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)
Listen To The Music
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People gettin' ready for the news
Some are happy, some are sad
Oh, we got to let the music play
What the people need
Is a way to make em smile
It ain't so hard to do if you know how
Gotta get a message
Oh now mama, don't you ask me why
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
All the time
Well I know, you know better
Everything I say
Meet me in the country for a day
Well be happy
And well dance
Oh, were gonna dance our blues away
And if I'm feelin' good to you
And you're feelin' good to me
There ain't nothin' we cant do or say
Feelin' good, feeling fine
Oh, baby, let the music play
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
All the time
Like a lazy flowing river
Surrounding castles in the sky
And the crowd is growing bigger
Listenin' for the happy sounds
And I got to let them fly
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
All the time
The Isley Brothers' "Listen to the Music" conveys the power of music in bringing people together and helping them forget their problems for a while. The opening verses suggest a sense of anticipation, with people preparing for some news, some of which will make them happy, and others not so much. However, regardless of what news they hear, the Isley Brothers emphasize the importance of music in lifting their spirits and helping them smile. The importance of a message is also highlighted, and Mama is warned not to ask why it is necessary to spread this message.
The chorus repeats the importance of listening to the music, with a catchy melody that leaves listeners with a memorable message. The second verse builds on the first in emphasizing that the purpose of music is to help people feel good, dance, and forget their blues. By meeting in the country and dancing, the Isley Brothers offer a vision of a world where people can put their differences aside, feel good together, and live happily.
The final verse expands on this idea and suggests music has the power to make even castles in the sky feel more accessible. The crowd grows as people join the happy sounds, and the Isley Brothers remind them again to let the music fly.
Overall, "Listen to the Music" expresses a deep appreciation for the power of music to bring people together, lift their spirits, and erase their worries.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you feel it growin', day by day
Something is growing day by day and the audience needs to feel and sense it.
People gettin' ready for the news
People are waiting to hear news and events that they are ready for.
Some are happy, some are sad
Different people have different reactions to news and events.
Oh, we got to let the music play
Music has the power to recharge and revitalize the emotions of the listeners, so it should always play.
What the people need
The people are in need of something.
Is a way to make em smile
The people need something that will make them smile.
It ain't so hard to do if you know how
If one is aware of how to cheer people up, it's not difficult.
Gotta get a message
Have to share a message with the audience.
Get it on through
The message needs to be delivered to the people.
Oh now mama, don't you ask me why
Don't question my actions, I know what I'm doing.
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Take some time to really listen to the music because it has power.
All the time
Always listen to the music.
Well I know, you know better
While I might have something to say about the situation, you might know better about what's happening.
Everything I say
I am saying everything that needs to be said about the situation.
Meet me in the country for a day
Take a break from the everyday and come meet me in the country for a relaxing day.
Well be happy
We will be filled with happiness.
And well dance
We will dance together in celebration.
Oh, were gonna dance our blues away
Dancing lifts people's spirits and is a great way to shake off the blues.
And if I'm feelin' good to you
If I make you feel good.
And you're feelin' good to me
If you make me feel good.
There ain't nothin' we cant do or say
Together we can do anything and say anything.
Feelin' good, feeling fine
If one is feeling good, then they are feeling fine.
Oh, baby, let the music play
The power of music should never be overlooked or underestimated; always let it play.
Like a lazy flowing river
A simile to describe the sound and feeling of music.
Surrounding castles in the sky
The music elevates us, allowing us to enjoy castles in the sky or great dreams and achievements.
And the crowd is growing bigger
The more people hear the music, the more it resonates with them and the bigger the audience gets.
Listenin' for the happy sounds
The audience is focusing on the joyful sounds and lyrics of the music.
And I got to let them fly
The musician needs to let the audience's positive emotions and good vibes fly and continue.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tom Johnston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind