They had their first U.S. hit in 1971 with "You're a Big Girl Now". Signing to Avco Records, The Stylistics began working with producer Thom Bell, who had already produced a catalogue of hits for The Delfonics, and songwriter Linda Creed. Bell imported the sweet soul techniques he had perfected with The Delfonics, and his arrangements worked perfectly with Thompkins' falsetto. The bittersweet lyrics from Creed were a key factor in creating hugely memorable music.
Their hits, distilled from three albums, from this period included "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "You Make Me Feel Brand New" featuring a double lead with Love, "Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart" and "You Are Everything". "You Make Me Feel Brand New" was the group's biggest U.S. hit, holding at #2 for two weeks in the spring of 1974, and was one of five U.S. gold singles the Stylistics collected. The Stylistics' smooth sound also found an easier path onto adult contemporary airwaves than other soul artists, and the group made Billboard magazine's Easy Listening singles chart twelve times from 1971 to 1976, with three entries, "Betcha By Golly, Wow," "You Make Me Feel Brand New," and "You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" reaching the Top 10.
The group split with Thom Bell in 1974, and the split proved devastating commercially to the group's success in the USA. Just as with The Delfonics, The Stylistics were to some extent a vehicle for Bell's own creativity. They struggled hard to find producers who could come up with the right material, and partnerships with Hugo & Luigi and Van McCoy were notably less successful. They left Avco for H&L Records and the Stylistics' popularity rapidly declined in the U.S., though their British popularity continued for the rest of the 1970s.
In 1980, James Dunn departed due to health problems, and James Smith left shortly thereafter. The group continued, recruiting new member Raymond Johnson, and releasing the album Some Things Never Change, in 1985. Johnson departed shortly afterward, leaving the group a trio. Love, Murrell, and Thompkins continued to tour until 2000, when original lead Thompkins left. Love and Murrell brought in two new members, Harold "Eban" Brown, formerly of the Delfonics, as lead ( who sounds amazingly like a young Russell Thompkins), and tenor Van Fields. The present group is featured live on the DVD's "The Stylistics Live at the Convention Center" (2006), as well as along with other artists of the '70's on the DVD "The Big Show."
In 2004, Russell Thompkins, Jr. started a new group, the New Stylistics, with the returning Raymond Johnson, James Ranton, and Jonathan Buckson. They are featured on the DVD "Old School Soul Party Live!," which was part of the PBS "My Music" series.
The Stylistics' catalog of hits have been mined frequently by other artists in recent years. Notable examples include "Betcha By Golly, Wow" covered by Prince, "You Are Everything" remade by Vanessa Williams, and "You Make Me Feel Brand New" redone by Boyz ll Men Roberta Flack and Simply Red. Mary J. Blige also used the chief line from the chorus of "You Are Everything" ("You are everything, and everything is you") in her 1997 hit "Everything." In 2006, Letoya Luckett used a similar sample to the background track of "You Are Everything" for the music to her hit single "Torn."
Baby
The Stylistics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dance
Dance
Disco Baby.
Shake
Shake
Shake
Disco Baby.
Get down
Get down
Disco Baby.
Ever see a room start arockin'
Ever see the ceilin' fall?
Ever sge a dance floor burnin'
Up from wall to wall?
Disco Baby
Disco Baby.
When she grooves
She makes the moves
That drive you crazy.
That's my Disco Baby
Freakin' out the discothek.
Dance
Dance
Dance
Disco Baby.
Shake
Shake
Shake
Disco Baby.
When they play a real bad record
And the beat is really cool
Ev'rybody claps their hands
And watches you know who.
Disco Baby
Disco Baby
. . .
Dance
Dance
Dance
Disco Baby.
Shake
Shake
Shake
Disco Baby.
Dance
Dance
Dance
Disco Baby.
Shake
Shake
Shake
Disco Baby.
The Stylistics' "Disco Baby" is a high-energy celebration of the disco phenomena that took over the dance floors of the 1970s. The song encourages its listeners to let loose and dance as they perform repetitive chants of "Dance," "Shake," and "Get down" while referring to the "Disco Baby" who grooves to the beat of the music. The song describes the power a good disco song has over its audience, taking them on an out-of-control journey – a rockin' room, falling ceiling, and a burning dance floor.
The Stylistics are talking about the cultural moment in which Disco was at its peak, and people went out to these huge venues to dance the night away. The repetition of the song's lyrics lends it an anthem-like quality that encourages listeners to abandon self-consciousness and to dance the night away until they drop. Some people argue that disco music helped people turn to dance and leave the weight of their problems behind for a few hours.
The song emphasizes the power of rhythm as much as it does the experience of unity achieved when everyone is dancing to the same beat. Overall the song "Disco Baby" by The Stylistics is a call to dance, leave their worries behind, and enjoy the spirit and rhythm of disco music.
Line by Line Meaning
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Get down
Move your body down
Get down
Move your body down
Get down
Move your body down
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Ever see a room start arockin'
Have you ever seen a room start to shake?
Ever see the ceilin' fall?
Have you ever seen the ceiling collapse?
Ever sge a dance floor burnin'
Have you ever seen a dance floor on fire?
Up from wall to wall?
Everywhere?
Disco Baby
In the disco, baby.
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
When she grooves
When she moves
She makes the moves
Her dancing is impressive
That drive you crazy.
That makes you crazy (in a good way)
That's my Disco Baby
That's my girl in the disco
Freakin' out the discothek.
She's dancing like crazy in the disco
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
When they play a real bad record
When they play a really great song
And the beat is really cool
And the rhythm is really cool
Ev'rybody claps their hands
Everybody is enjoying it
And watches you know who.
And watches the girl who knows how to dance
Disco Baby
In the disco, baby.
Disco Baby
In the disco, baby.
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Dance
Let's dance
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Shake
Shake it up
Disco Baby.
In the disco, baby.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: HUGO, LUIGI, GEORGE DAVID WEISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brasileiro do Vale
Nessa madrugada ouvindo esse clássico The Stylistics 💗
chocolate smile
Awesome song
James Hogan
I have heard many versions of this song throughout the decades, but this one remains my personal favourite.
Jerry Ratliffe
Pure greatness is this.
Martin Roche
This should have been a single back in the seventies. I also like Gladys Knight and the Pips version but for me you can't better Russell's vocals
Loretta De Herrera
I SURE LOVE THIS....💞💞💞💞💞💜💜💜💜💜
Cliff Edwards
Wow😎
Sylvia Rodriguez
love im still here i was just playing some music that was all i feel u i just dont want drama can we talk if you want we still have time for better understanding i know it takes time just write it down or tell me how things like that its ok if you want if not just let me know so i can move im started to pack a few things reach out live from far