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."
Stop Look Listen To Your Heart
The Stylistics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Does it ever puzzle you, have you asked why
You seem to fall in love, out again
Do you ever really love or just pretend
Why fool yourself
Don't be afraid to help yourself
It's never too late, too late to
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Love, love, love
Though you try, you can't hide
All the things you really feel, this time decide
That you will open up, let it in
There's no shame in sharing love you keep within
So jump on in
Head over heels, and fall right in
It's never too late too late to
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Love, love, love
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying (Listen to your heart, can't
You see it's not too late)
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying (La, la, la, la, la, la, la)
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying (Listen to your heart, can't
You see it's not too late)
Stop, look
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
The song "Stop Look Listen" by The Stylistics is a beautiful ballad that encourages the listener to be introspective and take a deep look inside themselves. The opening lines of the song ask the listener if they have ever bothered to wonder why they keep falling in and out of love. The first verse suggests that their love may not be sincere but rather a pretence. The chorus picks up and urges the listener to stop, look, and listen to their heart as it speaks to them. It emphasizes that it is never too late to heed the call of the heart and open themselves to the love they keep within. The second verse tells the listener that they should not try to hide their true feelings and that they should make a conscious and definitive choice to allow love to enter their hearts.
The song's message is very clear and the harmonious voices of the Stylistics add a layer of depth and emotion to the lyrics. It is a timeless classic that will continue to resonate with listeners and inspire self-reflection for generations to come.
Line by Line Meaning
You're alone all time
You spend most of your time by yourself.
Does it ever puzzle you, have you asked why
Have you ever wondered why you're always alone?
You seem to fall in love, out again
It looks like you fall in love with someone, but then quickly fall out of love.
Do you ever really love or just pretend
Do you truly love someone, or do you just pretend to?
Why fool yourself
Why lie to yourself?
Don't be afraid to help yourself
Don't be scared to improve your situation.
It's never too late, too late to
There is always time to make changes.
Stop, look
Pause for a moment.
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Pay attention to what you truly feel in your heart.
Love, love, love
Love is the answer.
Though you try, you can't hide
Even if you attempt to conceal your feelings, they will still manifest.
All the things you really feel, this time decide
This is the time to make a decision based on how you truly feel.
That you will open up, let it in
Be vulnerable and allow love into your life.
There's no shame in sharing love you keep within
It's okay to share your love with others.
So jump on in
Take a risk and dive into love.
Head over heels, and fall right in
Completely surrender to love.
Stop, look
Pause for a moment.
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Pay attention to what you truly feel in your heart.
Stop, look
Pause for a moment.
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Pay attention to what you truly feel in your heart.
Stop, look
Pause for a moment.
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying (Listen to your heart, can't
You see it's not too late)
Pay attention to what you truly feel in your heart - it's not too late.
Stop, look
Pause for a moment.
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying (La, la, la, la, la, la, la)
Listen to the music of your heart.
Stop, look
Pause for a moment.
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying (Listen to your heart, can't
You see it's not too late)
Pay attention to what you truly feel in your heart - it's not too late.
Stop, look
Pause for a moment.
Listen to your heart, hear what it's saying
Pay attention to what you truly feel in your heart.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LINDA CREED, LINDA DIANE CREED, THOM BELL, THOMAS RANDOLPH BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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