The Isleys' Greatest Hits, Vol. 1

by The Isley Brothers

Overview

While probably best suited for the casual listener, this Isley Brothers collection still contains a potent mix of the band's biggest hits from the '70s and '80s. Showing the group's flexibility, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 includes quiet storm funk ballads like "For the Love of You," the proto-new jack swing of "Between the Sheets," and soul anthems like "Fight the Power" and "Live It Up." The group's signature songs are here too, including early-'70s chart-toppers like the Stax-inspired "It's Your Thing" and the stratospheric pop-funk cut "That Lady"; the latter features Ernie Isley on one of the most incredible funk guitar solos on wax (the Hendrix elements being almost a given since the guitar great cut his teeth in the Isleys' mid-'60s touring band). And there are more urbane smooth-groove tunes like "Footsteps in the Dark" and "Groove with You" to top things off. Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 is a good collection for curious soul and funk fans. Listeners looking for a more thorough selection of Isley hits, though, should check out Rhino's two-volume The Isley Brothers Story; while the first disc covers early smashes from the late '50s and '60s like "Shout," "Twist and Shout," and the Motown hit "This Old Heart of Mine," the second includes all the cuts on this collection, plus several more prime tracks the band made while on the T-Neck label. [The 2002 Epic/Legacy CD reissue adds five tracks, four of them number one R&B hits from 1977-1980, the other Isley/Jasper/Isley's 1985 number one R&B hit "Caravan of Love."] ~ Stephen Cook

Product Details

Release Date:	03/26/2002
Label:	Legacy / Epic/Legacy
UPC:	0696998619821
Rank:	20629

Tracks

1. That Lady, Pts. 1-2
2. Groove with You
3. For the Love of You, Pts. 1-2
4. Footsteps in the Dark (Part 1 & 2)
5. Between the Sheets
6. It's Your Thing
7. Fight the Power, Pts. 1-2
8. Live It Up, Pts. 1-2
9. Take Me to the Next Phase, Pts. 1-2
10. The Pride, Pts. 1-2
11. I Wanna Be with You, Pts. 1-2
12. Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time for Love), Pts. 1-2
13. Caravan of Love

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Isley Brothers   Primary Artist
Jasper   Primary Artist
Rudolph Isley   Vocals
Ronald Isley   Vocals
O'Kelly Isley   Vocals

Technical Credits

Ronald Isley   Producer,Composer
Rudolph Isley   Producer,Composer
Ernie Isley   Producer,Composer
Marvin Isley   Composer,Producer
O'Kelly Isley   Composer,Producer
The Isley Brothers   Composer
Eric "Vietnam" Sadler   Composer
Chris Jasper   Composer,Producer
Tom Vickers   Liner Notes
Stacy Drummond   Design