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."
You Make Me Feel Brand New
The Stylistics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll never find the words, my love
To tell you how I feel, my love
Mere words could not explain
Precious love
You held my life within your hands
Created everything I amTaught me how to live again
Only you
Cared when I needed a friend
Believed in me through thick and thin
This song is for you
Filled with gratitude and love
God bless you
You make me feel brand new
For God blessed me with you
You make me feel brand new
I sing this song 'cause you
Make me feel brand new
My love
Whenever I was insecure
You built me up and made me sure
You gave my pride back to me
Precious friend
With you I'll always have a friend
You're someone who I can depend
To walk a path that sometimes bends
Without you
Like notes to a song out of time
How can I repay you
For having faith in me
God bless you
You make me feel brand new
For God blessed me with you
You make me feel brand new
I sing this song for you
The Stylistics's song You Make Me Feel Brand New is a poignant declaration of love to a partner who has brought about a profound change in the singer's life. The singer struggles to find words to express how much they mean to them, insisting that mere words fall short. They then go on to describe how their partner has been their rock, providing both emotional support and practical guidance. They emphasize the rarity of such support, noting that their partner believed in them "through thick and thin." Finally, the singer gives thanks for their partner's presence in their life, acknowledging that without them, their life would lack meaning and direction.
The lyrics are a testament to the power of love to heal and transform, and the singer's gratefulness for their partner's love and support is palpable. The song underscores the importance of having someone in our lives who believes in us and reminds us of our worth, and how such a person can make all the difference in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
My love
The person addressed by the singer is their beloved
I'll never find the words, my love
The singer cannot express their love for the addressee using mere words
To tell you how I feel, my love
The singer wishes to communicate the depth of their feelings towards the addressee
Mere words could not explain
The artist believes that words alone cannot convey how they feel about the addressee
Precious love
The artist values and cherishes their love for the addressee
You held my life within your hands
The addressee had a significant impact on the singer's life
Created everything I am
The addressee had a significant influence on the singer's identity
Taught me how to live again
The addressee helped the artist to regain a sense of purpose or direction in life
Only you
The addressee is unique and irreplaceable in the artist's life
Cared when I needed a friend
The addressee was supportive and empathetic when the artist needed someone to lean on
Believed in me through thick and thin
The addressee had faith in the singer during both good and bad times
This song is for you
The artist wants to use this song as a tribute to the addressee
Filled with gratitude and love
The song is a reflection of the singer's feelings of appreciation and affection towards the addressee
God bless you
The singer wishes for divine blessings to be bestowed upon the addressee
You make me feel brand new
The addressee has revitalized the singer's life and given them a sense of renewal
For God blessed me with you
The artist believes that their relationship with the addressee is a result of divine intervention
I sing this song 'cause you
The song is specifically dedicated to the addressee
Whenever I was insecure
The singer had moments of doubt or uncertainty about themselves or their situation
You built me up and made me sure
The addressee provided emotional support and encouragement, helping the singer to regain their confidence
You gave my pride back to me
The addressee helped the artist to feel more confident and assured in themselves
Precious friend
The addressee is not just a romantic partner, but also a close and supportive friend
With you I'll always have a friend
The artist believes that the addressee will continue to be a supportive presence in their life going forward
You're someone who I can depend
The singer trusts the addressee and believes that they are reliable and dependable
To walk a path that sometimes bends
The artist acknowledges that life can be unpredictable or difficult, but believes that they can face it with the addressee's support
Without you
The singer cannot imagine a life without the addressee's presence and support
Life has no meaning or rhyme
The singer believes that life would be empty and meaningless without the addressee
Like notes to a song out of time
Without the addressee, the singer's life would be like a disjointed or incomplete song
How can I repay you
The artist feels grateful for the addressee's support and wants to do something to show their appreciation
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Linda Diane Creed, Thomas Randolph Bell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lugiakane470
My love,
I'll never find the words my love, to tell you how I feel my love.
Mere words, could not explain.
Precious love,
You held my life within your hands, created everything I am,
Taught me how to live again.
Only you,
Cared when I needed a friend, believed in me through thick and thin,
This song is for you, filled with gratitude and love
God bless you, you make me feel brand new
@mannyg53
I used to sing this song to my wife, she passed away on the 26 of April, 2022. I also played it at her service. Such a beautiful song. We had 50 years together and still it wasn’t enough.
@jasongriffin7927
May She Rest In Peace.
@mamoshikanyamane5939
So sorry for your loss🙏🏾
@kimharris2056
God bless you my friend.
@robertdegrandis5180
STAY STRONG MY FRIEND. GOD BLESS YOU. SHE'S WITH GOD.
@dpskjajwnen
<3 i'm so sorry for your loss
@GeorgeSmith-b1l
This was my husband and my song. He died May 14 2023. We were married 48 years. This song always takes me back to those days in 1974. I miss him so bad.❤
@Steve-s3m
Beautiful song so very sorry for your loss 😢
@carldchiafullo1394
I'm sorry also, I lost my wife after being married 43 years. I shared song like this.
We use to go to concerts when 4 tops came around in New Jersey.
@NicholeCarterMusic
Prayers and Love