The O'Jays originally consisting of Walter Williams (b. August 25, 1942), Bill Isles (January 4, 1941 – March 2019), Bobby Massey, William Powell (January 20, 1942–May 26, 1977) and Eddie Levert (b. June 16, 1942). The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The O'Jays (now a trio after the departure of Isles and Massey) had their first hit with "Lonely Drifter", in 1963. In spite of the record's success, the group was considering quitting the music business until Gamble & Huff, a legendary team of producers and songwriters, took an interest in the group. With Gamble & Huff, the O'Jays emerged at the forefront of Philadelphia soul with Back Stabbers (1972), a huge pop hit, and topped the U.S. singles charts the following year with their anthemic "Love Train".
They formed the group in Canton, Ohio in 1958 while attending Canton McKinley High School. Originally known as The Triumphs, and then The Mascots, the friends began recording with "Miracles" in 1961, which was a moderate hit in the Cleveland area. In 1963 they took the name "The O'Jays", in tribute to radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay (Toop, 1991), and released "Lonely Drifter", which charted nationally. Their debut LP was Comin' Through. Throughout the 1960s, they continued to chart with songs such as "Lipstick Traces" (which they performed nationally on the ABC Television program, Shivaree), "Stand In For Love", "Let It All Out", "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow", "Deeper In Love With You" and "One Night Affair", along with several other regional and national Pop and R&B hits. In 1972, they finally scored with their first million-seller, "Back Stabbers", from the gold album of the same name. By this time, original member Bobby Massey had also departed, leaving the group a trio. This album produced several more hit singles, including "992 Arguments", "Sunshine", "Time To Get Down" and the #1 Pop smash, "Love Train". They became known as "The Mighty O'Jays" due to their exciting, emotion-packed stage performances, led by the dynamic Levert, and the cool, multi-range vocals of Walter Williams, coupled with the matinee idol looks and smooth first tenor voice of William Powell.
During the remainder of the 1970s the O'Jays continued releasing chart-topping singles, including "Put Your Hands Together" (Pop #10), "For the Love of Money" (Pop #9), "Give the People What They Want", "Let Me Make Love To You", "I Love Music" (Pop #5), "Livin' for the Weekend", "Message in Our Music" and "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)". Original member William Powell died of cancer in 1977 at the age of just 35.
After adding Sammy Strain (born December 9, 1941) (of Little Anthony & the Imperials), the O'Jays continued recording, though with limited success. 1978's "Use ta Be My Girl" was their final Top Five hit, though they continued placing songs on the R&B charts throughout the 1980s. Their 1987 album, Let Me Touch You, was a breakthrough of sorts, and included the #1 R&B hit "Lovin' You". Eddie Levert also got a copy of Kevan Tynes' "Loving You" prior to recording their version .Though they continued charting on the R&B charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the O'Jays never again achieved pop success. In 1992, Sammy Strain left the group, and returned to the Imperials, to be replaced by Nathaniel Best, and later, by Eric Grant. Later in the 1990s, the group did little recording, though they remained a popular live draw. Their latest album was Imagination in 2004.
In 2003, they co-starred in the movie The Fighting Temptations, which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce Knowles. In the film, they played three barbers who joined the local church choir to help out the film's protagonist Darrin (Gooding) who was the choir director.
In 2005 the O'Jays were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Original members Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Bobby Massey and, posthumously, William Powell, were inducted. In a note of controversy, 70's O'Jays member Sammy Strain was also inducted with the group, while original member Bill Isles was not. (Strain is one of the few artists in popular music history who is a double RRHOF inductee: with The O'Jays in 2005, and The Imperials in 2009). In 2006, the O'Jays performed at the ESPY awards, hosted by Lance Armstrong. "For the Love of Money" is the theme song to the hit reality TV show The Apprentice, starring Donald Trump, which is ironic considering that the lyrics warn of the evil people will do for the love of money.
On February 23, 2007, Radio-Canada's website reported that Canadian Industry Minister Jim Prentice had used the song "For The Love of Money" without the group's permission during a political event, a faux pas since Prentice is responsible for the application of the Copyright Act in Canada. Radio-Canada also reports that Prentice has since been contacted by the attorneys for both the O'Jays and Warner/Chappell Music.
On June 28, 2009, at the 2009 BET Award Show in the Shrine Auditorium the O'Jays were honored with BET's 2009 Life Time Achievement Award. Tevin Campbell, Trey Songz, Tyrese Gibson, and Johnny Gill performed a medley of the groups songs followed by the presentation of the award by Don Cornelius. The group reminisced, joked with the audience and accepted their award before performing a rendition of their hit songs.
Family Reunion
The O'Jays Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the folks you love together
Sittin' and talkin' 'bout
All the things that's been goin' down
It's been a long, long time
Since we've had the chance to get together
Nobody knows the next time we see each other
Family reunion (got to have)
A family reunion
Family reunion
(It's so nice to come together) to come together
(To get together)
I wish grandma could see
The whole family
I sure miss her face
And her warm and tender embrace
And if grandpa was here
I know he'd be smiling from ear to ear
To see what he has done
All the offsprings from his daughters and sons
A family reunion (gonna have)
A family reunion (ooh, ooh)
Family reunion
(It's so nice to come together) to come together
(To get together)
Ooh
Ooh
At least once a year we should have
Family reunion
A family reunion (we need to do it for the young)
Family reunion
(It'll be nice, it'll be nice to come together) to come together
To get together
Family reunion (sister knows, heaven knows)
A family reunion (it's good to see you)
Family reunion (I said we are sinkin' hands, makin' plans)
(Maybe next year) to come together
(Maybe next year)
A family reunion (ooh, ooh)
A family reunion (we gotta have, we gotta have)
Family reunion (it'll be nice, it'll be so nice)
(To come together) to come together
(To get together)
You know the family is the solution to the world's problems today
Now let's take a look at the family
In the family the father is like the head, the leader, the director
Not domineering, but showing love, guidance
For everyone else in the family
Now if we could get all the fathers of the world
To stand up and be fathers
That would be great
Then we have mothers
Who are the right arm of the father
They're supposed to, to-to do the cooking
Raise the children, do the sewing
And help the father to guide and direct
Then there's the son
The son, most sons are like imitators of their father
So we're back again to the father
And he is guiding in the right way
The son is definitely gonna be alright
Then we have the daughter
Watching her mother
Be-because sooner or later she's gonna be a mother
And she'll have her own sons and daughters
It don't, it don't just stop there with the family or
Of-of yours or mine
It's a universal family
Under one divine purpose
And one divine father
That is if we all come together
No matter what color, race, creed
'Cause that's all in the head
Whether you wanna believe it or not
'Cause you'll bleed
Hoo
Family, family, family reunion
It'll be a nice, so nice, so nice
The O'Jays' "Family Reunion" is a classic soul song about the importance of familial love and coming together. The song paints a picture of family members engaging in conversations, reminiscing about old memories, and cherishing each other's company. The lyrics highlight that it's essential to make time for family gatherings, as they offer the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate life. The song emphasizes the significance of family ties, especially when members have not been together for a long time. It reminds people of the simple pleasures of life- talking, laughing, eating, and enjoying each other's company over a period.
The song conveys a multi-generational family unit, where the elder grandparents wish that grandma could see the entire family and that grandpa would be proud to witness the offsprings from his daughters and sons. The final verse emphasizes the importance of a stable family structure in creating an ideal society. It encourages fathers and mothers to lead by example and create a nurturing, loving environment for their children to grow. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy lyrics make it a perfect choice to play at family reunions or gatherings.
Line by Line Meaning
It's so nice to see
It's such a wonderful feeling to see your loved ones, all together.
All the folks you love together
It's a great experience to have all your close people come together.
Sittin' and talkin' 'bout
Spending time chatting and relishing the moments with your family is truly magical.
All the things that's been goin' down
Discussing how you've been spending your days with your loved ones is quite refreshing.
It's been a long, long time
It's been a really long time since we last met, and it feels great to finally reunite.
Since we've had the chance to get together
It's been so long since we had a chance to gather and catch up with everyone.
Nobody knows the next time we see each other
We never know when would we get an opportunity like this to see each other again.
Maybe years and years from now
This could be the last time we are together, who knows maybe after several years, right?
A family reunion
A reunion of family members.
(got to have)
It's something we need to experience and cherish.
(It's so nice to come together)
It feels amazing to regroup and come together with your family.
to come together
It's an amazing experience to be together with family members.
I wish grandma could see
I wish my grandmother were here to enjoy this moment and see all her descendants come together.
The whole family
I would have loved to have everyone together.
I sure miss her face
I genuinely miss and long to see the face of my grandmother.
And her warm and tender embrace
The gentle, loving hugs from my grandmother are unforgettable.
And if grandpa was here
If my grandpa made it to this moment, I'm sure he would be grateful and proud.
I know he'd be smiling from ear to ear
He would be overjoyed and grinning from ear to ear.
To see what he has done
To ponder on the impact he has on this family and how it has grown, would really bring a smile to his face.
All the offsprings from his daughters and sons
It's a great feeling to see the descendants of my grandparents, their children and grandchildren, together.
(gonna have)
It's something we will indeed do, no matter what.
(ooh, ooh)
Expressing the excitement and happiness of being united with your loved ones.
(we need to do it for the young)
We should have family reunions for the sake of the younger generations.
(it's good to see you)
It's a pleasurable experience to see everyone and catch up after so long.
(I said we are sinkin' hands, makin' plans)
We're together, holding hands, and discussing plans to make sure we remain connected.
(Maybe next year)
We'll try having reunions more often, maybe next year when we are all free and available for this.
(we gotta have, we gotta have)
We surely have to experience this at some point in time.
(it'll be nice, it'll be so nice)
It's going to be a pleasant, wonderful experience being with our family members again.
You know the family is the solution to the world's problems today
Uniting and coming together as a family will help solve many issues faced by the world today.
Now let's take a look at the family
Now let's focus on family and reflect on its significance and growth.
In the family the father is like the head, the leader, the director
The father in a family assumes an essential role and leads the family to a better life.
Not domineering, but showing love, guidance
The father must lead with love and care, and guide the family members.
For everyone else in the family
The father is the backbone of the family, and every member secures their support from him.
Now if we could get all the fathers of the world
If every father were to contribute in a similar way, the world would be a better place.
To stand up and be fathers
This is a call for fathers to arise and take ownership of their families.
That would be great
If every father plays a crucial role, that indeed would be wonderful for all.
Then we have mothers
Mothers are the pillars of the family, and their love nourishes everyone.
Who are the right arm of the father
Mothers are the support system and the right hand of the father, who help him in every way possible.
They're supposed to, to-to do the cooking
Cooking is just one of the chores mothers are expected to do in the household.
Raise the children, do the sewing
Apart from cooking, the mother manages the home, raising the kids, and doing sewing.
And help the father to guide and direct
The mother's support and participation are critical to enable the father to lead and guide the family in the right direction.
Then there's the son
Sons are the future fathers, who model and follow their fathers' footsteps.
The son, most sons are like imitators of their father
Often the son emulates his father and walks on the path led by him.
So we're back again to the father
Everything starts and ends with the father.
And he is guiding in the right way
The father's guidance points the family in the right direction, and every decision he makes is critical for the family's growth.
The son is definitely gonna be alright
If the father leads in the right direction, his son would also walk in the right direction, and things will turn out okay.
Then we have the daughter
Daughters are valuable assets, and their growth and development are significant.
Watching her mother
Daughters look up to their mother and follow her footsteps to become a stronger version of themselves.
Be-because sooner or later she's gonna be a mother
At some point or the other, the daughter will also become a mother, and all the values she has learned from her mother would come into play.
And she'll have her own sons and daughters
Just like she was once someone's daughter, she will have her own children, so preparing and growing is essential.
It don't, it don't just stop there with the family or
Family is not confined to your own kin; it extends beyond that.
Of-of yours or mine
It's not just our family but everyone's family that's coming together as one.
It's a universal family
It's a family that includes everyone, where race, color or creed does not matter.
Under one divine purpose
Everyone's under the supremacy of one superior authority.
And one divine father
God may be traced to the authority of the family.
That is if we all come together
Unity is the key to bridging the gap between people and strengthening familial relationships.
No matter what color, race, creed
Unity isn't defined by race, color or religion. More diverse families bring everyone together harmoniously.
'Cause that's all in the head
The discussion of diversity has to do more with mental attitudes than anything else.
Whether you wanna believe it or not
Believing that together, diversity can work is essential in making a family thrive.
'Cause you'll bleed
Reminder that we're all humans and will end up in the same place, it's best to savor the moments when we're healthy.
Hoo
Expressing enthusiasm, hope and happiness for the family reunion.
Family, family, family reunion
Emphasizing connections, family ties and belonging to the family.
It'll be a nice, so nice, so nice
Reiterating that the family reunion will be an enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone involved.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@countryboylife5darlowe391
Straight black folks shit!!! Makes me cry remembering this song on in the 1980s in Compton Ca dressed up nice BBQ smelling up the air, kids playing getting to no each other and just that good ole black folks chilling dranking and choking on some good good!!
Just a peaceful day
@blackonepac
Right on Bruh
@user-ix6ei5ci9r
Sad😢
@user-ix6ei5ci9r
Bring it back 😅
@whatshappeningq3301
You right but everyone else wants to tap into our sh*t with their phoney BS,yet they always hating on US
@busterevergreen9673
thats a good memory bruh, thank you.
@robinharden6983
Don't wait till you lose your loved ones and call it a family reunion Stay united
@jamesi.moorejr.3959
Family is EVERYTHING
@CalvinSampson-lm3or
That's right
@simbaking6338
Best comment.