leaving, and he can't bear to see her go. He tells her that she is his everything, and if she stays, she will make him sing.
The man goes ahead to promise his lover that he will give her his life, his heart and nothing will ever come between them. These promises are of a man who is deeply in love and is trying to convince his lover that they are meant to be together. He assures her that he can show her the way, and all she needs to do is promise him that she will stay.
The final verse of the song acknowledges that although they can't be together, their love still remains, and it is as true now as it was before. This love is so strong and can withstand the distance separating them. The lyrics of the song are emotional and show the depth of love between two people who do not want to be separated.
Line by Line Meaning
I was standing on the other side
I was watching you leave from a distance
Watching you leaving
Observing you departing from me
I couldn't see you go
I didn't want to watch you leave me
You know that I was so sincere when
Believe me when I say that I truly meant
I said I need you here
I expressed how much I require your presence
‘Cause this is your home now
Because you belong here with me
You're the one my everything
You are the center of my universe
If you stay you'll make me sing
Your presence in my life will bring me immense joy
I'll give you my life
I will devote my existence to you
I'll give you my heart
I will hand over my affections to you
Nothing will ever come between us
No obstacle will rupture our bond
Ever come between us
Never disrupt our connection
Tonight, I'll show you the way
This evening, I will demonstrate my love for you
Just (promise me that you'll) promise me that you'll stay
Assure me that you will remain by my side
When you're with me I feel so alive
Your presence brings me immense vitality
You're the Bone to my Clyde
You are my perfect match and complement
We can paint the town
We can explore the city and have fun
But you're so far. You're so far
However, currently, distance separates us
And that can't even hold me down
But this won't stop me from pursuing our relationship
And I know that I found so true
I am certain that I have found true love
You are to me as I am to you
We are perfect for each other
And I know that we can't just stay
I am aware that our situation is not optimal
Even though we ain't together
Despite not being physically close to each other
Our love still remains
Our love endures even in absence
Just (promise me that you'll) promise me that you'll stay
Please reassure me that you will stay committed to our love
Writer(s): fred pittman
Contributed by Tyler O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.