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)
Hope You Feel Better Love
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hope you feel better Jove
Now's not the time to give in to the madness
Hope you feel better love, better love
Thought you were sharin' and found you were takin'
Hope you find better love
Try it on me and there'll be no forsaken
Hope you feel better love girl, hope you find better love
Hope you feel better love girl, better than before
Runnin' away you gave in to deceivin'
Hope you find better love
When you find out it was for the wrong reason
Hope you find better love, better love
I hope you feel better love, find it baby, I hope you find it, I hope you feel
Better love, find it, find it baby, find better love
The Isley Brothers's song, "Hope You Feel Better Love," speaks to the experience of a heartbroken lover. The first lines suggest that the singer knows the person he's addressing might be feeling sad or depressed due to a relationship loss. The second verse talks about the idea of betrayal, which is conveyed through the lyrics, "Thought you were sharin' and found you were takin'." The singer expresses his willingness to be there for the person, and not be like the one who hurt her, when they sing, "Try it on me and there'll be no forsaken gotta find better love, better love."
The chorus of the song conveys the message of resilience, with the Isley Brothers wishing the person in question would feel better love. They hold onto the hope that they will find better love that will surpass what they had before. The bridge of the song talks of running away and dealing with lies and deceit, which the person may have experienced in the relationship. The singer wishes that they find the kind of love that is fulfilling and true.
Overall, "Hope You Feel Better Love" is a song of encouragement, hope, and love. It speaks to the emotions of people who have been hurt and wish for something better. Through their lyrics, the Isley Brothers send a message of love and support to those feeling low.
Line by Line Meaning
Who is to say you'll be livin' in sadness
There's no guarantee that you'll live a life filled with sadness
Hope you feel better Jove
I wish you all the best, dear friend
Now's not the time to give in to the madness
This is not the time to surrender to your fears and anxieties
Hope you feel better love, better love
I hope you find happiness and love that's even better than before
Thought you were sharin' and found you were takin'
You thought you were giving, but you were actually taking from others
Hope you find better love
I hope you find love that's more fulfilling and genuine
Try it on me and there'll be no forsaken
If you give love a chance with me, I promise I won't abandon or betray you
Gotta find better love, better love
You have to find love that's better in every way
Hope you feel better love girl, hope you find better love
I hope you feel loved and happy, and that you find true love
Hope you feel better love girl, better than before
I hope your love life improves and becomes even better than it was before
Runnin' away you gave in to deceivin'
You ran away and fell into deception
When you find out it was for the wrong reason
When you realize that your actions were motivated by the wrong reasons
Hope you find better love, better love
I hope you find love that's better for you in every possible way
I hope you feel better love, find it baby, I hope you find it, I hope you feel
I hope you feel loved and happy, and that you find true love that makes you feel amazing
Better love, find it, find it baby, find better love
Keep searching for love that's better in every aspect and makes you truly happy
Contributed by Avery F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
kjwilkguitar
Very few guitar solos bring a tear to my eye. This is one of them. Did it when it came out in '75 and still does it now. Ernie was just blistering, and it was with more passion than technique. This will always be not just one of my favorite Ernie Isley solos, but one of my favorite guitar solos ever!
mano a mano
Yeah, hits the spot. Ain't I Been Good To You is probably my next favourite Ernie cut.
Tomy Wilson
I agree 💯
xxcrump
🎸🎶🔊🤧😭..🤣
Dr. Edward R Smith
Bruh, I hear you. Ernie is on Fire 🔥!
Chanda C
This entire album is 🔥🔥🔥love love love the Isley Brothers!
Theresa Parker
Yes! and I bought it with first paycheck.
Not Dead YET
I was 16 when this album was released. It brings back so many memories.
Amahal Perry
Ernie's guitar solo brings tears to my eyes,he just kills the hell out of those strings.He brings Jimi Hendrix back from the grave.
Brodoc Betty
His drumming ain't bad either.