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)
What Would You Do
The Isley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How are why y'all doin' tonight {Fine}
Can I keep it real {Yes}
And say what's on my mind {Yes}
There you are in that chair
Waiting for me to take you there
To break it down and sing to you
who's gonna be the lucky one
Who spend some money on em and have some fun
Tell me, I choose you
(What would you do) What would you do if I said all of
these words were true
(What would you) What would you do if I came down here
and sat with you
(What would you do) What would you do if I told the
band to break it down
(Ooh) What would you do if I said I want to lay you down
(What) What would you do if I put this money in your
hand
(Would you do) What would you do if I said Id like to
be your man
(What would you do, baby) What would you do if I
brought you up here on this stage
What would you do if (Tell me), what would you do
The lights are down (Yeah), the mood is set (Yeah)
The sound is right, I'm heated
Look to my left and check my crowd
Look to my right (Yeah) to see if they are ready now
Tell me who out there feels lucky
Wants me to take em shopping and buy em everything
Hmm, I choose you
(Now what would you do, yeah) What would you do if I
said all of these words were true
(What would you do) What would you do if I came down
here and sat with you
(What, what) What would you do if I told the band to
break it down
(Break it down) What would you do if I said I want to
lay you down
(Ow) What would you do if I put this money in your
hand
(Out this money on your hand, baby) What would you do
if I said Id like to be yo
In "What Would You Do," The Isley Brothers present a song that blends the feel of a live concert and a seductive conversation. The lyrics present the band's frontman asking his female audience members what they would do if he were to approach them directly. He wonders if they would take him up on his offer of buying them gifts, becoming his romantic partner, or if they are content to simply enjoy his music. The lyrics oscillate between the hypothetical scenarios he poses and the realities of the live performance, with the singer checking in on the mood and energy of the crowd.
The song dances between questions about the nature of attraction, desire, and temptation. Through their music, The Isley Brothers leverage an intimate dialogue with their audience, making the song feel like an invitation to join them on stage. The lead vocalist's powerful falsetto vocals, backed by the band's grooving instrumentation, combine to make a compelling and exciting track.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, ladies
Greeting to the female audience.
How are why y'all doin' tonight
Asking how the audience is feeling.
Can I keep it real
Asking permission to be honest.
And say what's on my mind
Asking permission to express their innermost thoughts.
There you are in that chair
The performer notices a member of the audience.
Waiting for me to take you there
The performer acknowledges that the audience member is ready to be entertained.
To break it down and sing to you
The performer wants to give a stellar show.
And make you feel these words are true
The performer wants the audience member to feel the emotions conveyed through the music.
Who's gonna be the lucky one
Asking who in the audience will be chosen for special attention.
Who spend some money on em and have some fun
The performer will take the lucky audience member out on a fun outing.
Tell me, I choose you
The performer has selected the lucky audience member.
(What would you do) What would you do if I said all of these words were true
Asking the audience member what they would do if the performer's words were sincere.
(What would you) What would you do if I came down here and sat with you
Asking the audience member's response if the performer sat with them.
(What would you do) What would you do if I told the band to break it down
Asking the audience member's reaction if the performer requested the band play a groove.
(Ooh) What would you do if I said I want to lay you down
Asking the audience member's response if the performer wanted to have intimacy.
(What) What would you do if I put this money in your hand
Asking the audience member's reaction if they were given money by the performer.
(Would you do) What would you do if I said Id like to be your man
Asking the audience member's response if the performer desired a romantic relationship.
(What would you do, baby) What would you do if I brought you up here on this stage
Asking the audience member's reaction if they were brought on stage by the performer.
The lights are down (Yeah), the mood is set (Yeah)
The performer sets the ambiance for a romantic atmosphere.
The sound is right, I'm heated
The music sounds perfect, and the performer is in the groove.
Look to my left and check my crowd
The performer glances to the left to gauge the audience's reaction.
Look to my right (Yeah) to see if they are ready now
The performer checks the other side of the audience to see if they are prepared for the show.
Tell me who out there feels lucky
Asking the audience if anyone feels lucky.
Wants me to take em shopping and buy em everything
The performer offers to take the lucky audience member shopping and pay for everything.
Hmm, I choose you
The performer selects the lucky audience member.
(Now what would you do, yeah) What would you do if I said all of these words were true
Asking the audience member what they would do if the performer's words were sincere.
(What would you do) What would you do if I came down here and sat with you
Asking the audience member's response if the performer sat with them.
(What, what) What would you do if I told the band to break it down
Asking the audience member's reaction if the performer requested the band play a groove.
(Break it down) What would you do if I said I want to lay you down
Asking the audience member's response if the performer wanted to have intimacy.
(Ow) What would you do if I put this money in your hand
Asking the audience member's reaction if they were given money by the performer.
(Out this money on your hand, baby) What would you do if I said Id like to be your man
Asking the audience member's response if the performer desired a romantic relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBERT S. KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blueheels6771
Whatever R.Kelly is going through good or bad, he has to answer to God, but you have to give him his credit, the boy Kelly is a bad super producer, songwriter, singer, musician, & performer. A truly gifted blessed entertainer, only God can judge him, who has not sin cast the first stone.
@landrerog4257
Exactly
@awwhellnaww513
Still he must face the justice system for what he has done. He may be all that but that does not give him a pass to do whatever he pleases.
@royfields8840
@@awwhellnaww513 Who said anything about a "pass"?
@lyricdavilogyld7002
Your point is good, Problem is y’all are saying what your saying out of your mouth but it seems like your hearts are praising him and giving him a pass in your hearts, because his music is Good, let him be a regular person that mess with your daughter or younger sister, I’m willing to be Your energy would be completely different..
@shaylafreeling9987
smh r Kelly isn't the only person here to blame if theses girls wasn't reporting clearly they liked it theses parents sold their children #per no way would I let my daughter go off with an male singer #per theses girls was like 14 15 16 we all know at that age little girls r fast blame the parents ijs if I was 16 n seen r Kelly I would b a victim too! We have married couples that r famous n the women r young n the man r old as dirt please leave r Kelly along and worry about the white man trump that's in office doing what he wants
@resilience7810
I WILL NEVER STOP LISTENING TO R KELLY
@miltonmurray5871
Me either under no circumstances
@kianicole2327
Me either he still on my Spotify Playlist
@miltonmurray5871
I am 74 he is a young black legend they are getting our people to help destroy but God has the young genius back the parents has to understand hometraing starts with them God bless his gift to man his music can't be denied Memphis