Lady (You Bring Me Up) – Commodores | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: R&B (#5) & Pop (#8); 1981
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
In the beginning, the Commodores laid down some of the finest horn-fueled funk East of the Mississippi. After several years on the road and a few failed records to their credit, the Alabama band erupted onto the chart in 1974 with the blistering Machine Gun.
Although their first six albums contained plenty of solid funk, it was the slow ‘n easy tracks that brought singles chart success. 1976’s Sweet Love was the first, followed by Just To Be Close To You and Easy.
Even the hardcore hit Brick House didn’t divert the band from its ballad ways. The 1978 crossover smash Three Times A Lady cemented the Commodores’ legacy as a pop/adult contemporary group.
In 1981, the gang proved they still had some groove left when they released Lady (You Bring Me Up); a momentary return to its R&B roots. While Lady was in the Top 10, the #1 record was the über-ballad Endless Love by Diana Ross and Commodores’ vocalist Lionel Richie.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- James Anthony Carmichael
- Commodores
Lyrics Written by:
- Harold Hudson
- William King
- Shirley Hanna-King
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).