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.
Don't It Drive You Crazy
The Pointer Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And paint my eyes
The perfume that I wear
No cheap disguise
Put it all to music
Makes it feel exactly like romance
Well close enough
Don't it drive you crazy
You love these sexy shoes
Oh my style
I only speak in whispers
With an evil smile
Put it all to music
Make it feel exactly like romance
Ooh, that's close enough
Don't it drive you crazy
When you see me dance?
(Dance for you) Don't it drive you crazy baby?
(Dance for you) Don't it drive you crazy baby?
(Dance for you) Don't it drive you crazy baby?
(Dance for you) Don't it drive you crazy baby?
Don't it drive you crazy When you see me dance?
I tease you every night
And everywhere
I know I make it hard
But I don't care
Just put it all to music
And make it feel exactly like romance
Ooh, that's close enough
Don't it drive you crazy
When you see me dance?
(Dance for you) Ooh I'm gonna get next to you
(Dance for you) Oh I wanna feel you
(Dance for you) Oh put your lips on my cheek
(Dance for you) Don't it drive you crazy!
Don't it drive you crazy When you see me dance?
(Gonna drive you crazy baby, gonna drive you crazy)
(Dance for you) Gonna get crazy baby
(Dance for you) Ooh I'm gonna do it to you
(Dance for you) Do anything you want me to
(Dance for you) Gonna shake my hips
(Dance for you) Touch your body baby, let me feel you close to me
(Dance for you) Drive you crazy
(Dance for you)
(Dance for you) Take off your socks baby, I don't like socks in bed
The Pointer Sisters' song, "Don't It Drive You Crazy," is about a woman who is confident in her appearance, particularly when it comes to getting dressed up and dancing. The lyrics describe how the woman fixes her hair, paints her eyes, and wears a specific perfume that complements her style. When she puts all of these things together and dances, she is the picture of romance and drives her partner "crazy."
The song is essentially a celebration of sexuality and sensuality, with the woman teasing her partner by speaking in whispers and giving him a playful evil smile. The music adds to the sense of romance, and the lyrics suggest that the woman is fully in control of the situation. She teases her partner every night and everywhere and knows she makes it hard for him, but she doesn't care.
Line by Line Meaning
The way I fix my hair
My hair is styled in a way that enhances my appearance.
And paint my eyes
I apply makeup to my eyes to make them look more attractive.
The perfume that I wear
I wear an expensive and high-quality fragrance.
No cheap disguise
I do not deceive anyone with my beauty routine, it's all high-end.
Put it all to music
I utilize the power of music to amplify my feelings of love and charm.
Makes it feel exactly like romance
The combination of my beauty and music create a romantic atmosphere.
Well close enough
Although it isn't completely romantic, it's close enough to create a mood.
Don't it drive you crazy
Do you not feel compelled and infatuated by me?
When you see me dance?
Does my dancing not leave you in awe?
You love these sexy shoes
I am aware that you find my high heels attractive.
Oh my style
The way I dress and look is of a certain fashion and aesthetic.
I only speak in whispers
I have a seductive and mysterious way of talking.
With an evil smile
I have a devilish and cunning grin.
Ooh, that's close enough
The combination of my beauty, style, and music is almost perfect.
When you see me dance?
Do you not feel mesmerized when you see me dance?
I tease you every night
I flirt with you and make suggestive comments throughout the night.
And everywhere
I am always finding ways to keep you interested and attracted to me.
I know I make it hard
I am aware that I make it challenging for you to resist me.
But I don't care
I enjoy the attention and want to continue creating a romantic atmosphere.
Gonna get crazy baby
I will go to great lengths to make sure you are enamored with me.
Ooh I'm gonna do it to you
I will use my beauty and charm to create an unforgettable moment between us.
Do anything you want me to
I am willing to satisfy your every desire to keep you interested in me.
Gonna shake my hips
I will use my body to seduce you and create a romantic moment.
Touch your body baby, let me feel you close to me
I want to feel a physical connection with you and will use my body to do so.
Take off your socks baby, I don't like socks in bed
I am making a sexual advance and hinting that I want to be intimate with you in bed.
Writer(s): Ashford Ted, Ashford Theodore H A
Contributed by Sadie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MelodyMaker151
Bonnie had the most interesting voice of them all ... I wish they had stayed together as a quartet. They really are one of the best groups of all time.
DJ X-Ray
Rare groove classic ...for those that know❤️
Mellow- D
Real bless.
1's still 🤛
Denise070
Chooone 🎶🎵
charlie
This is a super hot joint....love it!! Big up all rare groove connoiseurs!!
Janet McDaniel
yasss
Undergroundd Railroadd
Word up Charlie!
Roy Sanders
I love The Pointer Sisters. This is one of my favorite songs by the group!!! I love the girl groups of the sixties and seventies!!! I'm a big fan of Bonnie, Anita, June and Ruth!!!
Prodigal Sun Tzu 7
Dope tune, beautiful queens !! PEACE
Charlene Anderson
Love this song, so underrated (take off your socks, she don't like socks in bed😂😂😂)