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 Me Down Easy
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though I need you to satisfy me
Destiny will prove to divide me
For you're a part of me
I feel the love within you
Your beauty lies deep within you
Touching me when you feel the need to
Become as one with me
[Chorus]
So let me down easy
If ever you were to leave
My love, let me down easy
For all I know is you
Take you for granted?
That could never, never be
An advantage
All this love, and free from demanding
You have always felt the need to be pleased
And you stay close beside me
Though our minds are free for deciding
The life to lead and desiring
To see what they can see
Oooh!
Let me down easy
If ever you were to leave
My love, let me down easy
Ooohhh...
Ah! Spending time, time with you
Counting the days of my life
Oh, hoping that, that with me
You will stay
[Chorus]
Being around you
Lovely things I feel are about you
Being strong until I'm without you
For you're the strength in me
And you give me inspiration
Realizing that it has taken
More love and more love makin'
To fulfill my every need
So for me
Let me down easy
If ever you were to leave
My love, let me down easy
If ever you were to leave
My love, let me down
Oh, easy
If ever you were to leave
My lo-ove, let me down, let me down, let me down
Easy, baby
Oh-ho! Let me down, hey, down, down, down, down
Easy
Hey, if ever, if ever, ever, ever you were to leave me
The Isley Brothers' song "Let Me Down Easy" is a love song that reflects on the powerful connection between two people in a relationship. The lyrics suggest that the singer is deeply in love with their partner and is worried that their love may not be enough to keep them together. The line, "Is love behind me?" suggests that the singer is questioning whether their love will be enough to sustain the relationship.
The singer goes on to express their desire for their partner and acknowledges that they need them to feel satisfied. The lyrics also suggest that fate may intervene and divide them, indicating that the singer is aware that their relationship may not last forever. The line "For you're a part of me" highlights how important the partner is to the singer and how they see them as an essential part of their life.
The chorus, "Let me down easy, If ever you were to leave, My love, let me down easy" further emphasizes the singer's fear of losing their love. The lyrics suggest that the singer wants their partner to break things off in a way that doesn't hurt them too much.
Overall, the song is a reflection of the complexity of love and the fear of losing someone that you love deeply. The lyrics showcase how love can be a source of happiness as well as anxiety, highlighting the different emotions involved in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Is love behind me?
Am I feeling the love that I once felt before?
Though I need you to satisfy me
I require your presence to make me whole.
Destiny will prove to divide me
Fate will eventually separate us.
For you're a part of me
You're embedded within me.
I feel the love within you
I sense the love radiating from you.
Your beauty lies deep within you
Your inner beauty is what makes you stunning.
Touching me when you feel the need to
You reach out to me when you require comfort.
Become as one with me
Let's completely mesh together.
So let me down easy
Leave me gently without pain.
If ever you were to leave
In case you choose to depart.
My love, let me down easy
Please go softly if you must go at all.
For all I know is you
The only thing I'm certain of is you.
Take you for granted?
Never have I ever taken you for granted.
That could never, never be
That has never happened, and it never will.
An advantage
It wouldn't be beneficial.
All this love, and free from demanding
Our love is selfless and devoid of requests.
You have always felt the need to be pleased
It is in your nature to want satisfaction.
And you stay close beside me
You continually stay near me.
Though our minds are free for deciding
We're both free to determine our future.
The life to lead and desiring
We have to figure out how we want to live.
To see what they can see
Let's find out what's beyond the horizon.
Oooh!
Expression of excitement and emotion.
Ah! Spending time, time with you
It's delightful to spend time with you.
Counting the days of my life
I'm keeping track of the days I'm alive.
Oh, hoping that, that with me
Anticipating that you'll be with me.
You will stay
Hoping that you'll stick around.
Being around you
Existing in your presence.
Lovely things I feel are about you
Beautiful emotions arise in your company.
Being strong until I'm without you
Being emotionally tough till you're gone.
For you're the strength in me
You're what makes me strong.
And you give me inspiration
You inspire me to be better.
Realizing that it has taken
Acknowledging the fact that it has been a journey.
More love and more love makin'
We need more love and intimacy.
To fulfill my every need
To make me whole and content.
So for me
For my sake.
Ooohhh...
Expression of excitement and emotion.
Oh, easy
Let it happen effortlessly.
My lo-ove, let me down, let me down, let me down
If you must depart, please make it gentle.
Easy, baby
Leave me without any pain, please.
Oh-ho! Let me down, hey, down, down, down, down
Let me go softly if you choose to.
Easy
Make it effortless.
Hey, if ever, if ever, ever, ever you were to leave me
In case you ever leave me someday.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER H JASPER, ERNIE ISLEY, MARVIN ISLEY, O'KELLY ISLEY, RONALD ISLEY, RUDOLPH ISLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind