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)
Let's Make Love Tonight
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby come closer, baby come closer
Touchin' your body
Baby come closer, baby come closer
Oh, let's make love tonight
Love me by candle light, turn off the lights
Oh, let's make love tonight
I'm caught in your passion
Nothin' feels better, it feels so right, baby
Feel me inside you
Nothin' feels better, oh baby
Oh, let's make love tonight
Love me by candle light, turn off the lights, baby
Oh, let's make love tonight
Love me by candle light, ooh baby
Love shadows in the night
Reflects our moods, oh, you're so sexy, woman (you're so good to me)
Love so intense, so full of life
Oh, you just lose me within the fragrance of your body
Let's take our time tonight
And I'll love you tender, oh, you know that, baby (you're so good to me)
So come with me tonight
Oh, it's alright
I'm touchin' your body
Nothin' feels better, ah, come closer baby
I'm caught in your passion
Nothin' feels better, it's alright now, ooh
Oh, let's make love tonight
Love me by candle light, oh, it's alright woman
Oh, let's make love tonight
Love me by candle light, do it right
Come closer (oh, let's make love tonight) let's make love baby
Love me by candle light (oh closer) you're so good too me let me love you sugar (you are so good to me)
Oh, let's make love tonight
Love me by candle light, all night baby (you are so good to me) (you are so good to me)
Come closer (oh, let's make love tonight) oh, good baby
I like the way you hold me tight woman (love me by candle light) (you are so good to me) (you are so good to me)
Oh, let's make love tonight
By candle lights
(You are so good to me) (you are so good to me) all nigh baby
Come closer, I want you closer (let's make love tonight)
Love me sugar (it feel good to me)
Right here baby ooh (it feel good to me)
Oh, let's make love tonight
Oh, I've got the candle lights, baby, ooh (it feel good to me)
Come closer, stay with me baby (let's make love tonight)
Turn off the lights (it feel good to me)
The Isley Brothers' "Let's Make Love Tonight" is a sensual ballad that is all about making love. The lyrics are simple yet effective, as they describe the feeling of being completely consumed by passion. The song is all about being intimate with somebody, and the lyrics are designed to get the listener in the mood for love.
The song opens with the singer asking his lover to come closer and touch his body. He then suggests that they turn off the lights and make love by candlelight. The chorus repeats this sentiment and emphasizes how much better it feels to be in each other's arms. The verses then build upon this idea, describing the intensity of the love and the way it makes them feel. The bridge is particularly emotive, with the singer telling his lover to take their time and enjoy the moment. The song closes out with the same chorus and a final plea for them to be close and make love all night long.
Overall, "Let's Make Love Tonight" is a romantic and sensual song that is perfect for a slow dance or a romantic evening. The lyrics are straightforward but effective, and the Isley Brothers' smooth harmonies make it all the more enjoyable.
Line by Line Meaning
Lyin' beside you
I am lying here next to you
Baby come closer, baby come closer
I want you to come closer to me, my love
Touchin' your body
I am touching your body
Oh, let's make love tonight
Let us make love tonight
Love me by candle light, turn off the lights
Let us share an intimate moment with just the candle light, and let's turn off the lights
I'm caught in your passion
I am captured by your passion
Nothin' feels better, it feels so right, baby
Nothing feels better than this moment, it feels so perfect
Feel me inside you
Feel me deep inside of you
Love shadows in the night
Our love creates shadows in the night
Reflects our moods, oh, you're so sexy, woman (you're so good to me)
These shadows reflect our moods and how sexy you are, my love (you are so good to me)
Love so intense, so full of life
Our love is intense and full of life
Oh, you just lose me within the fragrance of your body
Your scent is so intoxicating, it makes me just lose myself in your arms
Let's take our time tonight
Let's not rush anything tonight
And I'll love you tender, oh, you know that, baby (you're so good to me)
I will love you with all my heart, my love (you are so good to me)
So come with me tonight
Come take this journey with me tonight
I'm touchin' your body
I am touching your body, my love
Nothin' feels better, ah, come closer baby
There's nothing better than being close to you, my love. Please come closer
Oh, let's make love tonight
Let us make love tonight
Love me by candle light, oh, it's alright woman
Let us share this moment by candle light, it's alright, my love
Do it right
Let's make sure we do this right
Come closer (oh, let's make love tonight)
Please come closer to me, my love, and let us make love tonight
Let me love you sugar (you are so good to me)
Allow me to love you, my sweet love (you are so good to me)
I like the way you hold me tight woman (love me by candle light) (you are so good to me) (you are so good to me)
I really enjoy the way you hold me tight, my love (let us share this moment by candle light) (you are so good to me) (you are so good to me)
By candle lights
With just the candle light
All night baby
All night, my love
I want you closer (let's make love tonight)
I want you to come closer to me, and let us make love tonight
Love me sugar (it feel good to me)
Love me, my sweet love (it feels so good to me)
Right here baby ooh (it feel good to me)
Right here, my love. It feels so good to be with you
Oh, I've got the candle lights, baby, ooh (it feel good to me)
I have prepared the candle lights, my love. It feels so good to be with you
Come closer, stay with me baby (let's make love tonight)
Please come closer and stay with me tonight, and let us make love
Turn off the lights (it feel good to me)
Let's turn off the lights, my love. It feels so good to be with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERNIE ISLEY, MARVIN ISLEY, O'KELLY ISLEY, RONALD ISLEY, RUDOLPH ISLEY, CHRISTOPHER JASPER, CHRISTOPHER H JASPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@VocalZonesUSA
Still sooooo in love with this track! Who can believe that this was released 37 years ago! CLASSIC SOUL at it's VERY FINEST!!!
@patricecooper8419
This song is really good...I love the way Marvin plays that bass, and the way Ronald really knows how to bring this song out with his beautiful voice!
@lawrenceanderson9237
This is Kelly on the lead, not Ronald
@DearYvette214
One thang about my mama she gone jam the Isley Brothers and sip on something! Shout out to her for introducing me to get music. Now I sip and jam while my kids listen.
@evelynprice7065
This whole album is tight💃💄👠❤💋👍💯
@jeffrey.classicgamesjones2332
Yes it is classic 🎵🎶🎶🎶🎵 music love it
@PeekaBooo23
Sadly this album would be the last one with all the Isley brothers and Chris Jasper…continue to R.I.P. Marvin and O’Kelly Isley
@mrpowell143
Never heard this song until this past year in 2020... I'm 38... so I grew up on Isley Brothers.. amongst alot of other great bands... but this song sounds like It should be a new release.. truly this group was ahead of there time
@Thoughtful8
Totally agree; iv heard all of the isley brother s joints but never this one. This song I probably something they hd in the vault
@lonzyarmstrong5707
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