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."
I'd Rather Be Hurt By You
The Stylistics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rather be hurt by you
Than to be loved by somebody else
I'd rather spend hours lonely and blue
Than one single moment with somebody new
My friends say that some day I'll love again
And maybe some day I will, still
I'd rather be hurt by you
Rather be hurt by you
Even be left alone by myself
Than be loved by somebody else
My friends say that some day I'll love again
And maybe some day I will, still
I'd rather be hurt by you
Rather be hurt by you
Even be left alone by myself
Than be loved by somebody else
Rather be hurt by you, baby
I'd rather, rather, rather, rather be
hurt by you than to be loved by someone else. These lyrics convey the message that the pain caused by the person they love is preferable to being with somebody new who doesn't compare to what they once had. The singer is willing to endure the loneliness and longing rather than being with another person who doesn't compare to the love they felt before. They would rather be hurt by someone they love than be with someone new.
The second verse picks up on the theme of the singer's determination to hold onto their love for the person who hurt them. They will spend hours feeling lonely and blue, rather than experiencing even a single moment with somebody new. Despite the words of their friends, who insist that they will find love again someday, the singer is holding out hope that they will reunite with their former love. The chorus repeats the same message that it is better for the singer to suffer the hurt they are feeling now, rather than being with somebody else.
Overall, the lyrics seem to suggest that love is worth the pain it can cause, and that it is preferable to suffer the hurt caused by a love once cherished than to love someone new. The song speaks to the deep feelings of love and loss that can be central to our emotional lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd rather be hurt by you
I prefer to be hurt by you, rather than to be loved by someone else.
Rather be hurt by you
I'd choose to endure the pain caused by you, rather than feel loved by another person.
Than to be loved by somebody else
I don't want to be loved by anyone else but you, even if it means getting hurt.
I'd rather spend hours lonely and blue
I'd rather spend my time feeling sad and alone, rather than being with someone else.
Than one single moment with somebody new
I wouldn't want to spend even a single moment with a new person, or anyone other than you.
My friends say that some day I'll love again
Although my friends believe that I'll find love again in the future,
And maybe some day I will, still
I may still end up finding love again, but for now, I only want to be with you.
Even be left alone by myself
I'd rather be alone, with no one else around, than to be loved by someone other than you.
Rather be hurt by you, baby
I want to be hurt by you specifically, my love.
I'd rather, rather, rather, rather be
I really mean it, I truly prefer to be hurt by you instead of being loved by anyone else.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: HUGO, LUIGI, GEORGE DAVID WEISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Laura Jones
This is a heart felt song” it just makes u think what can a person do? I’m such a Stylistics fan! Classics yes”
Gordon Johnson
You Will Never Here Music Like This Ever Again Period
GhostTrain615
I'd rather be hurt by you
Rather be hurt by you
Than to be loved by somebody else
I'd rather spend hours, lonely and blue
Than one single moment with somebody new
My friends say that someday I'll love again
And maybe someday I will, still
I'd rather be hurt by you, rather be hurt by you
Even be left alone by myself
Than be loved by somebody else
My friends say, that someday I'll love again
And maybe, someday I will, still
I'd rather be hurt by you (baby), rather be hurt by you (baby)
Even be left alone by myself
Than be loved by somebody else
Rather be hurt by you, baby
Rather be hurt by you, baby
I'd rather, rather, I'd rather, be...........
Felicia, I will always love you. I will never love anybody else!
GhostTrain615
I'd rather be hurt by you
Rather be hurt by you
Than to be loved by somebody else
I'd rather spend hours, lonely and blue
Than one single moment with somebody new
My friends say that someday I'll love again
And maybe someday I will, still
I'd rather be hurt by you. rather be hurt by you
Even be left alone by myself
Than be loved by somebody else
My friends say that someday I'll love again
And maybe someday I will, still
I'd rather be loved by you (baby), rather be hurt by you (baby)
Even be left alone by myself
Than be loved by somebody else
Rather be hurt by you, baby
Rather be hurt by you, baby
I'd rather, rather, I'd rather, be.........
Felicia, I will always love you. And I will never love anybody else!