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)
Take Me In Your Arms
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm seeing you, darling, for the very last time
Show a little tenderness before you go
Please let me feel your embrace once more
Take me in your arms, come on and rock me, and rock me a little while
Hold me darling, rock me, rock me a little while
We all must feel heartache sometime
I tried my best to be strong, but I'm not able
I'm like a helpless child wrapped in a cradle
Let me know joy before I grieve
Just once more, darling, before you leave
Take me in your arms, come on and rock me, and rock me a little while
Hold me darling, rock me, rock me a little while
I'm losing you and my happiness
My life is over, I must confess
I'll never, never see your smiling face no more
I'll never, never hear your knock on my door
Before you leave me, leave me behind
Please let me feel happy just one more time
Take me in your arms, come on and rock me, and rock me a little while
Hold me darling, and rock me, rock me a little while
I said I never wouldn't beg, I said I wouldn't plead
Here I am, baby, begging you please
Baby, baby, please, baby, baby, please
Baby, take me in your arms
Come on and rock me, and rock me a little while
Hold me darling
, rock me, rock me a little while
The Isley Brothers's song "Take Me In Your Arms" is a soulful plea for love and tenderness before the end of a relationship. The lyrics convey the sense of urgency and helplessness that comes with realizing that someone you love is about to leave for good. The songwriter, Ron Isley, is essentially begging his partner to show him some kind of emotional connection before leaving, hoping to feel the safety of their embrace one last time.
Throughout the song, Isley references the childlike vulnerability he feels, likening himself to a helpless child in a cradle. He pleads for his partner to help him find some joy amidst the grief and heartache he's feeling at the loss of their relationship. In the end, Isley simply asks his lover to hold him and "rock him" for a little while and offer some comfort before they say goodbye for good.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you're leaving me behind
I am aware that you are going to leave me
I'm seeing you, darling, for the very last time
This is the last time I will see you, my love
Show a little tenderness before you go
Please be kind to me before you depart
Please let me feel your embrace once more
Allow me to feel your warm embrace for the last time
We all must feel heartache sometime
Everyone experiences sadness and emotional pain at some point
Right now, right now, now, I'm feeling mine
At this moment, I am experiencing my own personal heartache
I tried my best to be strong, but I'm not able
I attempted to be tough, but I can't handle this anymore
I'm like a helpless child wrapped in a cradle
I feel powerless and vulnerable like a baby in a crib
Let me know joy before I grieve
Please give me a moment of happiness before you go and I am left to grieve
Just once more, darling, before you leave
I am asking for one final moment with you, my love, before you depart forever
I'm losing you and my happiness
The departure of my love is causing me to lose not only her but my personal joy as well
My life is over, I must confess
I must acknowledge that my life feels like it is ending without her
I'll never, never see your smiling face no more
I will never again have the pleasure of seeing your beautiful smile
I'll never, never hear your knock on my door
The sound of your knocking on my door will never be heard by me again
Before you leave me, leave me behind
Before you leave me, please give me one last moment with you
Please let me feel happy just one more time
I am hopeful that you will provide me with a final memory of happiness before you leave
I said I never wouldn't beg, I said I wouldn't plead
I previously stated that I would not plead or beg for your love
Here I am, baby, begging you please
Despite what I said before, I am now begging you to stay with me
Baby, take me in your arms
My final plea for you to hold me in your arms
Come on and rock me, and rock me a little while
All I need is one final moment in your comforting embrace
Hold me darling, and rock me, rock me a little while
Please hold me tightly, my love, before you depart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWARD JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Digger 109
Stellar version of a truly great song - thanks for hosting this!
Daniel Burns
this song went to #22 on the R&B charts in 1968!!!
chris lomas
One Of My Favorite Bands Ever !!!
Candace Tyndall
You can't go wrong with the Isleys!
peter flynn
A classic.
August Hawks
I'd heard this song done by The Doobie Brothers and Blood, Sweat & Tears but this version really rocks!
Robert Orick
@David Barnard I don't remember BS&T doing this one at all. Eddie Holland did the original demo in 1964, Kim Weston first hit with it in 1965, The Doobies covered it in 1975. All were great. This one has a bit more funkiness in it than the others.
David Barnard
Kim Weston 1965 - Isleys 1968 - Doobies 1975
Ujima Jame
Eddie Holland . . . Kim Weston . . . The Isley Brothers . . . The Doobie Brothers. This was the "jam" no matter who did it!
Dave Micklon
#121 pop in May 1968. I believe their last hit of any size with their tenure on Tamla (Motown). Then came a string of hits on T-Neck.