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)
The Love We Had
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't believe that it's over (No, no, no, no)
But I'm your man (Woo...hoo...) and I'll be alright (Yeah, whoa...)
But still, the love we had stays on my mind
Lately baby, I've been thinkin'
How good it was when you were here
And it ain't the wine that I've been drinkin'
But early this mornin', ha, when I opened my eyes, ha
That old lonesome feelin' took me by surprise, ha
I guess you meant more to me than I realized
The love we had stays on my mind (Ooh, stays on my mind)
The love we had stays on my mind
(Oh...oh...whoa...ho...yeah...yeah...oh...yeah...sing it Jazz)
And lately, girl, I've been rememberin'
The good times that we used to share
My thoughts of you don't have an endin'
And the memories of you are everywhere' oh, yeah, oh, yeah
But why should I tell you it's not your concern
You win some, you lose some, but I've lost and I've learned, ha
Sysqo's so lonely with no place to turn, at
And at the end, I find, yes, I do
[The love we had stays on my mind] Woo...whoa...oh...yeah...yeah...yeah...
Girl, if you were nearer (Oh, ba-baby)
If you had a mirror (If you had a mirror)
Maybe you could count my tears (You don't know, you don't know how I tried)
And if you were nearer (Baby)
It would all be clearer (I want you right here nest to me)
How I wish that you were here (Mmm, mmm)
How I wish that you were (Oh, baby) here (How I wish, how I wish)
(How I wish that you were here, I want to let you know, know, yeah...)
And baby girl, I was tired
So I laid down to dream for a little while
But lately I've been so (Ha), so uninspired (Take your time, take your time, take it)
Without the comfort of your smile (Hey, hey, hey, yeah)
But I'm not complainin', huh
'Cause that's how it goes
There's always some heartache
In this world I suppose, huh, just a minute
But you can't imagine
But nobody knows
The love we had stays on my mind
(Nobody knows, baby, that the love stays on my mind)
The love we had stays on my mind (Oh...yes, baby, oh...yes, baby) [Ooh, yes]
(Do you hear me) [Hey]
The love we had (Woo) stays on my mind (Some times I get a little lonely)
The love we had (And I can't eat at night) [I can't eat at night, ha] stays on my mind
(I can't sleep, baby, ha, Lord have mercy) [I can't sleep at night]
The love we had (Woo) stays on my mind (Yeah...yeah...yeah...)
The love we had stays on my mind
(Oh, baby, ooh, just help me, say yeah, yeah) [Yeah, yeah]
The love we had stays on my mind (Say yeah, yeah) [Yeah, yeah]
The love we had stays on my mind (Ooh, say yeah, yeah) [Yeah, yeah]
(Oh, yeah....yeah...hey, hey)
The love we had (Uh) stays on my mind (Baby) [Baby] (All right) [All right] (I said)
The love we had stays on my mind (Whoa...ho...yeah...oh, yeah)
The love we had stays on my mind
The Dells's song "The Love We Had" is a soulful and heart-wrenching ballad about lost love that still lingers in one's heart and mind. The lyrics describe the singer's inability to move on from a previous romance despite his efforts to pretend otherwise. The song begins with the singer expressing disbelief at the end of the relationship and reassuring himself that he'll be okay. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that he is still haunted by the love they shared. He reminisces about the good times they had and how much he misses her. He also acknowledges that he made mistakes and did not realize how much she meant to him until it was too late.
The song's emotional impact is heightened by the expressive singing of The Dells. Their soulful harmonies convey the depth of the singer's pain and longing, making it easy for the listener to empathize with him. The use of repetition in the chorus, "The love we had stays on my mind," emphasizes the persistence of the singer's feelings, despite his attempts to move on.
Overall, "The Love We Had" is a timeless classic that speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and the difficulty of letting go of a love that has left its mark on us.
Line by Line Meaning
I just can't believe it, girl
The singer expresses disbelief about the ending of the relationship.
I can't believe that it's over
The singer remains in disbelief about the ending of the relationship.
But I'm your man and I'll be alright
The singer acknowledges his role in the relationship and reassures himself that he will be okay without the other person.
But still, the love we had stays on my mind
Despite his reassurances, the artist cannot stop thinking about the love he shared with the other person.
Lately baby, I've been thinkin'
The artist has been reflecting on his relationship.
How good it was when you were here
The singer reminisces about the positive aspects of the relationship.
And it ain't the wine that I've been drinkin'
The singer clarifies that his thoughts are not influenced by alcohol.
For once I feel my head is clear
The artist feels like he is thinking clearly for the first time in a while about the relationship.
But early this mornin', ha, when I opened my eyes, ha
The artist had a realization about his feelings when he woke up in the morning.
That old lonesome feelin' took me by surprise, ha
The artist was surprised by how lonely he felt without the other person by his side.
I guess you meant more to me than I realized
The singer realizes that he had deeper feelings for the other person than he previously thought.
And lately, girl, I've been rememberin'
The artist has been reminiscing about their relationship again.
The good times that we used to share
The singer is thinking back to happy memories in their relationship.
My thoughts of you don't have an endin'
The singer cannot stop thinking about the other person.
And the memories of you are everywhere'
The singer cannot escape reminders of the other person in his life.
But why should I tell you it's not your concern
The artist reminds himself that it is not necessary to share his feelings with the other person.
You win some, you lose some, but I've lost and I've learned, ha
The artist has learned from his experience of losing the other person in the relationship.
And at the end, I find, yes, I do [The love we had stays on my mind]
The singer realizes that his memories and feelings for the other person endure.
Girl, if you were nearer
The singer wishes the other person was closer to him.
If you had a mirror [Maybe you could count my tears]
The artist suggests that the other person would see how much he is hurting if they were in his presence.
And if you were nearer [It would all be clearer]
The artist believes that being close to the other person would make his feelings clearer.
How I wish that you were here
The artist expresses his desire for the other person to be with him.
Baby girl, I was tired
The singer is physically and emotionally exhausted.
So I laid down to dream for a little while
The artist took a nap to escape from his thoughts and emotions.
But lately I've been so, so uninspired
Despite trying to distract himself, the singer feels disheartened and unmotivated.
Without the comfort of your smile
The singer misses the other person's presence and positive influence in his life.
'Cause that's how it goes / There's always some heartache / In this world I suppose, huh
The singer acknowledges that pain and heartache are a natural part of life.
But you can't imagine [But nobody knows]
The artist feels that no one else truly understands his pain.
The love we had stays on my mind
The artist repeats the chorus and emphasizes the persistent nature of his feelings for the other person.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LARRY WADE, TERRENCE O. CALLIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pauletta Nelson
The Dells is one of the greatest Soul groups of this entire lifetime!!!
They were also very smart business wise.
I've seen them perform 3 times in my life, and I can tell all of you, they were very professional.
Once I was at the Taste in Chgo., waiting patiently to see the Dells. I took my children, we were all excited, as they would finally see them perform and they knew all the songs, as I played them a lot. We had close seats too.
I saw them go back stage, and when they realized the media was there to record their performance, they DID NOT PERFORM.!!!
They did not want their performances to be seen via media. This was their livelihood, and the thought of someone taking food out of their mouth was just not going to happen. Not to the Almighty Dells!!!
Some people were angry they didn't perform, but I wasn't, and I let them know too, as did others who knew what the Dells thought about media being at their performances.This was not the 1st. time this had happened to them.
I understood and respected their opinion. Now the 2 lead singers are gone to that other dimension, I was SHOCKED to even see that youtube, had any of their live performances to share with the world!!!!
I am so glad too, now everyone can see what real professionalism and talent is really like. I love all of their songs, and they have left us one of the best legacies, and they did it JUST LIKE THEY WANTED....
GOD BLESS THE DELLS....
LaTanya Junior
I'm Marvin Junior's lead singer of The Dells, daughter, LaTanya Junior -- thank you for loving the music and keeping Dad's legacy alive!!! God Bless
Bea Torres
🌹
Lenora Mills
One of my favorite song this was music back in my youth. You should be proud❤❤
Lenora Mills
Your Dad have a incredible voice this was music. This is my favorite song by the Dells,❤❤❤
Cedric Giles
I hope y’all bottled up your dad’s voice. It can’t be duplicated.
Ste Ste
This is one of my favorite song. Almost listen daily. I’m 63 years old.
James Crawford Jr
I lost my wife in early 20. What a perfect song for remembering the Love We Had. Love to the Dells and the great music they made.
J carrillo
My condolences sir💯❤️
Bea Torres
My heartfelt condolences 🌹
Janet Poole
🙏🏽♥️🙏🏽