“Harvest for the World” was originally intended to go on 1975’s The Heat Is On album as the lead single, but “Fight The Power” ended up being the lead single (decided by a group vote), and thus, was saved to include on the Harvest for the World LP.Īs on many Isley Brothers records, Ronald sang lead on the song while his older brothers, O’Kelly and Rudolph, backed him up.Įnjoy this inspiring mid-’70s magic created by the songs’ composers (who also produced): Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, Chris Jasper, Rudolph Isley, O’Kelly Isley and Ronald Isley:

Incredibly (from a thematic and structural sense, anyway), “Harvest” was actually recorded on the same day as “Fight the Power (Parts 1 & 2)”! Imagine going from the socially-conscious urgency of “Fight the Power” to the joyfully exuberant optimism of “Harvest” from one hour to the next! Oh, the “Fight the Power” hand claps are still present, but now, instead of marching in the streets, these percussive claps are accompanying a much more inclusive, hopeful, and encouraging message! The roiling basses, funky grooves, and vocal growls of Summer ‘75 are now replaced by gleeful acoustic guitar strums, glorious piano glissandos, and happy major chord structures.

Whatever power we may be fighting as we gird our collective loins for this impending hope-filled “harvest,” our fists will be lowered from their mid-air 1975 positions, and will now be joyfully wrapped around metaphoric hoes, rakes, and pitchforks. Here were the Isley’s and their “Fight the Power” (Radio Edit, of course!) which gave the brothers their first song to peak in the Top 20 on three different charts ( Billboard ’s R&B #1, Top 100 #4, Dance/Disco #13): Then, imagine my further surprise to hear that same piano issue a brief arpeggio, concurrent with an acoustic guitar, both now hinting boldly at a decidedly un-Isley acoustic album opener! There’ll be no power-fighting on this one (remembering their massively funky and chart-rattling “Fight the Power” the previous summer, recorded at L.A.’s Record Plant!). Imagine my surprise when the first things I heard were a gentle piano intro and a cymbal flourish, followed by a gentle ballad about “people of today” preparing us for “a harvest for the children.”

Having enjoyed a couple previous Isley releases, I was eager to take home a spare promo copy of Harvest for the World, and give it a spin.

Top 20 isley brothers songs