Together with a fourth brother, Vernon, the group performed gospel music until Vernon's death a few years after its formation. After moving to the New York City area in the late 1950s, the group had their first successes during these early years, first coming to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, "Shout", written by the three brothers. Initially a modest charted single, the song eventually sold over a million copies. In the 1960s, the group recorded songs for a variety of labels, including the top 20 single "Twist and Shout" and the Motown single "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)", before recording and issuing the Grammy Award-winning hit "It's Your Thing" on their own label, T-Neck Records.
Influenced by gospel and doo-wop music, the group began experimenting with different musical styles incorporating elements of rock and funk as well as pop balladry. The inclusion of younger brothers Ernie Isley (lead guitar, drums) and Marvin Isley (bass guitar), and Rudolph's brother-in-law Chris Jasper (keyboards, synthesizers), in 1973 turned the original vocal trio into a complete band and reached the height of their success. For the next full decade, they recorded a string of top-selling albums from 3 + 3 to Between the Sheets, including the number one album The Heat Is On.
The six-member band splintered in 1983, with Ernie, Marvin, and Chris Jasper forming the short-lived spinoff group Isley-Jasper-Isley. The oldest member, O'Kelly, died in 1986 and Rudolph and Ronald released a pair of albums as a duo before Rudolph retired to a life in the Christian ministry in 1989. Ronald reconvened the group two years later in 1991 with Ernie and Marvin; five years later, in 1996, Marvin Isley left the group due to complications of diabetes. The remaining duo of Ronald and Ernie achieved mainstream success with the albums Mission to Please (1996), Eternal (2001) and Body Kiss (2003). Eternal spawned the top twenty hit "Contagious". As of 2019, the Isley Brothers continue to perform under the lineup of Ronald and Ernie.
The Isley Brothers have sold over 18 million units in the United States alone. They have had several hit songs including four Top 10 singles on the United States Billboard chart. With their first major hit charting in 1959 ("Shout"), and their last one in 2001 ("Contagious"), they are among the few groups ever to have hit the Billboard Hot 100 with new music in five different decades. Sixteen of their albums charted in the Top 40 and thirteen of those albums have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the RIAA. The brothers have been honored by several musical institutions, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted them in 1992. Five years later, they were added to Hollywood's Rockwalk, and in 2003 they were inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. They received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Isley_Brothers
Studio albums
Shout! (1959)
Twist & Shout (1962)
Twisting and Shouting (1963)
This Old Heart of Mine (1966)
Soul on the Rocks (1967)
It's Our Thing (1969)
The Brothers: Isley (1969)
Get into Something (1970)
Givin' It Back (1971)
Brother, Brother, Brother (1972)
3 + 3 (1973)
Live It Up (1974)
The Heat Is On (1975)
Harvest for the World (1976)
Go for Your Guns (1977)
Showdown (1978)
Winner Takes All (1979)
Go All the Way (1980)
Grand Slam (1981)
Inside You (1981)
The Real Deal (1982)
Between the Sheets (1983)
Masterpiece (1985)
Smooth Sailin' (1987)
Spend the Night (1989)
Tracks of Life (1992)
Mission to Please (1996)
Eternal (2001)
Body Kiss (2003)
Baby Makin' Music (2006)
Power of Peace (2017)
Fight the Power Parts 1 & 2
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no guarantee
Smile's in the makin'
You gotta fight the powers that be
Got so many forces
Stayin' on the scene
Givin' up all around me
I try to play my music
They say my music's too loud
I try to talkin about it
I got the big run around
When I rolled with the punches
I got knocked on the ground
With all this bullshit going down
Time is truly wastin'
There's no guarantee
Smile's in the makin'
You gotta fight the powers that be
I don't understand it
People want to see, ya
Those that got the answers
Red tape in the way
I could take you in easy
That's just half the fun, oh boy
Seeking satisfaction
Keeps me on the run
I try to play my music
They say my music's too loud
I try to talkin' about it
I got the big run around
When I rolled with the punches
I got knocked on the ground
By all this bullshit going down
Time is truly wastin'
There's no guarantee
Smile's in the makin'
You gotta fight the powers that be
If you & I can we got the power
Fight it, fight the power, baby, baby
Fight it, fight the power
The lyrics to The Isley Brothers' song Fight The Power speak to the need for perseverance in the face of adversity. The song begins by emphasizing the fleeting nature of time and the uncertainty of life. The line "there's no guarantee" suggests that life is unpredictable and the future cannot be assumed. However, the lyrics also suggest that one can create their own happiness by "smiling" in the face of hardships.
The second verse highlights the obstacles that the singer faces, including societal forces that try to silence them. Despite facing resistance, the singer vows to continue playing their music and raising their voice. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration with the status quo and a desire to break free from the chains that bind them.
Overall, Fight The Power is a call to action, urging listeners to stand up for what they believe in and fight against social norms that hold them back. The lyrics encourage perseverance and determination in the pursuit of happiness and justice.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is truly wastin'
Time is fleeting and we shouldn't waste it
There's no guarantee
There's no assurance that everything will go as planned
Smile's in the makin'
There's happiness to be found in the future
You gotta fight the powers that be
We must stand up against systemic oppression and fight for our rights
Got so many forces
There are many negative influences present
Stayin' on the scene
They are a constant presence
Givin' up all around me
Others are losing hope
Faces full a' pain
People are suffering
I try to play my music
I try to express myself through my art
They say my music's too loud
They criticize and try to silence my voice
I try to talkin about it
I try to communicate and discuss the issues at hand
I got the big run around
I'm being deceived and blocked in my attempts to effect change
When I rolled with the punches
I tried to adapt and deal with the challenges coming my way
I got knocked on the ground
Despite my efforts, I was defeated
With all this bullshit going down
With everything negative happening
I don't understand it
I can't comprehend the injustice and inequity
People want to see, ya
People want to witness change happening
Those that got the answers
Those with power and knowledge
Red tape in the way
Bureaucratic obstacles are preventing progress
I could take you in easy
It would be easy to convince others to see the truth
That's just half the fun, oh boy
That's only part of the enjoyment of the challenge
Seeking satisfaction
Looking for fulfillment and progress
Keeps me on the run
I am always moving forward and trying to create change
If you & I can we got the power
If we collaborate and work together, we have the strength to affect change
Fight it, fight the power, baby, baby
We must resist and challenge the oppressive systems in place
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERNIE ISLEY, MARVIN ISLEY, O'KELLY ISLEY, RONALD ISLEY, RUDOLPH ISLEY, CHRISTOPHER JASPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@edwardhill1279
Young folks you wanna see your older family act a fool..play this at your next family reunion..picnic..pull out your cellphones sit back and enjoy the show
@karenbannister2300
Truth😂😂😂😂
@danhall9101
Stone facts
@SandTHelp
Pure, uncensored, and extended. This is grown folks' music at its finest. This is an Isley Brothers original classic.
God Bless The Isley Brothers and whoever mixed this record. Timeless audio. 🙏🏽
@robinsonjauregui1353
A truckload of pure Funk from the Isleys..👊
@debrasorge8991
I cannot sit still to this song. The lyrics are timeless...this is the best of funk. Nothing today even comes close!
@timothylawson3262
First time hearing a curse word in a song 1975 Isley Brothers FIGHT THE POWER I was 14 years old, couldn't wait to sing it 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@Bfoots1952
FIGHT THE POWER! This song is timeless. At 23 I bought this album with this song on it and it is still relevant today. I will be 70 in August, y'all and still jamming to it. Which let's one know, as I said before, good music is timeless.
@brendabarber7459
DUDE "I LOVE YOU. ❤️
@jamesmurray3289
First single I bought with my own money, in 5th grade.