You Make Me Feel Brand New

Album: Rockin' Roll Baby (1973)
Charted: 2 2
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Songfacts®:

  • This was written by the Philadelphia songwriters Linda Creed and Thom Bell. Both songwriters made huge contributions to the Philadelphia Soul sound, writing many hits for The Stylistics and The Spinners. Bell also produced this track.
  • Linda Creed really did feel brand new when she wrote the song's lyric - she was engaged and giddy with love. "I was so happy while I was writing that song," she told Bruce Pollack. "Each line I was jumping up and down saying 'I love it!'"

    Creed got married in 1972, and the following year, "You Make Me Feel Brand New" gave her a nice wedding present, climbing to #2 in the US and going Gold.
  • This romantic ballad finds the singer looking back on all the good things his partner has done for him. He feels blessed and rejuvenated by her, and wants her to know how much she means to him. It was one of the first very popular soul love songs that led to the emergence of the "Quiet Storm" format, where artists would combine very emotional lyrics with slow, sensuous arrangements to create very seductive music. Variations on the style continue to this day, as artists like Atlantic Starr, Boyz II Men, R. Kelly and John Legend picking up where The Stylistics left off.
  • Artists to cover this song include Roberta Flack, Boyz II Men, Simply Red, The 5th Dimension, Regina Belle and Babyface
  • This is the only Stylistics song on which falsetto Russell Thompkins and tenor Airrion Love share the lead vocal. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 6

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1974 {August 18th} the Stylistics' "You Make Me Feel Brand New" peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on the United Kingdom's Singles chart, the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "When Will I See You Again" by the Three Degrees...
    Two months earlier on June 9th, 1974 it also reached #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100 chart, and for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those two weeks was "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods...
    Between 1971 and 1992 the Philadelphia quintet had thirty two records on the Hot Soul Singles chart, thirteen made the Top 10 with their biggest hit being "Betcha By Golly, Wow", it peaked at #2 {for two weeks} in 1972, and for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "In The Rain" by the Dramatics...
    Russell Allen Thompkins Jr., the falsetto voiced lead singer of the group, celebrated his 68th birthday five months ago on March 21st, 2019...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1974 {April 13th) the Stylistics performed "You Make Me Feel Brand New" on Saturday-afternoon national syndicated television program, 'Soul Train'...
    At the time "You Make Me Feel Brand New" was at position #36 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, nine weeks later it would peak at #2* {for 2 weeks} and it spent almost a half-year on the Top 100 {25 weeks}...
    It also reached #2 in England and #5 on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart...
    Between 1971 and 1976 the Philadelphia soul quintet had seventeen records on the Top 100 chart, with five making the Top 10...
    Besides the above "You Make Me Feel Brand New", their four other Top 10 records were "You Are Everything" {#9 in 1971}, "Betcha By Golly, Wow" {#3 in 1972}, "I'm Stoned In Love With You" {#10 in 1972}, and "Break Up To Make Up" {#5 in 1973}...
    Sadly; the co-composer of "You Make Me Feel Brand New", Linda Creed, passed away on April 10th, 1986 at the age of 37 from breast cancer...
    May both she and Don Cornelius {1936 - 2012} R.I.P.
    * The two weeks "You Make Feel Brand New" was at #2 on the Top 100, the #1 record for both those weeks was "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods...
  • Bill from Lodi, CaIt's a shame that black artists don't write music like this today or anymore, all they want to do is rap.
  • Paul from Detroit, MiLove, love this song.. but I think this was released in summer 1974. It was fairly new when we danced to it at the prom in late May that year.
  • Dave from Easton, PaIt's a real shame that the Philly Soul sound is largely forgotten. This is some of the most memorable music ever written and performed. Russell Thompkins' vocal style and sound is unequaled. I had the honor to be In Atlantic City, NJ last year for a Philadelphia Soul concert that was taped for broadcast on PBS. IT was awesome! I got to hear the Stylistics in person and they, along with all the other acts, were just great.
  • Guy from Woodinville, WaA wonderful, wonderful song! This is the heart of Philadelphia Soul.
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