FUNKY-SOUL-VINYLS CLASSIC SOUL AND FUNK ALBUMS OF THE 60’s 70’s and 80’s # 19

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60’s 70’s and 80’s

The LP’s that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Albums ever Released. All of them, I have purchased on Vinyl many Years ago and now have them on CD or Download today.

You may have Differing view’s (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!

#19…….THE ISLEY BROTHERS…….HARVEST FOR THE WORLD


In May of 1976, The Isley Brothers  Released their 14th Studio Album on Their Own T-Neck Record Label, it was Called “Harvest For The World”

I can Quite clearly Remember Walking to the Record Shop (Airfield Tapes & Records 2) in our Town, to Buy this Album.


What a Great Album this is, No Sub-Standard Track’s, Great Ballads and Typical Isley Brothers Uptempo Track’s!


It was Recorded at The Record Plant Recording Studios in Los Angeles, All the Track’s were Written, Arranged, Composed and Produced by The Isley Brothers (including Chris Jasper).


The Album Sold 1/2 Million Copies within 3 Weeks of its Release, and eventually went Platinum! 

Track Listing:

1. “Harvest for the World (Prelude)” – 2:10
2. “Harvest for the World” – 3:53
3. “People of Today” – 4:40
4. “Who Loves You Better” – 5:32
5. “(At Your Best) You Are Love” – 5:24
6. “Let Me Down Easy” – 6:31
7. “So You Wanna Stay Down” – 3:52
8. “You Still Feel the Need” – 4:52

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The Album Reached Number 9 in the US Billboard Pop Chart, and Number 1 on the US Soul Album Chart, it also Peaked at Number 50 in the UK Pop Album Chart.


3 Singles were Released from the Album, Positions as follows:


                                       US Pop   US R&B   US Dance
Harvest for the World           63           9             –
Who Loves You Better         47           3             2
People of Today                     –            –              3

What a Great Voice “Ronald Isley” has, He would be in My Top 5 Soul Singer’s!


My Favorite Tracks on the Album and in Order of Preference:


Track’s  5, 3  and Track 2.

Personnel

• Ronald Isley: lead and background vocals
• O’Kelly Isley, Jr.: background vocals (lead vocals on “Let Me Down Easy”)
• Rudolph Isley: background vocals (lead vocals on “You Still Feel the Need”)
• Ernie Isley: guitars, drums, percussion, congas, timbales, maracas
• Marvin Isley: bass, cowbell, woodblock, percussion
• Chris Jasper: piano, keyboards, ARP synthesizer, clavinet, tambourine, percussion

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Here’s a Great In-Depth Blog Post concerning the “Harvest For the World” Album, its written by DereksMusic Blog! 

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THE ISLEY BROTHERS 3+3 ….. Part 4

From 1976 to 1979 the Isley Brothers released 4 Albums (their 13th 14th 15th & 16th Album releases), and all going to Number 1 in the R&B Charts, apart the 4th release that charted at number 3!

All Albums were Self Produced and on their T-Neck Record Label!

1976 saw the release of “Harvest For The World” this Album was one of the Fastest Selling Albums of all-time, Selling Half a Million Copies in 3 Weeks!

The Best Tracks on the Album were “Harvest For The World” Who Love’s You Better & “Let Me Down Easy”

This Album also Charted at number 9 in the US Pop Chart.1977 saw the Release of “Go For Your Guns” this Album attained Platinum Status (selling 1Million copies). It had some Great Tracks on it, including the Number One R&B Hit “The Pride”
Voyage to Atlantis and my Favorite ” Footsteps in the Dark”

This Album went to Number 6 in the US Pop Chart!
The Album “Showdown” was Released in 1978, As well as getting to Number 4 in US Pop Chart, it also attained Platinum Status!

It also contained the Number One Hit “Take me to the Next Phase”
1979 saw the Double Album Release of ” Winner Takes All” this Album did’nt Sell quite as Good as previous 3 Albums, Selling Half A Million Copies ( Gold) it did reach Number 3 in R&b Chart though!

The First Single off the Album was “I Wanna Be WithYou” this was the Isley’s 5th Number One R&B Single. This Album also contained the Track ” Its a Disco Night” this Charted in UK Pop Chart at Number 14!

By 1979 The Isley Brothers had been making Records for 20 years.

Download some Isley Brothers Music!

This Isley Brothers Photo was put together by my Grandaughter “Jess” Check Out her Blog!

THE ISLEY BROTHERS 3+3 Part 3

It was during this period The Isley Brothers really became a Big Band commercially, In 1972 they released the Self Produced“Brother Brother Brother” their last through Buddah Records (on their T-Neck Label) it contained three Carol King Tracks, including the Title Track & “Its Too Late” My favorite track on Album was “Work To Do”

1973 saw the release of 3+3, the first Album to include the other two Isley Brothers & Cousin Chris Jasper, officially in the Band & on Album Sleeve, although they had been in the group since the 1969 Album ” Its Your Thing”

By now they had moved their T-Neck label over to Epic Records.

This was a Classic Album, including all the great Tracks “That Lady” Highways of my Life & “Summer Breeze” my favorite Track was “What it Comes Down To”

The Album went Platinum, a first for the Isleys, it got to number 2 on the Billboard Black Album Chart and number 8 on the Billboard Pop Album Chart!

The following year of 1974, saw the release of the Album “Live It Up” it reached Number 1 in the R&B Charts and Number 14 on the Billboard Chart.

There were 2 top 10 Hits on the Album, the Title Track “Live It Up” and also the track “Midnight Sky”

The Album also featured a Great Version of the Todd Rundgren Track “Hello its me”

The 12th Isley Brothers Album was released in 1975, called “The Heat is on”

It sold 500,000 copies in its first month of release and was the Isleys first Album to top both the Pop and R&B Charts! it spent a total of 40 weeks on the Billboard Album Chart.

The album featured the track “Fight The Power parts 1 & 2″ but my favorite Track on this Album & one of my All Time Isleys Brothers Favorites, was “For The Love Of You”

Over the years this Album contained 5 Songs that have been Sampled by other Artists over 25 times, they include; Cypress Hill, Doctor Dre, Real Roxanne & Public Enemy!

Download some Isley Brothers Music!

THE ISLEY BROTHER’S 3+3 part 1

One of the better groups of 70’s & 80’s in my opinion was The Isley Brothers! Between 1975 & 1989 I brought 14 of their Albums, from a “Motown Special” to “Spend the Night” also several Singles! They were one of the few Black Artistes who had their own Record Label “T-Neck”( a suburb of New Jersey), which were released through Epic Records.

The Isleys came from Cincinnati, they started out singing Gospel in the local Baptist Church, in them days they were a Quartet, including Brothers O’Kelly, Ronald, Rudolph and Vernon, but unfornately Vernon died in 1955, so they became a Trio, and in 1959 moved to New York and signed for RCA Records.

It was only their Second Single release, that became a Hit Single “Shout” this record was written by The Isleys. This was later recorded by Lulu.

In the early 60’s they moved to Wand Records, where in 1962 they recorded the track “Twist and Shout” not an original Isley Track, but later that year it was used as a Template and released as a Single by none other than “The Beatles”!



During 1965 The Isleys toured and recorded with a then unknown Artist by the name of Jimi Hendryx. It was also 1965 they signed for Tamla Motown Records, having a Great couple of Singles in 1966 “This Old Heart of Mine”(incidentally, this track was originally written for the Four Tops!) and 1967 “Behind a Painted Smile”



By the late 60’s The Isley Bothers had left Tamla Motown!



Checkout a few earlier Isley Brothers Tracks!

Discover the playlist the isley brothers with The Isley Brothers