The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group fro… Read Full Bio ↴The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group from Chicago who signed their first professional contract in 1952. Roebuck "Pops" Staples (1914–2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (1934–2013), Pervis (1935-2021), Yvonne (1937-2018), and Mavis (b. 1939). They are best-remembered for their 1970s hits "Respect Yourself", "I'll Take You There", "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)", and "Let's Do It Again". In 1999 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005 the group was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The family began appearing in Chicago-area churches in 1948, and signed their first professional contract in 1952. They signed with United Records, then Vee-Jay, Riverside, Epic and, eventually, the black-owned indie Stax Records label where they hit their most fertile commercial peak.

In 1967, on Columbia subsidiary Epic, the Staple Singers first began moving into mainstream pop markets with "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)" and "For What It's Worth" (written by Stephen Stills). In 1968, the Staple Singers signed to Stax and released two albums recorded with Steve Cropper of Booker T & the MG's fame - Soul Folk in Action and We'll Get Over. By 1970, Al Bell had become producer, and the family began recording at the famed Muscle Shoals studio, moving in a more funk and soul direction. The first Stax hit was "Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)". In 1972, the group had a No. 1 hit in the United States with "I'll Take You There." Their 1972 recording on Stax of "Respect Yourself," written by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice, was number 2 on the R&B charts and a Top 40 pop hit as well. The song's theme of self-empowerment had universal appeal, released in the period immediately following the intense American civil rights movement of the 1960s. During this Stax period they appeared at a 1972 summer concert at the LA Memorial Coliseum attended by 100,000 people and documented in the 1973 film and soundtrack album Wattstax.

The Staple Singers then signed to Curtom, Curtis Mayfield's imprint, and released the soundtrack to a comedy film co-starring Bill Cosby called "Let's Do It Again". The soundtrack was produced by Mayfield; and the title song was a huge hit in 1975. After this, however, they were not able to regain their commercial momentum, releasing occasional minor hits, and moving from label to label including Warner Brothers and 20th Century before returning to Epic in the mid 80s. Lead singer Mavis Staples began a fruitful solo career in earnest that continues to this day and involves live performing with her sister Yvonne Staples. The other daughters in the group who did not pursue solo careers were Pervis Staples, and Cleotha Staples.

In 1994, the family made this final recording of a duet with Mary Stuart (reprising their Last Watz style backing on a cover of "The Weight" by The Band), somewhat re-establishing an audience.

Pops Staples died in December 2000.

Cleotha Staples died in Chicago on February 21, 2013.

Yvonne Staples died in April 2018 and Pervis Staples in May 2021.

For What It's Worth
The Staple Singers Lyrics

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Something happen in here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

It's time to stop, children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down

Battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

It's time to stop, children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down

What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray, for our side

It's time to stop, children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It hurts when you're always afraid
Step out of line, the man comes and takes you away

It's time to stop, children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down

Stop, children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down

Stop, children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's going down

Overall Meaning

The Staple Singers' song "For What It's Worth" is a cover of the classic protest anthem by Buffalo Springfield, written by Stephen Stills in response to the Sunset Strip curfew riots of 1966. The song is a call to action, urging listeners to pay attention to the social and political turmoil of the moment and to take a stand against oppression and injustice. The lyrics describe a world in which something is happening, but it's not entirely clear what is going on. There's a man with a gun who is telling people to beware, and young people are speaking out and facing resistance.

The chorus of the song is a repeated refrain urging children to stop and listen to the sound of what's happening around them. The lyrics suggest that there is a battle being drawn between different sides, but nobody is truly right if everybody is wrong. The third verse describes the scene of a protest march, with a thousand people in the street singing songs and carrying signs. The final verse describes the deep paranoia that can take hold when people are always afraid of authority figures swooping in to punish them if they step out of line.

Overall, "For What It's Worth" is a powerful reminder to pay attention to the world around us, to be aware of how power and authority are being used and to take a stand against injustice when we see it.

Line by Line Meaning

Something happen in here
An event occurred in this place

What it is ain't exactly clear
The details of the event are unclear

There's a man with a gun over there
A person with a weapon is present

Telling me I got to beware
Warning me to be careful

It's time to stop, children, what's that sound?
It's now the moment to get everyone's attention

Everybody look what's going down
Observe the situation unfolding

Battle lines being drawn
Groups are forming for a conflict

Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
If all sides are incorrect, no one is correct

Young people speaking their minds
Youth expressing their opinions

Getting so much resistance from behind
Encountering opposition from those in power

What a field day for the heat
An opportune moment for law enforcement