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)
Save Me
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lost on a stormy sea
I need your lovin', your lovin' arms
To rescue me
The sound of your sweet, sweet voice
Telling me that you're near
So desperately I'm wating
I got a lonely, lonely feeling
That you'll never come
Oh I guess I can't blame you
For I know the wrong I done
Save me
Give love another try
Save me
Don't, don't let true love die
My selfish pride
Made a fool of me
For years you gave your love
So tenderly
I call your name
Just to ease the pain
I push my pride aside
'Cause I want you back again
I got a lonely, lonely feeling
That you'll never come
Oh I guess I can't blame you
For I know the wrong I done
Save me
Give love another chance baby
Save me
Oh save me
Why don't you
Why don't you
Why don't you
Save me
I'd feel better
I'd feel better
(Save me)if you save me
Why don't you
Why don't you
Why don't you
(Save me) save me
Yeah
Save me
Save me
In The Isley Brothers' song "Save Me", the singer compares themselves to a ship that's been lost at sea during a storm, suggesting that they are in a state of despair and desperately in need of guidance, comfort and support from their lover. They plead for their lover to rescue them with open arms, and to not let them "drown". The singer expresses their lonely, lonely feeling that their lover will never come back to them, but admits that they can't blame them due to their own wrongdoings. The chorus continually repeats the phrase "Save me", expressing their longing for their lover to give their relationship another chance and to not let true love die.
The singer further acknowledges their own selfish pride, admitting that it made a fool out of them and caused them to lose the love that was once given to them so tenderly by their lover. They hope that their lover will forgive them and take them back, and push their pride aside to show how much they truly want their lover back. The song ends with the repeated pleas of "Why don't you save me?", emphasizing the desperation and longing for their lover's return.
Overall, "Save Me" is a heartfelt and emotional song that expresses the singer's desires for their lover to come back and give their relationship another chance, despite the mistakes that were made in the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a ship
I am adrift in a sea of trouble, with no direction or safety in sight.
Lost on a stormy sea
I am struggling against powerful forces beyond my control.
I need your lovin', your lovin' arms
I am reaching out for your support, your love, and your comfort.
To rescue me
I need you to be my lifeline and help me navigate through this difficult time.
The sound of your sweet, sweet voice
Just hearing the sound of you brings me a moment of peace and hope.
Telling me that you're near
Knowing that you are close by gives me a sense of security and strength.
So desperately I'm waiting
I am eagerly anticipating your arrival and feeling very anxious until you are here with me.
Don't let me drown dear
I need you to keep me afloat and from metaphorically drowning in my troubles.
I got a lonely, lonely feeling
I feel so alone and abandoned, even though I know that I have pushed you away.
That you'll never come
My fear is that you will never forgive me, never love me again, and never return to help me.
Oh I guess I can't blame you
I know deep down that my behavior was wrong, and that I have no one to blame but myself.
For I know the wrong I done
I am fully aware of how I have hurt you and I regret my actions.
Save me
I am calling out to you to save me, to help me heal and be whole again.
Give love another try
I am pleading with you to not give up on me, to give our love another chance to thrive.
Don't, don't let true love die
Our love is worth fighting for and I am begging you to not let it perish altogether.
My selfish pride
I let my own ego get in the way and ruin our relationship.
Made a fool of me
I was foolish and shortsighted in my actions, and it ultimately caused me to lose you.
For years you gave your love
You showered me with your love and affection for so long.
So tenderly
You were patient and kind, always there for me, and I took it for granted.
I call your name
Your name is constantly on my lips, as I wish for your return.
Just to ease the pain
It's the only way I know how to numb my hurting and my yearning.
I push my pride aside
I am trying to learn from my past mistakes and put my own ego aside.
'Cause I want you back again
I am desperately hoping for a reunion and a renewed love between us.
I'd feel better
If you were here, if we were together, everything would feel right again.
(Save me)if you save me
Your love is the only thing that can save me from my misery and despair.
Why don't you
I am pleading with you, questioning your reasons for staying away from me.
(Save me) save me
I am calling out to you once again, imploring you to come back to me.
Yeah
I am holding onto a glimmer of hope that we can find our way back to each other.
Save me
I am asking you one more time to save me from my pain and loneliness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: O'KELLY ISLEY, RONALD ISLEY, RUDOLPH ISLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind