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."
If I Love You
The Stylistics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Overnight sensation, drive a big expensive car
I would buy you everything your little heart desires
These things I do, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
(Stone in love with you)
If I were a business man, I'd sit behind a desk
I'd be so successful, I would scare wall street to death
I did it all, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
(Stone in love with you)
I'm just a man, an average man
Doing everything the best I can
But if I could, I'd give the world to you
I'd like to someday be the owner of the first house on the moon
There would be no neighbors, and no population boom
You might say that all I do is dream my life away
I guess it's true, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
I guess it's true, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
I guess it's true, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
The lyrics to The Stylistics' song "I'm Stone in Love With You" speak to the lengths one would go through for the person they love. The song's protagonist is a man who is so deeply in love with the person he is singing to, that he envisions himself as a great big movie star, showcasing his fame and wealth to please his loved one. If he were a business man, he would be so successful that he'd hold meetings for the press to let the world know he was successful for the sole reason of his love for her. The lyrics are filled with examples, but what's most striking is the repeated phrase "These things I do, 'cause I'm stone in love with you."
This recurring phrase is at the heart of what the song is expressing. The singer loves this person so much that he would be willing to do anything for them, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. He goes as far as to say that all he does is dream his life away because of this love. The lyrics emphasize that this love is not just a crush or infatuation, rather it's deeply rooted, and he would give the world to make the person he loves happy. The song's sentimental tone and the memorable chorus have made it a classic of the era and continue to be popular decades later.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could I'd like to be, a great big movie star
If it were possible, I would want to be a famous movie star.
Overnight sensation, drive a big expensive car
If I became famous overnight, I would drive a luxurious car.
I would buy you everything your little heart desires
I would purchase anything and everything that you desire.
These things I do, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
I do these things because I am deeply in love with you.
If I were a business man, I'd sit behind a desk
If I were to become a businessman, I would work in an office.
I'd be so successful, I would scare wall street to death
I would achieve unparalleled success and intimidate Wall Street.
I would hold a meeting for the press to let them know
I would arrange a gathering for journalists to inform them of my achievements.
I did it all, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
I accomplished all of this because of my unyielding affection towards you.
I'm just a man, an average man
I am a regular person, just like anybody else.
Doing everything the best I can
I strive to give my best effort in everything I do.
But if I could, I'd give the world to you
If it were possible, I would give you everything you could ever want.
I'd like to someday be the owner of the first house on the moon
It is my desire to own the very first house on the moon someday.
There would be no neighbors, and no population boom
My lunar home would be secluded with no other inhabitants around.
You might say that all I do is dream my life away
Some people may argue that I spend my life indulging in fantasies.
I guess it's true, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
I admit that this may be true, because I am passionately in love with you.
I guess it's true, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
I concede that this may be true, because my love for you is unwavering.
I guess it's true, 'cause I'm stone in love with you
I accept that this may be correct, because my love for you is steadfast.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LINDA CREED, THOMAS BELL, ANTHONY SALVATORE BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay Singer
Written by
Thom Bell
and
Linda Creed
——————————
Lead Vocals:
Russell Thompkins,Jr.
————————————
Background Vocals:
Thom Bell
Carl Helm
Bunny Sigler
Kenny Gamble
Phil Hurtt
——————————
Instrumentation:
Thom Bell and
MFSB
——————————
Arranger,Conductor,
and Producer:
Thom Bell
—————————
Year:
1971
—————————
Album:
The Stylistics
Jaylen E. Turner
And the Stylistics didn’t sing on it.
Russell was the only Stylistic that sang on the three albums that
Thom Bell produced.
Thom only liked Russell’s voice and he only wanted to work with him.
The background vocals were done by
Thom Bell,
Carl Hamm,
Bunny Sigler,
Kenny Gamble,
and
Phil Hurtt.
Russell did some background vocals as well along the female group
“The Sigma Sweethearts” that consisted of
Barbara Ingram,
Yvette Benton,
and
Carla Benson.
The other Stylistic Airrion Love was brought in thanks to Russell,
and he sang the harmony part
in “You Are Everything” and
the verses on
“You Make Me Feel Brand New”.
Jaylen E. Turner
Written by
Thom Bell
and
Linda Creed
————————
Lead Vocals:
Russell Thompkins,Jr.
————————————
Background Vocals:
Thom Bell
Kenny Gamble
Carl Helm
Bunny Sigler
Phil Hurtt
(The other Stylistics never
sang on the first three albums
that Thom Bell produced.)
————————————
Instrumentation:
Thom Bell and
MFSB
——————————
Arranger,Conductor,
and Producer:
Thom Bell
—————————
Year:
1971
————————
Album:
The Stylistics
lois Wright
This song just kept popping up in my head until I finally decided to do a search on You Tube. Just cannot stop playing it now. The Stylistics are one of those timeless groups and I love them.
Dolls Way!!!
lois Wright THE SAME THING happened to me tonight!! haven't heard this in years and all of a sudden tonight I STARTED singing it and looked it up!! it's no coincidence that GREAT MINDS THINK A LIKE!!!! it's New YEARS EVE and I'm Jamming this one CAUSE 2018 IS GONNA BE MY BEST YEAR YET!!!!! I'M CLAIMING IT!!!!
SoulLegendsRadio
Russell Thompkins kills it.....one of The greatest Stylistics joints ever....pure magic
Dolls Way!!!
Love this Song !!! when I was a LITTLE GIRL my DAD WOULD play this Album!!! I Miss You Daddy!!! 12-30-2017 Listening one day before 2018
Maurice Kelly
The 70’s R&B was and still unforgettable. It takes me back to a time that was so magical when I sit and listen to not just the nut but also the lyrics. So fortunate to been able to experience this type of musical adventure that grabbed our ears and delighted our inner soul like no other music could besides gospel. The generation now will never ever experience any of this because what we were able to enjoy from the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s was real music sang by real singers and real music played by real musicians. No matter how this generation try to convince real music lovers that music has evolved, evolved to what??? We handed them the keys to a vintage Cadillac, everything original, tell them to take care of it, they bring it back with a funny paint job, different interior, big tires and rims, with a sound system that had to remove the backseat in order to put in the extra amps and speakers that were costume made. Then they step back looking at us like they improved on something that didn’t need improvement. That’s how our music looks, sounds and feels like. That’s why I keep my hands in my creates.........OLD SCHOOL BABY!!!
Clifford Ulmer
I played that song to death. Love it.
goUnitas19
One of my favorite "cuts" of the Stylisitics-I favor their version over Little Anthony and the Imperial's one-and I like theirs (Imperials) too. I'd like to hear a remix of this one for the year 2014.
Tasianailai Fatalevave
Another that I can relate too..thanks for sharing:))
Esceja 51
Love this song. It's so emotional. I wish it was longer. Takes me way, way back.
Barry Thomas
Esceja: TOTALLY agree. When it first came out in the 70s, had a tremendous crush on a girl. This was my soundtrack that summer. Never came close to getting the girl - but at least I have this song.