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Isley Brothers

NME.com feature on Isley Brothers including news, reviews, biography, youtube video, audio, concerts, tour dates, photos, pictures, commentary, album reviews and live reviews and cool facts.

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Isley Brothers Music Videos

Let's Lay Together Play Video

Let's Lay Together

Official music video for the track Let's Lay Together by The Isley Brothers.

What Would You Do? Play Video

What Would You Do?

Official music video for the track What Would You Do? by The Isley Brothers.

Ballad For The Fallen Soldier Play Video

Ballad For The Fallen Soldier

The Isley Brothers official video for the track Ballad For The Fallen Soldier

Summer Breeze Play Video

Summer Breeze

The Isley Brothers have enjoyed a long and distinguished career from the early fifties to the present day. They have enjoyed considerable chart success and huge album sales on both sides of the Atlantic and remain a...

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YouTube Isley Brothers Videos

The Isley Brothers - Contagious Play Video

The Isley Brothers - Contagious

Music video by The Isley Brothers performing Contagious. (C) 2001 SKG Music LLC

Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets Play Video

Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets

ISLEY BROTHERS - BETWEEN THE SHEETS

The Isley Brothers - Busted ft. JS Play Video

The Isley Brothers - Busted ft. JS

Music video by The Isley Brothers performing Busted. (C) 2003 Geffen Records

The Isley Brothers - For The Love Of You Play Video

The Isley Brothers - For The Love Of You

For The Love Of You by The Isley Brothers

The Isley Brothers - Voyage To Atlantis Play Video

The Isley Brothers - Voyage To Atlantis

Voyage To Atlantis by The Isley Brothers

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Isley Brothers Biography

The Isley Brothers is a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper. The founding members were O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley and Vernon Isley.

Starting their careers in the gospel performing circuit in the early 1950s, they eventually crossed over to secular music first finding modest success in doo-wop until the release of their first million-selling hit, "Shout", in 1959. After several flops resulted in them being dropped from their record label, they found success again with sixties hits such as "Twist and Shout", later covered successfully by The Beatles and the Motown hit, "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" in 1962 and 1966 respectively. The group didn't find success again until the end of the decade when their 1969 single, "It's Your Thing", (with Ernie Isley on bass guitar) was released. The song brought them success in the then-fledgling funk genre.

After forming their own label, T-Neck Records, the group found modest success with their own recordings between 1969 and 1972 until revamping the vocal group into a sextet in 1973 with the release of their landmark album, 3 + 3, this time featuring younger brothers Ernie Isley and Marvin Isley and brother-in-law Chris Jasper who brought the musical and songwriting component to the group, making them a self-contained band. The addition of Ernie, Marvin, and Chris led to their most successful period as they successfully mixed their brand of R&B with rock, soul and funk elements. Hits they would have during that period included a revamped version of their 1964 song "That Lady" (featuring Ernie's characteristic guitar playing), "Fight the Power" (written by Ernie), "For the Love of You" and "Between the Sheets" (written by Chris and Ernie).

In 1984 the group split up after the departure of Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper (who formed Isley-Jasper-Isley and reached #1 on the charts with "Caravan of Love" a year later). The original trio released Masterpiece in 1985. By that time O'Kelly Isley had fallen ill and died the following year. Rudolph and Ronald released the post O'Kelly albums, Smooth Sailin' and Spend the Night in 1987 and 1989 respectively, collaborating with Angela Winbush. Rudolph retired in 1989, leaving Ronald by himself.

In 1991, Ernie and Marvin teamed up with Ronald again for the next album, Tracks of Life. In 1997, Marvin retired from the group and show business after developing diabetes forcing Ronald and Ernie to continue the group as a duo. The duo scored a top 40 hit with "Contagious" in 2001. With that hit, The Isley Brothers became the only act to have at least one Hot 100 hit in each of six consecutive decades: the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. The Isleys managed to reach the top 40 in the last five of those decades.

The Isleys and Jasper were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Little Richard in 1992. They are the recipients of a single Grammy Award.

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Isley Brothers Lyrics

Isley Brothers - For the Love of You Lyrics

Yeah, well, well, well
Yeah, yeah, hey, hey

Driftin' on a memory

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Isley Brothers - Footsteps in the Dark Lyrics

Are we really sure
Can a love that lasted for so long still endure?
Do I, really care? Hey, hey
Let's talk about the distractions goin' on elsewhere

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Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets Lyrics

Hey girl, ain't no mystery at least
As far as I can see
I wanna keep you here layin' next to me
Sharin' our love between the sheets

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Isley Brothers - Who's That Lady Lyrics

Who's that lady? Who's that lady?
Beautiful lady, who's that lady?
Lovely lady, who's that lady?
Real fine lady, who's that lady?

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Isley Brothers - Voyage To Atlantis Lyrics

Can I go on my way without you
Oh, how can I know
If I go on my way without you
Oh, where would I go

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Isley Brothers - Tears Lyrics

No
Well, well, well, well
Ooh yeah
Oh yeah

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Isley Brothers - Contagious Lyrics

This is a stroy about a man comin' in
Findin' his woman in bed with, well, listen

It's 2 a.m, I'm just gettin' in, 'bout to check my message

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Isley Brothers - Busted Lyrics

Yeah, bring your ass over here
I got something for you

Busted, it's 2 o' damn clock in the morning where you been?

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Isley Brothers - Let's Make Love Tonight Lyrics

Lyin' beside you
Baby come closer, baby come closer
Touchin' your body
Baby come closer, baby come closer

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Isley Brothers - You're the Key to My Heart Lyrics

I'm gonna call in a day, the company's gone and I'm all alone
All by myself and I'm meeting you, baby, yeah
Inside my mind now I realized shadows will fall
Oh, I wish you would call, call on me baby, yeah

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Isley Brothers Discography

Isley Brothers albums.

  • Baby Makin' Music - (Def Soul/US)
  • Live It Up - 24/02/2004 (Legacy/US)
  • Body Kiss - 06/05/2003 (DreamWorks Records/US)
  • 3+3 - (Epic/FR)
  • Super Hits - 04/05/1999 (Legacy/US)
  • For the Love of You - (Sony Music Special Products/US)
  • Spend the Night - (Warner Bros. Records/US)
  • Smooth Sailin' - 01/01/1987 (Warner Bros. Records/US)
  • Between the Sheets - (T-Neck Records/US)
  • Go All the Way - (T-Neck Records/US)
  • Showdown - (T-Neck Records/US)
  • Go for Your Guns - (T-Neck Records/US)
  • Harvest for the World - (T-Neck Records/US)
  • Givin' It Back - (T-Neck Records/US)
  • It's Our Thing - (T-Neck Records/US)

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