Born the third of six brothers, Ronald, like many of his siblings, began his career in the church. He began singing at the age of three, winning a $25 war bond for singing at a spiritual contest at the Union Baptist Church. By the age of seven, Ronald was singing onstage at venues such as the Regal Theater in Chicago, alongside Dinah Washington and a few other notables.
In 1954, when Ronald was only 13, he and his brothers, Rudolph, O'Kelly and Vernon Isley, formed the original lineup of what would become the Isley Brothers. Beginning as a gospel quartet, they began singing alongside their father, O'Kelly, Sr. (also a singer in his own right at the time), and their mother Sallye (the group's first pianist).
Ronald carried on as the leader of the Isleys after Vernon's 1955 death in a bicycle accident at age 13. In 1957, the Isleys moved out of Cincinnati and headed to New York City, where they began recording doo-wop material for several record labels. After several failed attempts, the brothers hit pay dirt after cultivating a song that had been created after the brothers' inspired performance of Jackie Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops" at a 1959 Washington, D.C. show. After signing with RCA Records, the group released "Shout", a song that has since become a legendary rock and roll staple.
After the 1962 hit, "Twist and Shout", and a brief successful stint at Motown, the brothers formed the T-Neck record label (named after their New Jersey hometown) in 1968 and released the hugely successful funk anthem, "It's Your Thing", which won the group their only Grammy.
Ronald could sing rock & roll as well as funk and soul. In fact, Ronald is considered one of the original belters and vocalists of the rock era. After years singing in gritty gospel-infused vocals, Ronald introduced R&B audiences to his piercing falsetto and softer tenor in ballads that critics have hailed as some of the greatest love songs of all time, including "For the Love of You", "Harvest For the World", "Sensuality", "At Your Best", "Footsteps in the Dark", "I Need Your Body", "Choosey Lover", "Between the Sheets", and "Don't Say Goodnight." He still sang in his gritty tenor in hits like "That Lady", "Live It Up", "Fight the Power" and "Take Me to the Next Phase".
After the death of his oldest brother, O'Kelly, in 1986, Isley began working with soul singer-songwriter-producer Angela Winbush on the next Isley Brothers record, Smooth Sailin'. The album was released in 1987. Isley and Winbush shared a duet on Winbush's Sharp album (the top 40 R&B ballad "Hello, Beloved"), and in 1993, they were married. Winbush continued producing records with Isley for 1989's Spend the Night, 1991's The Tracks of Life (with a revamped version of the Isley Brothers), 1996's Mission to Please (from which Isley and Winbush scored a hit duet, "Floatin' On Your Love", whose remix featured Lil' Kim) and 2001's Eternal, before Isley and Winbush divorced in 2001. The former couple remains close.
Isley also collaborated with Rod Stewart in 1990 on Stewart's cover of the 1966 Isley Brothers hit "This Old Heart of Mine". The collaboration reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, one place higher than the original, and also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
One of the founding members of the Isley Brothers, he and Ernie remain the only brothers (as of 2006) who remain in the group. His vocals have helped the Isleys become the longest-running charted group in music history. Few bands or artists could get away with having a hit in 1959, and still make hits in the new millennium. Isley has accomplished this feat with the hits "Contagious" (a Top 20 smash in 2001) and the Hot 100 singles "What Would You Do" and "Busted" (released in 2003). He was also was featured singing the hook in Swizz Beatz' "Big Business" and the remix, "Bigger Business".[citation needed]
Since the 1990s, he has become a sought-after vocalist for hip-hop artists like Warren G, Nas, UGK, Ja Rule and Jay-Z. In 1995, he began collaborating with one of his fans, R&B singer-songwriter R. Kelly, who had a hit duet with Ronald and brother Ernie with "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)", the first hit by the Isleys in a long time. In the video to the song, Kelly and Isley introduced youngsters to the "Mr. Biggs" character, which has since become a Ronald Isley trademark. The Mr. Biggs character has also been featured in the video of B2K's "Girlfriend".
In 1992, Ronald was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the charter member of The Isley Brothers. Most recently, he recorded a solo album with producer Burt Bacharach on the album Here I Am in 2003. The next year, he and Patti LaBelle scored a modest R&B hit with the single, "Gotta Go Solo". Ron Isley also appears on a track with Tupac Shakur called "Po Nigga Blues", as well as "Better Dayz". Both songs appear on posthumous albums.
Isley and his wife are the parents of, Ronald, Jr., his first son. He has a daughter, Tawana, from an earlier marriage.
Lay You Down
Ronald Isley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La, la, la la
Oh, oh, oh
I had to leave town, oh yeah
Oh baby, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh yeah!
Hey there, pretty lover!
And we know when lovers meet this close
There's something that we both share
Never been a better place, or a better time
And when you got me feeling so good
I wanna lay you down, oh, oh!
I hope you're ready now, oh, oh
Oh, oh, you see me
And you've been kissing on me
And girl, I've been kissing on you, yeah
Right now I wanna lay you down, oh, oh
There's no one else around to see me, oh, oh
You belong to me and girl, I belong to you
Let's do what lovers do yeah, yeah!
You ask, 'am I sure?'
'Oh yeah!'
And I say, 'girl I'm sure, more sure
Than I ever been, never been this sure, never before!'
Oh, I think I'm sure, yeah!
Oh, we know when
Lovers meet this close
There's something that they both share
Ah, ah, I can only hope you feel the same
Do you feel the same, girl?
I'm so in love with you
I need love from you (I need love from you, girl)
You, you, girl, only you
You, baby, you!
Only you!
Baby, take my hand
I wanna lay you down
I wanna lay you down
I hope you're ready now
I hope you're ready!
Yes, baby! You'll be kissing on me
And girl, I'll be kissing on you
Right now I wanna lay you down!
There's no one else around
Cause baby, you belong to me
And I belong to you
Let's do what lovers do!
I wanna lay you down!
I hope you're ready now
Oh, oh, you see me
And you've been kissing on me
And girl, I've been kissing on you, yeah
Right now, I wanna lay you down!
There's no one else around to see me
You belong to me
And girl, I belong to you
Let's do what lovers do yeah, yeah!
Lay you baby, lay you down
Lay you baby, had to lay you down, down!
The song "Lay You Down" by Ronald Isley is a love song about being so in love with someone that you want to lay them down and do what lovers do. The lyrics describe the moment when two lovers meet and feel a strong connection that they both share. The singer is so sure about his feelings for his lover that he asks her if she feels the same way too. The chorus "I wanna lay you down" expresses his desire to be with his lover intimately. The song has a slow and sensual melody that reflects the intensity of the emotions that the singer is feeling.
The lyrics of the song are simple, but they convey the message of love in a straightforward way. The use of repetition in the chorus highlights the singer's desire to be with his lover. The lyrics create a romantic atmosphere that takes the listener on a journey of love and passion. The song is a classic R&B ballad that showcases the soulful voice of Ronald Isley.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey there, pretty lover!
Addressing the person they love and find attractive.
I see you in a way like no other, no, no
The singer feels a special connection with their lover that they can't find with others.
And we know when lovers meet this close
When two people who love each other get as close as they are, there's an energy and connection that's hard to explain.
There's something that we both share
The shared love and intimacy between them is what they both feel.
Never been a better place, or a better time
They feel like this is the perfect moment for them to be together.
And when you got me feeling so good
The singer feels great when they're with their lover.
I wanna lay you down, oh, oh!
The singer wants to be intimate with their lover.
I hope you're ready now, oh, oh
The singer wants to make sure their lover is ready for what's about to happen.
And girl, I've been kissing on you, yeah
They've been engaging in physical intimacy with one another.
Right now I wanna lay you down, oh, oh
The singer reiterates their desire to be intimate with their lover.
There's no one else around to see me, oh, oh
They feel like this is a private moment between them.
You belong to me and girl, I belong to you
They belong to each other and share a deep connection.
Let's do what lovers do yeah, yeah!
They want to engage in the activities that are typical of two people in love.
Oh, we know when
They're confident in their feelings for one another.
Ah, ah, I can only hope you feel the same
They hope their lover feels the same way they do about each other.
Do you feel the same, girl?
They ask their lover directly if they feel the same way.
I'm so in love with you
The singer is deeply in love with their lover.
I need love from you (I need love from you, girl)
They want their lover to reciprocate their feelings and show love towards them.
Yes, baby!
The singer is enthusiastic about being with their lover.
You'll be kissing on me
The singer and lover will be engaging in physical intimacy.
Right now, I wanna lay you down!
The singer wants to be intimate with their lover immediately.
Lay you baby, lay you down
The singer repeats their desire to be intimate with their lover.
Lay you baby, had to lay you down, down!
They feel a strong desire to be intimate with their lover and can't resist it.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PATRICK HAYES, TREMAINE NEVERSON, TROY TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeremy.802.
I have no words to describe this brilliant song well done mr Isley and trey
@rdknowles3198
Awesome duo
@larrymartinbennett2199
I NEVER WOULD OF THOUGHT I'D HEAR TRE SONGZ SINGIN- WITH THE LIVING LEGEND SIR RONALD ISLEY SR WOW 😀😃💯❤️🔥😅🤩😉🤗🙃🌹😎
@larrymartinbennett2199
THIS ONE HIGHLY FAVORED AMEN 💯🔥❤️ BLEW ME SMOOVE AWAY 🔥❤️💯😎🤗🙃🤩😉😅😌💯🔥❤️
@thewatchman3417
I love this song
@denisewade2737
Ronald Isley still has a beautiful voice even after all these years. He still got it going on. Real music still exist
@marilynlawson5265
Denise Wade r
@chynaburrow3595
Denise Wade omg he sings like no other
@suraqahharoon6531
His legand
@roblee3456
Never disappointed with Ron Isley, beautiful collaboration with Trey