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)
Wait til tomorrow
The Dells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It takes me off guard
By surprise
Bye bye sober
Nice to know ya
Nice to know ya
Bye bye sober
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
Ooh baby what ya do it make me faded
Faded
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
Ooh baby what ya do it make me faded
Faded
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
There's a way you look into surprise
It takes me off guard
Into my eyes
Bye bye sober
Nice to know ya
Nice to know ya
Bye bye sober
Nice to know ya
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
Ooh baby what ya do it make me faded
Faded
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
Ooh baby what ya do it make me faded
Faded
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
Ooh baby what ya do it make me faded
Faded
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
The lyrics of The Dells's song "Wait til tomorrow" suggest a love or infatuation that takes the singer by surprise. The opening lines describe the way someone looks into their eyes, causing them to be caught off guard and surprised. This hints at a strong and unexpected connection between the singer and their love interest.
The repetition of "Bye bye sober, nice to know ya" suggests a departure from sobriety, possibly indicating that the singer is under the influence of a substance that alters their state of mind. This substance causes them to feel a sense of euphoria, as indicated by the repetition of "Nice to know ya." It implies that this altered state allows the singer to experience a different emotional and sensory reality.
The phrase "I'm gonna stay till tomorrow" is repeated multiple times throughout the lyrics. This suggests that the singer is willing to prolong their current state, influenced by the intoxicating effect of their love interest. The repetition of "Ooh baby, what ya do it make me faded" emphasizes the power this person holds over the singer, making them feel intoxicated and entranced.
Overall, the lyrics of "Wait til tomorrow" convey a sense of enchantment and overwhelming emotions experienced by the singer due to the unexpected connection they have with their love interest. The references to being caught off guard, staying until tomorrow, and feeling faded all highlight the intense and intoxicating effect this person has on the singer's emotions and state of mind.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a way you look into my eyes
The way you gaze into my eyes has a mesmerizing effect on me
It takes me off guard
It catches me by surprise and overwhelms me
Bye bye sober
I'm saying goodbye to my state of sobriety
Nice to know ya
It's enjoyable to be in this altered state
I'm gonna stay till tomorrow
I plan to remain in this euphoric state until the next day
Ooh baby what ya do it make me faded
Oh darling, your actions intoxicate me and make me feel blissfully detached from reality
Faded
I am in a state of blissful intoxication
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Henry Dell, James Glover
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind