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."
Love Is the Answer
The Stylistics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a world full of straight face
and deep to destruction all the time
is so hard to resist to evil seduction
and never drink the devil's wine.
Peple miss something to get their whole
how lucky are you
how lucky are you
how lucky take to you
Love that love
love that love
love sweet love is the answer
In a world that is pretty
where money means power
and many are held by a few
dont believe in the dreamer
some temple of love her
ppl dont know what to do
Ppl miss something to get their whole
(bis)
The lyrics of "Love Is the Answer" by The Stylistics speak of the struggles and challenges we face in a world constantly teetering on the brink of destruction. The song draws attention to the evil forces that constantly try to seduce us, and the temptation to drink the devil's wine, which is a metaphor for succumbing to the negative influences around us. However, the song emphasizes that in the midst of all this chaos, love is the answer. It speaks of the human yearning for that one thing that can help us resist these negative forces and motivate us to keep fighting for what we believe in.
The song highlights the importance of hope and the positive impact it can have on individuals. It talks about how luck can play a role in finding that hope and how lucky some people are to have found it. The song suggests that love is the antidote to the ills of the world, and it encourages listeners to embrace it and let it guide them.
Overall, the lyrics of this song speak to the human need for love, hope, and positivity in the face of adversity. It reminds us that even in a world full of darkness, we can find light by nurturing our relationships and holding onto the things that matter most.
Line by Line Meaning
In a world full of straight face
In a serious and unsmiling world
and deep to destruction all the time
and where destruction looms constantly
is so hard to resist to evil seduction
It is difficult to resist the temptation of evil
and never drink the devil's wine.
and never succumb to evil's influence
Peple miss something to get their whole
People feel incomplete
to hope them see you through
needing someone to guide them through life
how lucky are you
How fortunate you are
how lucky are you
How blessed you are
how lucky take to you
How much love you have
Love that love
Embrace love,
love that love
Cherish love
love sweet love is the answer
Love is the ultimate solution in life
In a world that is pretty
In a beautiful world
where money means power
Where wealth equals power
and many are held by a few
And many are oppressed by the powerful
dont believe in the dreamer
Don't believe in those who dream of love
some temple of love her
But rather some fake place of affection
ppl dont know what to do
People are confused about what path to take
Peple miss something to get their whole
People feel incomplete
(bis)
Repeated line
Contributed by Jackson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pob3690
너무 좋네요ㅎㅎ
@Schdman
안녕하세요
한국 힙합의 자존심
난널원해의 뿌리를 찾아 여기까지 오신분들? 종착지에 오신것을 환영합니다
@user-it2lk7vh4b
샘플링 출처 미표기는 당시 관행??
@user-eq2oq8uf5w
잃어버린 건 나 part1
의 뿌리를 찾아 왔습니다만..
@komericanblues643
@장인구 이것도 핑계가 안되는게 샘플링 미표기 이후 창작성 발휘해 노래 만든게 아니라 진행 고대로 다 따라감 ㅋㅋㅋ
@tayoni800
우리남자들은 뿌리가있죠..남자의 생명은 뿌리입니다.!!
@user-fd3mq7wt7b
원곡이 진짜 경이롭네요..hands down to this amazing song!
@user-zo3dw1zq8r
진짜 90년대 인터넷도 없던 시절 이런 클래식 음악 가져다 슥 쓰고 대중들한테 뿌리면 알 수가 없지 꼭 드렁큰타이거뿐이 아니라 그 시절 가수들이 얼마나 꿀빨았을까 이제 손가락만 까딱하고 ai한테 들려주면 다 찾아내니 얼마나 좋은 세상이고
@casanovaredmond8982
Freakin' Jam. 1974 love this Album.
@dogseller2345
전설의 명곡