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."
pieces
The Stylistics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel its darts to the mind.
I let my pride stand in between us.
Never knowing that I had built
A wall protecting a need inside
Me.
Not seeing nothing more than my
Precious pride and ego.
Now all the left for me.
Pieces of a photograph.
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph.
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Time is made with face a shadow
And like a thief in the night.
It comes to call slowly creeping
It disappears in the light.
But I wont ever break that the chain around me.
I'll find away to shine off the things that bind me.
Memories still spinning their webs upon me.
But now I'm left alone.
Pieces of a photograph.
I tore in half. Pieces of chorus
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph.
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph.
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph.
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
The song "Pieces" by The Stylistics is a heartfelt ballad about the consequences of pride and its effects on a relationship. The first two lines - "Foolish pride can reap destruction. I feel its darts to the mind" - sets the tone for the entire song. The singer admits to having let their pride get in the way of their relationship, and now they are left with only pieces of memories that are tearing them apart. The lyrics convey the pain and regret that the singer feels as they come to terms with the mistakes they have made.
The chorus of the song, "Pieces of a photograph, I tore in half," represents how the singer has allowed their foolish pride to tear apart the once happy relationship they had. The metaphor of a photograph being torn in half represents the shattered memories that are no longer whole. The lyrics indicate that the singer is facing the harsh reality that they have lost something that was once very important to them.
The second verse - "Time is made with face a shadow, And like a thief in the night. It comes to call slowly creeping, It disappears in the light" - adds a somber tone to the song, evoking the image of memories that are slowly fading away. The singer acknowledges that they still have memories of their past relationship, but they are struggling to let them go. They vow not to let their past mistakes define them and to break free from the things that bind them.
Overall, "Pieces" is a poignant song that delves into the pain of losing something important due to the consequences of foolish pride. It serves as a reminder to listeners to value what they have before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Foolish pride can reap destruction.
Allowing pride to control you can lead to unfortunate consequences.
I feel its darts to the mind.
I am aware of how pride is affecting my thoughts.
I let my pride stand in between us.
I allowed my pride to create a barrier in our relationship.
Never knowing that I had built
Without realizing it,
A wall protecting a need inside
I created a wall to protect my innermost feelings.
Me.
Myself.
I was a fool thinking only of me.
I realize now that my selfishness was foolish.
Not seeing nothing more than my
I failed to see anything beyond my
Precious pride and ego.
My valued sense of pride and ego.
Now all the left for me.
All that is left for me now.
Pieces of a photograph.
Only fragments remain of a past memory.
I tore in half. Pieces of
I destroyed, resulting in pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Destroyed elements of a previous relationship, now just memories.
Time is made with face a shadow
Time is fleeting and often difficult to grasp.
And like a thief in the night.
Just like a thief, it can take things from you without warning.
It comes to call slowly creeping
It arrives gradually and often subtly.
It disappears in the light.
Time is transient and often disappears just as quickly as it came.
But I wont ever break that the chain around me.
I will not allow myself to be held down by my past.
I'll find away to shine off the things that bind me.
I will overcome my struggles and move forward.
Memories still spinning their webs upon me.
I am still affected by the memories of the past.
But now I'm left alone.
I am now left to move forward on my own.
Pieces of chorus
Repeating the same idea of destroyed elements of past relationships.
Love. Pieces of the past!
Debris from a previous relationship now left behind.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sean Jenkins
Foolish pride can reap destruction
I feel its darts to the mind
I let my pride stand in between us
Never knowing that I had built
A wall protecting a need inside
Me
I was a fool thinking only of me
Not seeing nothing more than my
Precious pride and ego
Now all the left for me
Pieces of a photograph
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Time is made with face a shadow
And like a thief in the night
It comes to call slowly creeping
It disappears in the light
But I won't ever break that the chain around me
I'll find away to shine off the things that bind me
Memories still spinning their webs upon me
But now I'm left alone
Pieces of a photograph
I tore in half. Pieces of chorus
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Pieces of a photograph
I tore in half. Pieces of
Love. Pieces of the past!
Jaylen E. Turner
Written by
Thom Bell
and
Linda Creed
———————————
Lead Vocals:
Russell Thompkins,Jr.
—————————————
Background Vocals:
Russell Thompkins,Jr.
Thom Bell
Carl Helm
Bunny Sigler
Kenny Gamble
Phil Hurtt
————————————
Additional
Background Vocals:
Linda Creed
Barbara Ingram
Carla Benson
Yvette Benton
————————————
Instrumentation:
Thom Bell and MFSB
—————————————
Arranger,Conductor,and
Producer:
Thom Bell
—————————————
Year:
1972
———————————
Album:
Round 2
moehammondmedia
This album is a masterpiece
Alvin Nelson
Agreed
Sean Jenkins
They don't perform this one anymore. I have no idea why, this is one of my favs
Osmar Silveira
THE STYLISTICS ONE OF THE GREATEST VOÍCES OF ALL TIMES. THE BEST VOCAL GROUP .
Johnny Dee
The Stylistics never felt as much in an Thom Bell’s mood as this overlooked track. Their best effort in my opinion !
Alvin Nelson
Agreed
Jeremiah Hudson
I remembered when I was with my pops and we was riding thru the city and he played this and I cant stop playing because it reminds me of him til this day 🙏🏾 R.I.H pops I love you and will never forget you
Levi Hudson
Rufus!!!! I feel the same way.... Love you Pops always
Jeremiah Hudson
@Levi Hudson 😭😭😭😭 veilllll
Levi Hudson
Yep got it on repeat right now🤣