Bonnie Pointer and June Pointer first formed a secular singing duo in the late '60s and began performing in clubs around the San Francisco Bay area; Anita Pointer and Ruth Pointer later joined them. The Pointer Sisters hooked up with David Rubinson who was a record producer affiliated with Bill Graham. They would perform onstage with the flamboyant Sylvester of The Cockettes, and they'd done some work as background singers on recordings by Elvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs, Cold Blood and other San Francisco Bay Area groups.
Their big breakthrough was a cover of an Allen Toussaint composition originally recorded in 1970 by Lee Dorsey, the song was "Yes We Can Can" released by The Pointer Sisters in March 1973. The girls' voices were added over funky backing tracks laid down with the help of Rubinson's contacts like Tower of Power guitarist Willie Fulton. They sang live around a single mic, with Anita handling lead, and upon release the record soon hit Number 11 on Billboard's pop chart and Number 12 on the R&B chart. In 1974 the group surprised white audiences when they broke the color barrier in at The Grand Ol' Opry when performing their Country Grammy award winning country song "Fairytale" in Nashville. "How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On The Side)" was a 1975 #1 R&B hit from their Steppin LP, with classic funky keys of Herbie Hancock on clavinet & wicked guitar stylings of Wah Wah Watson...
Bonnie Pointer left the group in 1977 for a solo career, and in 1978, the remaining sisters switched labels to Planet & production duties went to Richard Perry who modernized their sound away from a nostalgia based act into a more contemporary look & sound for the 1980's.
They produced the album Energy, with a classic country flavored updates of Sly Stone's "Everybody Is A Star", and a rendition of another Allen Toussaint song called "Happiness". The Perry streak included 1984's Break Out, which did exactly that going triple platinum and winning two Grammys for the singles Automatic and "Jump (for My Love)". This period in the early 80's ostensibly represents the group's commercial peak as a charting act. Their last big hit was Neutron Dance from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.
As the '80s wound down, June Pointer recorded two solo albums, and later left the trio by 2001. Anita also did some solo project work, and had a minor hit with a song called, "Overnight Success."
Anita and Ruth still perform concerts under the group's name. Ruth's daughter, Issa Pointer, is the trio's newest member. June suffered a stroke on February 27, 2006. While hospitalized, she was diagnosed with cancer, which had metastasized in her breast, colon, liver and bones. She died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California on April 11, 2006 at the age of 52.
Be There
The Pointer Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we're gona have some fun.
We're so good together, in this crazy world,
Where you can't count on anyone.
I'd climb any mountain, just to get you free,
I would swim the ocean, can you do the same for me?
Got no money, lying at the bank,
Got no banquet on my table, got no gas in my tank.
And I'm saying my prayer,
I know you're gonna be there, be there.
(Ooh)
You know that, you can lie to me baby,
I will understand
As long as in the end you tell the truth.
'Cos it's give and it's take,
It's no piece of cake,
And I know it works with you.
You don't need no doctor,
You don't need no pills,
You don't need some cozy friends,
Running up your bills.
(Hey)
Got no money, lying at the bank,
Got no banquet on my table, got no gas in my tank.
With my life we're laying on the line
And I'm saying my prayer,
I know you're gonna be there, be there.
(Bah boom, Bah boom, Bah boom, Bah)
(Bah boom, Bah boom, Bah boom, Bah)
(Hey, hey)
Drop my kind of nectar, jam it to the floor.
Where my best clothes out at night,
And I'll just give you more.
(Oh)
Got no money, lying at the bank,
Got no banquet on my table, got no gas in my tank.
With my life we're laying on the line
And I'm saying a prayer,
I know you're gonna be there, be there.
[repeat to fade]
The Pointer Sisters' song "Be There" is a love song that conveys commitment and trust. The opening lines "If you stick with me baby, I won't do you wrong, and we're gona have some fun" can be interpreted as an assurance from the singer that their partner can rely on them to be faithful and that they will make a happy life together. The lines "We're so good together, in this crazy world, where you can't count on anyone" express the bond the singer and their partner share amidst the chaotic world where people can't be trusted. The following lines "I'd climb any mountain, just to get you free, I would swim the ocean, can you do the same for me?" reveal the singer's willingness to do anything for their partner's happiness and safety.
The following lines "Got no money, lying at the bank, got no banquet on my table, got no gas in my tank. With my life we're laying on the line, and I'm saying my prayer, I know you're gonna be there, be there" convey the idea that the singer is in a difficult financial situation, but they believe that their partner will always be there to support them. Overall, the song portrays the idea that love triumphs all and, with that, the two can conquer any obstacle that comes their way.
Line by Line Meaning
If you stick with me baby, I won't do you wrong
I promise to treat you right if you stay with me
And we're gona have some fun.
Together we'll have a good time
We're so good together, in this crazy world,
Despite the chaos around us, we make a great team
Where you can't count on anyone.
We can only rely on each other in this unreliable world
I'd climb any mountain, just to get you free,
I would go to great lengths to help you if you needed it
I would swim the ocean, can you do the same for me?
I want to know if you would also go to great lengths to help me
Got no money, lying at the bank,
I am broke and have no money in my account
Got no banquet on my table, got no gas in my tank.
I have no food to eat and my car is out of gas
With my life we're laying on the line
Our lives are at risk here
And I'm saying my prayer,
I am praying for our safety and success
I know you're gonna be there, be there.
I trust that you will be there to help me
(Ooh)
You know that, you can lie to me baby,
I won't be upset if you lie to me
I will understand
I will be forgiving and empathetic
As long as in the end you tell the truth.
As long as you eventually come clean to me
'Cos it's give and it's take,
Our relationship is a two-way street
It's no piece of cake,
It's not easy
And I know it works with you.
But I know we can make it work together
You don't need no doctor,
You don't need medical attention
You don't need no pills,
You don't need medication
You don't need some cozy friends,
You don't need friends to make you feel better
Running up your bills.
That would only add to your financial burdens
(Hey)
Drop my kind of nectar, jam it to the floor.
I'm going to give you my all and dance with you
Where my best clothes out at night,
I want to look my best for a fun night out
And I'll just give you more.
I'll keep giving you my all
(Oh)
[repeat to fade]
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind