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Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge was an American female group composed of members of the Sledge family. The group was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1965, and originally consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge.[2] Their music crosses genres of R&B, disco, pop, rock and Philly soul.[1]
Sister Sledge first performed in talent shows and clubs in Philadelphia and eventually signed with Money Back Records. In 1972, they left Money Back Records and signed with Atlantic Records subsidiary label Atco Records, where they released two Top 10 dance songs "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes on Me" (1974) and "Pain Reliever" (1975). The group were moved to another subsidiary label Cotillion Records in 1976. They released six studio albums between 1977 and 1983, including the successful albums We Are Family (1979) and Love Somebody Today (1980) and singles "He's the Greatest Dancer" (1979), "We Are Family" (1979), "Lost in Music" (1979), "All American Girls" (1981), and "My Guy" (1982). In mid-1980s, they experienced a resurgence in mainstream popularity after the release of their single "Thinking of You" and a remix of their earlier single "Lost in Music" peaked at number 4 in the United Kingdom. In 1985, their single "Frankie" topped the UK Singles chart for four consecutive weeks and became the fifth highest-selling single in the UK for that year.[3]
In 1989, lead singer Kathy Sledge left the group and pursued a successful solo career. The three remaining members released the poorly received And Now...Sledge...Again compilation album in 1992, which featured several re-recordings of their earlier hit songs. In 1993, Kathy rejoined with the group for a European Tour after several dance remixes of their singles "We Are Family", "Lost in Music", and "Thinking of You" began charting in the UK Top 40. From 2000 to 2003, the four original members reunited on special occasions, among them was for the We Are Family Foundation. Following this, Sister Sledge went through different incarnations of the group composed of several family members and friends began performing in the group. After Joni's death in 2017 and Kim's exit in 2019, different factions of Sister Sledge surfaced. By 2021, Kathy Sledge began performing as Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge,[4] and Debbie Sledge began performing as Sister Sledge featuring Sledgendary.
Sister Sledge have sold over 20 million records worldwide, making them one of the highest-selling female groups of the 1970s.[5][6] In 2017, they were inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame. Their song "We Are Family" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the National Recording Registry.
African Eyes (1998)
One of Sister Sledge's finest achievements came in 1997, when the Philadelphia siblings recorded the overlooked African Eyes. While Sister Sledge had long since passed its commercial peak, this CD made it clear that the group still had a lot to say musically. Reflective and highly spiritual, African Eyes often recalls Earth, Wind & Fire's '70s output and sometimes combines soul and funk with elements of world music. In fact, the uplifting tone of "World Rise & Shine," "The Unraveling" and "Walking in the Light" gives you an idea what Sister Sledge might have sounded like if the sisters had worked with Maurice White in the late '70s instead of various Philadelphia producers and Chic leaders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Some of the material, however, isn't EW&F-ish, but instead, offers an unlikely blend of R&B and folk. Folk-ish touches find their way to "Love's Abyss" and "Cry for Soweto," a beautiful reflection on the political evolution of South Africa. But as much as African Eyes has going for it, the album was ignored by mainstream radio and failed to do very much commercially. In fact, it's safe to say that the vast majority of listeners who bought We Are Family and All American Girls didn't even hear about this album's release.
When the Boys Meet the Girls (1985)
When the Boys Meet the Girls is the eighth studio album by the American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released on June 7, 1985, by Atlantic Records, their first release on that label.
Prior to this album, the group's releases had been released under the Cotillion label, a subsidiary of Atlantic which became defunct in 1985. Produced by Nile Rodgers,[2] this album reached number nineteen on the UK charts. The two singles released from this album charted in the UK; "Frankie", released in June 1985 peaked at number one and spent seventeen weeks on the charts. The single was later certified gold by the BPI in July 1985.[3] The other single, "Dancing on the Jagged Edge", released in August 1985, peaked at number 50 in the UK.
Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls (1983)
Bet Cha Say That to All The Girls is the seventh studio album by American R&B and pop girl group Sister Sledge.[1] It was released in 1983 on the Cotillion Records label.[1] Singles from the album included "B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Baby)", "Gotta Get Back to Love", "Thank You for the Party". The album peaked at number 169 on the Billboard 200 chart[2] and number 35 on the Top R&B Albums chart in 1983
The Sisters (1982)
The Sisters is the sixth studio album by American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released in 1982 by Cotillion Records. The album is the group's first self-production.[2] It contains a remake of the Mary Wells hit "My Guy".[2] The Sisters peaked at No. 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart[3] as well as No. 69 on the Billboard 200 chart.
All American Girls 1981
All American Girls is the fifth studio album by the American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released on February 2, 1981, by Cotillion Records. Unlike their previous albums, the group served as co–producers, with Kathy Sledge and Joni Sledge writing the songs.
Released in February 1981, this album was aimed at breaking Sister Sledge out of the disco sound that had launched them to popularity; consequentially, the group chose not to work with their frequent collaborators Nile Rodgers or Bernard Edwards. Instead, Narada Michael Walden was hired. Four singles were released, all of which showcased a post-disco influence.
The first single and biggest hit from the album was "All American Girls", written by songwriter Allee Willis along with Joni Sledge and Narada Michael Walden's then–wife Lisa Walden. Released in January 1981, The song peaked at number three on the R&B/Soul charts and 79 on the Hot 100 charts in late–March 1981.[2] It was also a Top 10 hit in the Low Countries, reaching number eight in The Netherlands and number six in Belgium.[3] It also charted in Germany (#27)[3] and the UK (#41).[4]
The follow–up single was "Next Time You'll Know" which was released in April 1981. The single peaked at number 82 on the Hot 100 charts by mid–May 1981. In August 1981, the third single "If You Really Want Me" written by the youngest member Kathy Sledge was released, and "He's Just a Runaway" in late 1981.
Love Somebody Today 1980
Love Somebody Today is the fourth album by the American vocal group Sister Sledge. It was released on March 16, 1980, by Cotillion Records.[1][2]
The album saw the return of Chic musicians Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, who produced several disco, R&B and soul songs. Love Somebody Today also featured several different vocal arrangements. Kathy Sledge sings lead on half of the album, while the remaining songs are led by other sisters.
Love Somebody Today was promoted in mid-1980 by television performances and concert tours, such as Sister Sledge's headlining European tour.[3] The album received moderately positive reviews by music critics. It was their second album to peak within the Top 10 on the US Top Soul LP's chart. The album spawned four singles–"Got to Love Somebody", "Reach Your Peak", "Let's Go on Vacation", and "Easy Street". Love Somebody Today was the group's final album to feature disco music, as the genre began to decline in popularity.
Sister Sledge began recording the album in November 1979. Wanting to capitalize off of the success of their previous album and continue their success in disco music, Cotillion Records brought in Chic musicians Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers once again to produce Sister Sledge's album. Other Chic members Alfa Anderson, Luci Martin, and Fonzi Thornton were also brought in to provide background vocals on the album. They recorded the album at Power Station in New York City.
Following the release of the lead single and title track "Got to Love Somebody", Sister Sledge performed the song on several televised shows including Discoring, Soul Train, Top of the Pops, and TopPop; where they announced their upcoming album. Love Somebody Today was released by Cotillion Records on March 16, 1980.
In mid-1980, Sister Sledge performed "Reach Your Peak" on NBC's The Big Show. During their European Tour, they performed song on Dutch music shows Plattenküche and TopPop. In 2007, Love Somebody Today was remastered and reissued by Warner Bros. Records.
We Are Family (1978) Released 1979
We Are Family is the third album by the American vocal group Sister Sledge. It was released on January 22, 1979, by Cotillion Records. Following their 1977 album Together, Sister Sledge enlisted a new array of collaborators, including Chic musicians and producers Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers who shifted the group away from their Philly soul roots, emphasizing disco and R&B music instead.
We Are Family is widely considered Sister Sledge's breakthrough album. It debuted at number 142 on the US Billboard 200, and later peaked at number 3. The album went on to become certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over a million units in the US. Four singles were produced—"He's the Greatest Dancer", "We Are Family", "Lost in Music", and "Thinking of You". "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family" became Sister Sledge's first two top-ten US Billboard Hot 100 songs as well as their first two US Hot Soul Singles and US National Disco Action chart toppers.
According to music magazine Billboard, We Are Family was the fourth best-selling album of 1979, making Sister Sledge the sixth most successful music act of 1979.[2] The song "We Are Family" earned a nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards (1980).
After the minor success of their previous album Together (1977), the group grew disappointed about lack of breakthrough success.[4] According to Joni Sledge, the group has contemplated leaving the music industry and pursuing other careers.[4] During this time, Kim Sledge had already enrolled in law school.[4] Atlantic Records decided that Sister Sledge should record a disco album to reflect the genre's mainstream popularity.[5] To bolster the group's profile, Atlantic Records paired the group with Chic musicians and producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards who had just achieved success with their albums Chic (1977) and C'est Chic (1978); the latter of which spawned the number-one hit "Le Freak".
The recording of the album took place over a four-month period. Sister Sledge recorded the album at Power Station, a recording studio in New York City frequently used by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers for recording albums. Edwards and Rodgers wrote and produced the entire album. During the record sessions, Sister Sledge member Debbie Sledge and Bernard Edwards often disagreed on harmonies, sometimes resulting in one or both them leaving out of the studio with Nile Rodgers mediating the disagreement.[4] When Edwards and Rodgers produced "Lost in Music", Debbie Sledge felt the song was too repetitive.[4]
Much of what Edwards and Rodgers wrote and produced was kept secret from Sister Sledge, only showing the lyrics to the group once they were in front of the studio microphones as Rodgers wanted "spontaneity" in the music.[4][6] The song "We Are Family" was written by Edwards and Rodgers for Sister Sledge after working with them. In an interview with UK national radio station Smooth Radio, Kathy Sledge recalled "[Atlantic Records president] Jerry started describing my sisters and myself [to Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers]: 'You gotta meet these girls, they're family. They flock together like birds of a feather.'" The song "We Are Family" was recorded in one take.
We Are Family was released on January 22, 1979, by Cotillion Records. On April 30, 1979, it was released in the United Kingdom. To promote We Are Family, Sister Sledge appeared on various television and award shows throughout 1979. Sister Sledge performed the album's singles "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family" on American Bandstand in March 1979.[8] In May 1979, they appeared on Dutch television program TopPop to perform "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family".[9][10] Also in the same month, they performed "He's the Greatest Dancer" on The Merv Griffin Show.[11] They returned in June 1979 to perform "We Are Family" for TROS Top 50.[12] In August 1979, they performed "We Are Family" on The Merv Griffin Show.[11]
In September 1979, Sister Sledge performed "Thinking of You" on The Merv Griffin Show.[13] Later that month, they returned back to the Netherlands to perform "Lost in Music" on TopPop.[14] In 1980, they performed "We Are Family" on new Italian pop music show Popcorn.[15]
In 1995, We Are Family was digitally remastered and reissued on CD by Rhino Records. The remastered edition featured two remixed versions of "Lost in Music" and "We Are Family"; both of which had been previously released outside of the United States as remixed singles in 1984 and 1993, respectively.
Together (Sister Sledge album) 1977
Together is the second studio album by the American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released on August 9, 1977, by Cotillion Records. The album was the group's first release on the Cotillion label after parting from Atco Records.
Following two unsuccessful non-album singles in 1976 for the sisters, Cotillion paired them up with Silver Convention's Sylvester Levay and Michael Kunze in the search for a hit. Although only 4 recordings had initially been planned, Cotillion eventually decided to turn it into a full LP.[3] The sisters flew to Munich to record the album, consisting of 6 Levay/Kunze-compositions of which they had previously recorded "Baby It's the Rain" with Ramona Wulf (1975), "Hands Full of Nothing" with Jerry Rix (1976). "My Favourite Song" had initially been recorded (but never released) by Silver Convention and submitted as one of three choices for their Eurovision Song Contest 1977 entry for Germany ("Telegram" was eventually chosen).[4] 3 tunes were contributed by Kathy & Joni Sledge, and finally there were 3 cover versions - 2 Stevie Wonder songs, "As" and "I Was Made to Love Him", and Lee Dorsey's "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley".
"Blockbuster Boy" was the first single released late May 1977 prior to the album's release. It could only muster an R&B charting at #61.[5] "Baby, It's The Rain" followed as the second single in November but failed to chart altogether. The sisters would make an appearance on Soul train December 24, 1977, performing "Baby, It's The Rain" and "As" which had been released on a promotional 12" disco single by Atlantic Records.
Disappointed with the continued lack of success, the sisters released another flop single "I've Seen Better Days" in 1978 before teaming up with Chic for their third album, We Are Family.
Circle of Love (Sister Sledge album) 1975
Circle of Love is the debut studio album by the American vocal group Sister Sledge, released in 1975 by Atco Records.[2] Featuring Kathy Sledge on vocals, the album includes the songs "Circle of Love (Caught in the Middle)" and "Love Don't Go Through No Changes on Me". The album was described as a mix of pop and soul in a 1975 Billboard Magazine review.
At the time of this release, all members of the group were still teenagers; the oldest member Debbie Sledge was nineteen years old, studying at Tyler College of Art, Joni Sledge was an eighteen-year-old college freshman at Temple University, Kim Sledge was in her senior year of high school at Olney High School in their hometown of Philadelphia; and the youngest, Kathy, was a 15-year-old 10th–grader. This album gained moderate commercial success, Their single "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes on Me", reached number thirty–one on the Hot R&B/Soul Singles charts by mid 1975. The song was performed along with "Circle of Love (Caught in the Middle)" on an episode of Soul Train, which aired in April 1975.
The Whispers - The Whispers 60th Anniversary 2026
(February 13, 2026) Just in time for Valentine’s Day, R&B royalty The Whispers will mark an extraordinary milestone with the release of their 60th Anniversary Album, Remember the Past, Honoring the Present, Embracing the Future. And for longtime fans, this isn’t just another release. It’s a full-circle moment.
Few groups in soul music history can boast the stability and longevity that The Whispers have demonstrated. And this new collection spans an incredible six decades of music, blending signature classics with fresh recordings from the 2020s. It also carries deep emotional weight. The project includes Walter Scott’s final recorded performances, serving as a loving tribute following his passing in June 2025. Scotty Scott and Leaveil Degree now move forward with heavy hearts but unwavering purpose, honoring their brother, bandmate, and friend in the most fitting way possible: through song.
With refreshed versions of signature hits like “Rock Steady,” “It’s a Love Thing,” and the ever-timeless “And the Beat Goes On,” the group bridges generations while introducing new gems such as “Maybe the Fire Isn’t Out”—a title that feels especially symbolic in this chapter of their story.
Through triumph and tragedy, The Whispers remain one of soul music’s most enduring institutions. Six decades in, the harmonies are intact, the message is clear, and the mission continues. As they’ve told us for years, the beat truly does go on—and from all indications, so does the fire.
Track Listing
- It’s Been Too Long
- Let’s Get It On
- How Long
- Olivia (Whispers Version)
- Butta
- Rock Steady (Whispers’ Radio Edit)
- Hold On
- It’s a Love Thing (Whispers’ Version)
- Keep On Loving Me (Whispers’ Version)
- Don’t Say No
- Maybe the Fire Isn’t Out
- And the Beat Goes On (Whispers’ Dance Version)
All About Love (Joyce Sims album) 1989
All About Love is the second album by American singer-songwriter Joyce Sims, released in 1989. The album includes two singles: "Looking for a Love" (No. 51 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[2] No. 39 in the UK Singles Chart)[3] and the title track "All About Love" (No. 69 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,[2] No. 34 on Dance Club Songs chart).
Come into My Life (Joyce Sims album) 1987
Come into My Life is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Joyce Sims, released in 1987. It was the first Sleeping Bag Records album to be released on compact disc in the United States, and it was licensed to London/PolyGram Records throughout Europe.
The album's title track became Sims's biggest hit single, reaching number 10 on the US Billboard R&B Chart[2] and number 7 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] The album contains the full version of the title track, the hard version of "Lifetime Love", and "(You Are My) All and All". However, for unknown reasons, the soft version of "Lifetime Love", despite getting as much radio airplay as the hard version, was not included—but the UK remix of "All and All" was.
lundi 16 février 2026
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dimanche 15 février 2026
48 Hours 1994
The always entertaining and delightful, but sometimes derivative Bar-Kays come up aces this time. Three hard funk tunes -- "She Can Get It," the title track, and "Irresistible" -- are as arresting as top-flight ballads like the seven-minute-plus "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" and "If It Takes All Night," where Evelyn "Champagne" King adds a soulful vocal. The CD opens with "Introduction," a lazy wass-up telephone call by one Bar-Kay to another, the same spiel used in a popular commercial that first aired during the Y2K NFL Super Bowl, six years after this CD surfaced. They also include a "Mega Mix," a musical collage of the disc's dozen songs.
Animal (Bar-Kays album) 1989
Animal is an album by the American R&B band the Bar-Kays, released in 1989.[3][4]
The album peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart.[5] Its first single was "Struck By You", which peaked at No. 11 on the Hot Black Singles chart.[6][7] The title track was also released as a single.
Produced at Kiva Studios, in Memphis, the album was recorded by a three-member lineup.[9][10] Joe Walsh played guitar on the title track. "Just Like a Teeter Totter" was cowritten and coproduced by Sly Stone.
The Bar-Kays' final LP until their re-emergence a half-decade later, 1989's Animal was essentially a hollow reprisal of 1987's Contagious. Pared down to a trio comprising Larry "D" Dodson, Winston Stewart, and Harvey "Joe" Henderson for that outing, the band was devastated when longtime producer Allen Jones passed away shortly after. Working now with Tony Prendatt, the Bar-Kays hashed together a mediocre set of light urban dance numbers. Not even the occasional flashes of their early fire that punctuate the LP were able to keep them in the spotlight. Too much time had passed and the shift in musical directions was too great to support the Bar-Kays' now-archaic sounds. The songs on Animal are synth-heavy and bass-happy, but such sounds were long past their sell-by date. However, there are some points of interest. The title track is funky enough; Dodson's vocals are always a treat and the performance is thoroughly enlivened by guest guitarist Joe Walsh. Also of note is the deeply funky and sparse "Just Like a Teeter-Totter," which brought the band closer to their heyday than they had strayed in nearly a decade. Co-produced by Sly Stone, the man who had particular influence on Dodson, it was a neat full-circle moment for the band whose roots most had either forgotten or never even been aware of. It's important to remember that the Bar-Kays never stopped being a good band -- it was taste and fashion that twisted the knife and pushed them aside. It's also hard to maintain dewy effusiveness when your career essentially amounts to an album a year. Despite its unevenness, Animal gave the band a Top 50 hit -- how many other bands whose careers span three decades can you say that about?
Contagious 1987
Although the Bar-Kays' membership had once topped ten members, by 1987 only Larry Dodson, Harvey Henderson, and Winston Stewart remained. The band's sound had completely transfigured, too, leaving behind most of their early funk trappings for the synth pop sounds of the day, a style which actually was well-suited to Dodson's unique vocal style and the band's high-energy pop. The album starts off with a bang on the marvelous "Certified True," which ironically sounds so much like a Cameo song that one wonders just how many people realized the enormous compliment that bands' vocalist, Larry Blackmon, paid Dodson with his own vocal development. Following quickly on its heels is the catchy "Don't Hang Up," and both songs gave the Bar-Kays more chart hits to add to their already impressive collection. "Certified True" coasted in at number nine and gave the band their first Top Ten single since 1984. The Bar-Kays had certainly found their niche by the time they recorded Contagious, but despite the smooth production they'd lost much of their original spark. In spite of the fact that the band had pioneered some of the sounds that made the 1980s what they were, this album really fell flat without being an all-out disaster. But given the three decades they were on the charts and in the public eye, a slow close wasn't the worst thing that could happen.
Banging the Wall 1985
A year beyond their "Freakshow on the Dance Floor" heyday, the Bar-Kays hit the streets again in 1985 with what was, in comparison, the mediocre Banging the Wall. Still packing enough punch to only miss the Top Ten by a whisper, the LP was jam-packed with synth popped R&B and innuendo that didn't even make an attempt at subtlety, while the band eschewed its tremendous funk for riffing that echoed chart-toppers Prince and Michael Jackson, among others. In fact, the title track owes so much to the great purple wonder, with its vocal cries, lyrical come-ons, and rock-riffing rhythms, that it can only be either some kind of tribute or a purposeful trashing. At least one hopes so. The band continues much on the same track with a handful of groovers, including "Missiles on Target," "Dance Your Body, Desara," and the Cameo-esque "Sex Driver," while adding a couple of ballads, "Paper Doll" and "Love Don't Wait," to tone down the moment. It's a shame, really, that Banging the Wall owes so much of its verve to the Bar-Kays' peers. But, with their funk so out of fashion, what once led was cast aside so that the leaders could follow in fashion.
Dangerous (The Bar-Kays album) 1984
Dangerous is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee, band the Bar-Kays, released on Mercury Records in April 1984. The album reached number seven on the Billboard R&B albums chart. The song "Freakshow on the Dance Floor" hit number 2 on Billboard's Black Singles Chart, and was featured in the film Breakin' and appeared on its soundtrack album.
Able to move with the times, bringing all the elements of the new breed into their sound, and keeping their funk roots intact while traversing the slippery slope of 1980s dance, the Bar-Kays scored another hit with 1984's massive Dangerous LP. Whittled down to a hefty octet for this outing, the Bar-Kays easily proved they were still up to their old tricks, smoothly updating their sound while continuing to take some well-intentioned and good-humored jabs at more than a few peers along the way. This now-traditional penchant, never meant to hurt and only done in homage, is perhaps best heard across the album's three hit singles. Not only was the monstrously sassy "Freakshow on the Dance Floor" an integral part of the film Breakin', but the incorporated elements from Midnight Starr's "No Parking on the Dancefloor" were just evident enough to prove that the similarities were deliberate. Following on the heels of that hit came the mid-tempo groover "Dirty Dancer," which tongue-and-cheekily captured the essence of Michael Jackson's current "Billie Jean," leaving the synthed-out "Sexomatic" following quite happily in Prince's purple footsteps. And while it's true that these songs may well be the best elements of Dangerous, the band wasn't done yet -- not by a long shot. The title track remains an outstanding sliver of smooth dance that seamlessly incorporates more than a few Euro-disco splashes into the mix. It's very much of its era, but still compellingly fresh nevertheless. Elsewhere, the band rounds out the relative frenzy with one single ballad, the well-intentioned "Lovers Should Never Fall in Love," capping off another effusive, energetic set. And although, at the time, it seemed as if the Bar-Kays were unstoppable, Dangerous would prove to be the band's last major hit -- making this album one to savor.
Propositions 1982
Propositions is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based funk band the Bar-Kays, released on Mercury Records in November 1982. The album reached number nine on the Billboard R&B albums chart and contained three hits: the uptempo singles "Do It (Let Me See You Shake)", "She Talks to Me with Her Body", and the ballad "Anticipation".
Funk pioneers the Bar-Kays not only succeeded in stamping their own rock influence on the genre, but also influenced a generation of vocalists while keeping their own sense of sound intact. By the '80s, however, the band had traded in some of their traditional chops for a more electronic vibe, one which certainly gave nod to the younger generation of funkers coming up right behind them -- Prince and Cameo's Larry Blackmon especially. This move to a wave groove is particularly evident on Propositions, although the band keeps three very distinctive styles going throughout the set. The majority of songs, however, are heavy on the synth, including the title track and "Tripping Out." "Do It (Let Me See You Shake)," meanwhile, had trappings that were pure Prince, and cracked the R&B Top Ten. To temper that tumultuous flow, the band also included two soul/rock ballads, "Anticipation" and "I Can't Believe You're Leaving Me." Both the old school "(Busted)" and "You Made a Change in My Life," meanwhile, returned the funk to full focus, while the band lets their real talents rip. Propositions definitely succeeded in its time and its place. Bar-Kays fans from the '70s probably won't love it, but anyone who cut their teeth on the pop sounds of the mid-'80s should snap this up and enjoy the history lesson.
As One (The Bar-Kays album) 1980
As One is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee funk band the Bar-Kays released on Mercury Records in November 1980. The album reached number six on the Billboard Soul Albums chart.
Another in the Bar-Kays' monstrous string of hit LPs, 1980's As One unleashed one more blistering set upon a public who seemed unable to get enough of the band. As usual, the LP slammed into the Top Ten, down only slightly from the previous year's Injoy. And, reaching back to the graphics of 1978's Light of Life, the group again wrought a fine parody of Earth, Wind & Fire's space-age Egyptology for their cover. But, of course, it's what's inside that matters. And here, at least in part, the Bar-Kays wouldn't disappoint. Both the title track and "Boogie Body Land" are classic Bar-Kays funk behemoths, and even the LP's second charting single, "Body Fever," isn't bad, although it does pale markedly in comparison. Where the band falters, however, is across a few more-than-mediocre ballads -- replete with very MOR crescendoed backing vocals. They were never at their best as a ballad band, and by 1980 perhaps they had run out of steam on that front. "Open Your Heart," meanwhile, is a cute little disco song -- but there were so many disco acts doing it better. The Bar-Kays were on a real fencepost here, teetering between old and new before dropping wholeheartedly into more contemporary waters. However, their three previous LPs were all leaning toward the future as well -- and were done much better. At the end of the day, perhaps a little time out would have been warranted.
Injoy 1979
Injoy is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee-based funk band the Bar-Kays.
Released on Mercury Records in October 1979, this album reached number two on the Billboard Soul Album chart. It was the band's biggest selling album, and their second to be certified Gold for sales of over 500,000 copies. The album’s first single, "Move Your Boogie Body", was a Top 3 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The album’s third track, "Running In and Out of My Life", also received substantial airplay and was a hit on R&B radio stations. It is one of the few Bar-Kays songs where the lead vocal is not performed by Larry Dodson. Mark Bynum performed the lead vocal with Dodson adding backgrounds.
Its title a snazzy double play, the Bar-Kays' 1979 classic Injoy LP was the first and most successful of a quintet of albums that swept the band to the top of the charts and into the stratosphere of superstardom for half a decade. An energetic and primarily funk-driven set, Injoy was dominated by the supreme "Move Your Boogie Body," an eminently danceable, pop-friendly slab that cut the bass with strings, powered home the excellent vocals, added some Euro-disco synth, and soared into the Top Five to give the Bar-Kays their highest-to-date spot on the charts. But while that track may have captured the public heart, the bandmembers had even better tricks up their very flashy sleeves, powering through the classic funk of "More and More" and "Up in Here" -- a song of unmitigated old-school proportions that reprises the Moroder-isms deep in the mix. Elsewhere, the band toned it down with several ballads, including "Girl I'm on Your Side" and "Running In and Out of My Life." With the Bar-Kays at the top of their form, there was little that could detract from this set. And, while Injoy just missed the top spot on the R&B chart, it still got a nation off the couch and onto the dancefloor.
Light of Life (The Bar-Kays album) 1978
Light of Life is an album by the Memphis, Tennessee, funk band the Bar-Kays.
1978 saw the Bar-Kays continue across Light of Life all that they'd begun on the previous year's Flying High on Your Love. Debuting a new ten-member lineup, the group offered up a heady blend of classic funk spun with thoroughly contemporary disco ethics. The only drawback to the Bar-Kays' sound was that such a rapid-fire release schedule was rendering their unique sound a little samey. What worked beautifully across one LP was less unique across the next and, by the third, was nearing the point of overkill. That said, there are still many, many fine moments on Light of Life. Their balladeering skills were improving and are showcased magnificently on "We're the Happiest People in the World" and, of course, they absolutely sparkled across the funk-fests: the effusive "Get up 'N' Do It" and "Give It Up," which carries nods to both Hamilton Bohannon's "Disco Stomp" and the iconoclastic "Theme From Shaft." Rush-released to compete with Fantasy's cash-in Money Talks, compiled from the band's late Stax-era recordings, Light of Life faltered some in its wake. Nevertheless, Light of Life still gave the band their fourth Top 20 hit as "Shine," while "Are You Being Real" furthered their longevity on the singles chart.
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