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)
Showdown Vol 1
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
what's his name?
where's he from?
Is that my range he's drivin'
Tell me what's he got that i ain't got a lot of
Besides who is he to lay in the covers of my home
Oooooh, my home
Now lets not forget her misses
God rest her soul oooooooh
Took her of these streets gave her everything
I was the one that believed in all of her dreams and she did me wrong
So prepare yourself
[chorus]
Its about to be a showdown
Its goin' down
Somebody's been foolin' around in my home,wearin' my clothes, drivin' my car
God help me
Its a showdown
Its goin' down
Somebody's been foolin' around in my home,wearin my clothes, drivin' my car
Its on
Now first things first
where's this cat from
The Isley Brothers's song Showdown Vol 1 is a song that revolves around a man who is heartbroken and angry after discovering that someone has been fooling around in his home, wearing his clothes and driving his car. The song begins with him questioning who is to blame for the situation, asking for the person's name and where they are from. He then goes on to ask what this person has that he doesn't, besides being able to lay in the covers of his bed. The lyrics suggest that he feels a sense of betrayal and violation, as he sees his home as a sanctuary, and to have someone else invade it in this way is offensive.
The man goes on to express his anger towards the woman he had loved and trusted. He feels that she has done him wrong, and despite having believed in all of her dreams, she has been unfaithful to him. The lyrics suggest that there has been a lot of history between them, and that he had put a lot of effort into making her feel loved and secure. The situation has left him feeling hurt, betrayed, and ready for a showdown.
In summary, the song is about a man who has been betrayed by the woman he loves, and someone has invaded his home. He feels violated and angry and is ready for a showdown.
Line by Line Meaning
who's to blame
Who should be held responsible for the situation?
what's his name?
What is the identity of the person behind the situation?
where's he from?
What is the origin of the person responsible for causing the situation?
Is that my range he's drivin'
Is the person driving my Range Rover, which is my property?
Tell me what's he got that i ain't got a lot of
What does the other person possess that I am lacking from?
Besides who is he to lay in the covers of my home
Who gave the other person the authority to stay in my house?
Oooooh, my home
Emphasizing the gravity of the situation happening in my own home
Now lets not forget her misses
Now, let's not overlook the woman who is also involved
she's nothing like my mother
She does not possess the same attributes as my mother who had passed away
God rest her soul oooooooh
A prayer for the soul of the deceased mother
Took her of these streets gave her everything
I took her off the streets and provided her with everything she has today
I was the one that believed in all of her dreams and she did me wrong
I was the one who supported her and her dreams, but she betrayed me
So prepare yourself
Get ready for what is about to come
Its about to be a showdown
A confrontation is going to happen very soon
Its goin' down
It is happening now
Somebody's been foolin' around in my home,wearin' my clothes, drivin' my car
An intruder has been living in my house, wearing my clothes, and driving my car without my permission
God help me
A plea to God for assistance in this dire situation
Its on
The battle is about to begin
Now first things first
First and foremost
where's this cat from
What is the origin of this person who caused this situation?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBERT S. KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind