The O'Jays

The O'Jays are an American vocal band that was in the 1970s the most important representatives of Philly Soul. Their biggest hits Back Stabbers (1972 ), Love Train (1973 ), For the Love of Money ( 1974) I Love Music (1975) and Use ta Be My Girl (1978 ) reached the top 10 in the U.S. and received gold Awards.

Band History

The vocal ensemble was founded in 1958 by Walter Williams and Eddie LeVert as The Triumphs. Shortly after, Billy Powell, Bill Isles and Bobby Massey joined. After its name change in 1959 in The Mascots they entered the first time in Cleveland, where the DJ Eddie O'Jay became aware of them and give them a new name, The O'Jays missed. Under his direction they took in 1961 at Wayco Records for their first single Miracles. It flopped, and the O'Jays changed initially to King Records until they signed in 1963 in Imperial.

In 1965 she had with Lipstick Traces the first time an average hit, which only just the top 50 of the pop charts missed and it brought at least on place 28 of the Soul charts. Nevertheless, the O'Jays first had to earn a living as a background choir of former stars such as Nat King Cole and The Ronettes. In the same year the Isles O'Jays turned his back. Then they changed the label again and finally signed in 1968 at Bell Records, her producer was George Kerr.

The successes of the following publications were nevertheless still not desirable, but they attracted attention from producers and composers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the O'Jays now the assumptions themselves. After two single releases on Neptune Records, a sub-label of Chess, but they already had to change by the death of Leonard Chess and the sale of the Chess label again. Also Massey left as a result, in 1972, the O'Jays, who eventually signed with Philadelphia International Records, their own label of Gamble and Huff.

In the autumn of the same year finally began the wave of success. The single Back Stabbers ( about the dangers of deceitful people) of July 1972 reached a crossover number 3 on the U.S. pop charts and became the first big hit of the group. Until the end of 1975 was followed by other hits like For the Love of Money ( U.S. # 7), Let Me Make Love to You, Give the People What They Want, Love Train ( U.S. # 1, UK # 7) Put Your Hands Together ( USA # 11) and I Love Music ( U.S. # 7, UK # 13). Some of her albums were placed high in the charts. Powell died in 1977 from cancer, after which the O'Jays replacement found in Sam Strain. Also in 1978 and 1979 were good years for the group with Livin 'For The Weekend ( U.S. # 28) and Use To Be My Girl ( U.S. # 3, UK # 12). Only in 1980 the ebbing wave of success until the first O'Jays finally disappeared around 1982 off the charts.

On the 1985 album Love Fever, the band was now trying to build on trends by they used on the LP elements of hip hop. Of these survived anyway. 1990 received the O'Jays an American Music Award and went with Regina Belle on tour. After a small line-up change - Strain got out in 1991 and was replaced by Nathaniel Best - they even brought two more albums, Emotianally Yours ( 1991) and Heartbreaker (1994 ) in the top 100 in the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Eric Nolan Grant in 1997 came to the band and replaced Nate Order 2005, the O'Jays were included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Discography

Albums

  • Comin 'Through (1965, Imperial )
  • Soul Sounds (1966, Minit )
  • Back on Top (1968, Bell)
  • The O'Jays in Philadelphia (1969, Epic / Legacy )
  • Back Stabbers (1972, Epic / Legacy )
  • Ship Ahoy (1973, Epic / Legacy / Philadelphia International)
  • Live in London (1974, Philadelphia International)
  • Family Reunion (1975, Philadelphia International)
  • Survival (1975, Epic / Legacy )
  • Super Bad (1975, Trip Records )
  • Message In The Music (1976, The Right Stuff )
  • So full in Love (1978, The Right Stuff )
  • Identify Yourself (1979, Philadelphia International)
  • The Year 2000 (1980, Philadelphia International)
  • My Favourite Person (1982, Philadelphia International)
  • When Will I See You Again (1983, Philadelphia International)
  • Love And More (1984, Philadelphia International)
  • Love Fever (1985, EMI America )
  • Let Me Touch You (1987, EMI America )
  • Serious (1989, EMI America )
  • Emotionally Yours (1991, EMI America )
  • Home For Christmas (1991, EMI America )
  • Heartbreaker (1993, EMI America )
  • Love You To Tears (1997, Volcano )
  • For The Love (2001, MCA)
  • Imagination (2004, Sanctuary )
  • Together We Are One (2004, The Right Stuff )

Singles and EPs

  • For the Love of Money / Back Stabbers (1989, Sony, in 1994, Unidisc )
  • Do not Let Me Down (1991, Capitol, vinyl single / cassette)
  • Emotionally Yours (1991, Capitol, cassette)
  • I Love Music (1991, Sony, in 1991, Unidisc )
  • Keep on Loving Me (1991, Capitol )
  • Somebody Else Will (1993, Capitol )
  • Heartbreaker (1993, Capitol, cassette)
  • What's Stopping You (1997, Volcano, cassette / CD Single / Vinyl Single )
  • Baby You Know (1997, Volcano )
  • Soul Singles (2004, The Right Stuff )

Compilations (selection)

  • Full Of Soul (1968, Sunset)
  • The Best of the O'Jays (1972, Philadelphia International)
  • The O'Jays Live in London (1974, Philadelphia International)
  • Collectors' Items (1977, Philadelphia International)
  • Greatest Hits (1984, Philadelphia International)
  • Reflections in Gold ( 1973-82 ) (1988, Charly )
  • Love Train: The Best of the O'Jays (1994, Epic / Legacy )
  • Give the People What They Want (1995, Epic / Legacy )
  • Super Hits (1998, Epic / Legacy )
  • The Best of the O'Jays: 1976-1991 1999, The Right Stuff )
  • The Ultimate O'Jays (2001, Columbia / Legacy )
  • The Essential O'Jays (2005, Epic )
Singing King Records (United States) Imperial Records
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