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.
I'll Take You There
The Staple Singers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't nobody cryin'
Ain't nobody worried
Ain't no smilin' faces
Mmm, no no
Lyin' to the races
Help me, come on, come on
Somebody, help me now (I'll take you there)
Help me now (I'll take you there)
Oh! (I'll take you there)
Oh! Oh! Mercy! (I'll take you there)
Oh, let me take you there (I'll take you there)
Oh-oh! Let me take you there! (I'll take you there)
Play your, play your piano now
All right Ah do it do it
Come on now
Play on it, play on it
Daddy daddy daddy
Ooh, Lord
All right now
Baby, easy now
Now, come on, little lady
All right
Dum-dum-dum-dum
Sock it, sock it
Ah, oh, oh!
I know a place, ya'all (I'll take you there)
Ain't nobody cryin' (I'll take you there)
Ain't nobody worried (I'll take you there)
No smilin' faces (I'll take you there)
Uh-uh (lyin' to the races) (I'll take you there)
Oh, no Oh! (I'll take you there)
Oh oh oh! (I'll take you there)
Mercy now! (I'll take you there)
I'm callin' callin' callin' mercy (I'll take you there)
Mercy mercy! (I'll take you there)
Let me (I'll take you there)
Oh oh! I'll take you there (I'll take you there)
The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" is a song that evokes hope, unity, and the promise of a better future. The upbeat rhythm and joyful tone of the song are mirrored in the lyrics, as the singer offers to take the listener to a place where there is no crying, no worries, and no deceitful people. The repetition of "I'll take you there" is meant to be a reassuring promise that the journey to this place is possible and that the listener is not alone.
The verse "Play your piano now/ All right Ah do it do it/ Come on now/ Play on it, play on it/ Daddy daddy daddy" is a nod to the musical roots of the song, which is heavily influenced by gospel and soul music traditions. The singer is encouraging the pianist to keep playing and keep the rhythm going, creating a moment of musical unity between the performers.
Overall, "I'll Take You There" is a song that celebrates the power of music to bring people together and uplift them in difficult times. It is a call to arms for listeners to come together and help each other, reminding them that there is always hope for a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh mmm I know a place
The singer knows of a place
Ain't nobody cryin'
No one is crying in this place
Ain't nobody worried
No one is worried in this place
Ain't no smilin' faces
No one is putting on a fake smile in this place
Mmm, no no
Expressing a negative sentiment
Lyin' to the races
People are being deceitful to get ahead
Help me, come on, come on
Asking for assistance
Somebody, help me now (I'll take you there)
Requesting help to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Help me, ya'all (I'll take you there)
Requesting help to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Help me now (I'll take you there)
Requesting immediate assistance to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Oh! (I'll take you there)
Excited to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Oh! Oh! Mercy! (I'll take you there)
Exclamation of wanting to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Oh, let me take you there (I'll take you there)
Asking for permission to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Oh-oh! Let me take you there! (I'll take you there)
Asking for permission to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Play your, play your piano now
Asking someone to play the piano
All right Ah do it do it
Encouragement to play the piano
Come on now
Asking someone to join in
Play on it, play on it
Asking the piano player to continue playing
Daddy daddy daddy
Term of endearment or encouragement
Ooh, Lord
Exclamation of amazement or awe
All right now
Expression of encouragement or agreement
Baby, easy now
Asking someone to calm down or relax
Now, come on, little lady
Asking someone to join in
All right Dum-dum-dum-dum
Encouragement or excitement
Sock it, sock it
Encouragement or excitement
Ah, oh, oh!
Exclamation of satisfaction or excitement
I know a place, ya'all (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous sentiment about knowing of a place and wanting to bring someone there
Ain't nobody cryin' (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous sentiment that no one is crying in this place and wanting to bring someone there
Ain't nobody worried (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous sentiment that no one is worried in this place and wanting to bring someone there
No smilin' faces (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous sentiment that no one is putting on a fake smile in this place and wanting to bring someone there
Uh-uh (lyin' to the races) (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous sentiment that people are being deceitful to get ahead and wanting to bring someone to a place where that isn't happening
Oh, no Oh! (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous excitement to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Oh oh oh! (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous excitement to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Mercy now! (I'll take you there)
Exclamation of the desire to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
I'm callin' callin' callin' mercy (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous exclamation of the desire to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Mercy mercy! (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous exclamation of the desire to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Let me (I'll take you there)
Asking for permission to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Oh oh! I'll take you there (I'll take you there)
Repeating the previous excitement to bring someone to the place the singer knows of
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alvertis Isbell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@superfly207
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Hello My Name Is Afro-Key ☄
I hope Paula White is in jail or locked up ,some televangelisms , some Churches just don't give a damn about no one all day give a damn about his day car Gas To or for us being killed over.
Whoever that suppressed the truth is lying to the races and that will be a problem.
@MrRonnieG
I came back from Vietnam in late 1970 and by the summer of 1972 I was working for an airline up at LAX and living in a sweet apartment in Huntington Beach, California. I remember this recording and I remember burning holes thru pair after pair of socks, dancing in the kitchen while listening to this song on my record player (Garrard turntable & Harmon Kardon amp) and knocking down (steel) cans of Coors Banquet (no Coors Light back in the day). I was home from The Nam, alive and living large.
@brmbkl
Glad you made it. thanks for the picture. keep on dancing
@davidlombardo8148
Ron Cromer
That was a long drive
@ThePeopleOfWA
What a great story, Ron! Thanks for sharing :)
@lindachampion406
Ron Cromer
@kellyi.4353
Thank you much for uploading this song and I equally thank you for posting your experience (so descriptive I can picture you booging down in the kitchen).
@yenenew7380
Who is with this classic in 2024?
@latavushenry4960
I bump this every day at work.
@Tammy-jw2xw
Absolutely!!
@yenenew7380
@@Tammy-jw2xwYou know music