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)
Heaven Hooked Us Up
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoa, la da da da da
Whoa, la da da da da
Your face straight from a dream I had
Girl, you're bad, a complete woman
So impossible style
Glad I found you and made you mine
And you never judge me for my past
My play aways from way back
You still gave me a chance
And I'm glad just to be your man
'Cause you're so perfect like an angel
So precious like a newborn
Just what I prayed for, girl, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
Breathless when I saw you
Love had no purpose 'til I met you
You're all I prayed for, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
I don't know where
You came and brought me hope
Thought I would always be living wrong
But now wherever you are
That's where I wanna be
'Cause my faith brought you here
My love keeps you here
My heart needs you here
My soul wants you near, yeah
Girl, your love feels so right
I'm happy that you're mine
I know you're perfect like an angel
So precious like a newborn
Just what I prayed for, girl, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
Breathless, when I saw you
Love had no purpose 'til I met you
You're all I prayed for, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
Oh, what I mean
Girl, I'll keep giving to you
And I wouldn't be
A happy man without you
It's like you fell from the sky
This perfect gift to me
Now girl, won't you let me hold you
Till eternity?
Perfect angel
Precious like a newborn
Just what I prayed for, girl, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
Breathless when I saw you
Love had no purpose 'til I met you
Prayed for, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
Perfect angel
Precious like a newborn
Prayed for, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
Breathless, saw you
Love had no purpose 'til I met you
You're all I prayed for, I know
Heaven hooked us up
Heaven hooked us up
What kind of woman are you
To be so good to me?
And I wanna thank him
For bringing you into my life
Whoa, la da da da da
Whoa, la da da da da
Whoa, la da da da da
Heaven hooked us up
The Isley Brothers feat. Ronald Isley's song "Heaven Hooked Us Up" portrays the story of a man who has found his soulmate, his perfect woman. Ronald Isley sings about how he feels lucky to have found her and how she has been everything he has ever prayed for. The song highlights the man's gratitude towards his partner for accepting him despite his flaws and giving him a chance to love her. The lyrics are clear in mentioning how he now wants to spend eternity with her and is thankful to God for bringing her into his life.
Ronald Isley's soulful voice perfectly fits the theme of the song - love and gratitude. The lyrics are straightforward and speak volumes about how love can change a person's life, leading them towards happiness and contentment. The song perfectly depicts the feeling of finding someone who feels like home and connects you to the divine.
Overall, "Heaven Hooked Us Up" is a beautiful love song that highlights the importance of finding someone who accepts you for who you are and complements your being. It speaks about the deep connection between two people and how it feels like it was written in the stars, under the guidance of heaven.
Line by Line Meaning
Your face straight from a dream I had
I couldn't believe how beautiful you were. You're the complete woman I've been dreaming of.
Girl, you're bad, a complete woman
You've got style and confidence, you're amazing and you make me feel lucky to have you in my life.
So impossible style
You're unique and special, someone who stands out from the crowd in the best possible way.
Glad I found you and made you mine
I'm so grateful to have you in my life, and I feel lucky to be yours.
And you never judge me for my past
You accept me for who I am, flaws and all, and never hold my past against me.
My play aways from way back
I've made mistakes in the past and wasn't always faithful, but you gave me a chance anyway.
You still gave me a chance
Despite my past mistakes, you didn't write me off and gave me a chance to make things right with you.
And I'm glad just to be your man
Being with you makes me happy and fulfilled, and I wouldn't want it any other way.
'Cause you're so perfect like an angel
You're so kind, smart and special, that it's as if you were sent from above.
So precious like a newborn
You're invaluable to me, like a newborn baby who I need to protect and cherish.
Just what I prayed for, girl, I know
You're everything I've been wishing for, and I'm sure that our coming together was meant to be.
Breathless when I saw you
When I first laid eyes on you, my heart skipped a beat and I was in awe.
Love had no purpose 'til I met you
I thought I knew what love was, but it wasn't until I met you that I truly saw its purpose.
You're all I prayed for, I know
You're the answer to my prayers, the person I've been waiting for and dreaming about.
I don't know where
I don't know where I'd be without you.
You came and brought me hope
You came into my life and gave me a reason to hope for better things.
Thought I would always be living wrong
I used to think that I was doomed to keep making mistakes and living a bad life, but you changed all that.
But now wherever you are
As long as I have you by my side, I feel like I have everything I need.
That's where I wanna be
I want to be with you always, no matter where life takes us.
Girl, your love feels so right
Your love is pure, true and real, and being with you just feels right.
I'm happy that you're mine
Being with you makes me happy and proud that you're mine.
Girl, I'll keep giving to you
I will always love and cherish you, and do everything in my power to make you happy.
And I wouldn't be
Without you, I wouldn't be the man I am today.
A happy man without you
You bring me joy and happiness, and I can't imagine my life without you in it.
It's like you fell from the sky
You came into my life unexpectedly, like a perfect gift from the heavens.
This perfect gift to me
You mean everything to me, and I cherish you as a perfect gift from above.
Now girl, won't you let me hold you
I want to be close to you, to protect and cherish you and make you feel loved and valued.
Till eternity?
I want to be with you forever, to love and care for you as long as I live.
What kind of woman are you
You're an incredible person, and I feel so lucky to have you in my life.
To be so good to me?
You treat me with kindness and respect, and I'm grateful for all you do for me.
And I wanna thank him
I want to thank God for bringing you into my life and blessing me with your love.
For bringing you into my life
Without you, my life would be incomplete and lacking, and I thank God every day for you.
Heaven hooked us up
Our relationship was meant to be, and I believe that God brought us together to be each other's soulmates.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: EZEKIAL LEWIS, THABISO NKHEREANYE, TROY TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind