Livin' in the Life
Encyclopedia
"Livin' in the Life" is a funk
song released as a single by The Isley Brothers
on the T-Neck
/Epic
imprint in 1977. It was the third single released from the group's album, Go For Your Guns
.
", the song is basically about people questioning others for "living in the life" judging others who "lived their life recklessly", which was basically the message of "Fight the Power". Much like this song, both Ronald
and Rudolph
shared a lead with the song.
and peaked at number four on the R&B singles chart
. Ironically it was the only top forty pop single from the Go for Your Guns, their leading single, "The Pride, Pt. 1 & 2
", only reached number 63 on the Hot 100 while it hit number 1 on the R&B side.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
song released as a single by The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper...
on the T-Neck
T-Neck Records
T-Neck Records was a record label founded by The Isley Brothers in 1964.It's notable for having the Isleys becoming the first R&B band to form a record label, a rarity in black music. During the label's early years, the Isleys issued the records "Testify" and "Move Over And Let Me Dance", which...
/Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
imprint in 1977. It was the third single released from the group's album, Go For Your Guns
Go For Your Guns
Go for Your Guns is a 1977 album released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint.-Reception:The album yielded three charted R&B singles including their #1 political funk anthem, "The Pride", the Top 40 pop record, "Livin' in the Life" and their Top 50 ballad, "Voyage to Atlantis", which...
.
Song information
Musically based on the group's 1975 funk hit, "Fight the PowerFight the Power
"Fight the Power" is a single by American hip hop group Public Enemy. First released on the soundtrack for the film 1989 Do the Right Thing, a different version was released on the group's third studio album, Fear of a Black Planet . The single reached number one on Hot Rap Singles and number 20 on...
", the song is basically about people questioning others for "living in the life" judging others who "lived their life recklessly", which was basically the message of "Fight the Power". Much like this song, both Ronald
Ronald Isley
Ronald Isley is an American singer and is known as the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.-Career:...
and Rudolph
Rudolph Isley
Rudolph Bernard Isley , better known as Rudy Isley, is an American singer-songwriter and is one of the founding members of the legendary family group, The Isley Brothers.-Biography:...
shared a lead with the song.
Charts
The song became a modest pop hit reaching number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and peaked at number four on the R&B singles chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
. Ironically it was the only top forty pop single from the Go for Your Guns, their leading single, "The Pride, Pt. 1 & 2
The Pride, Pt. 1 & 2
"The Pride" is a 1977 funk song by The Isley Brothers, released on their T-Neck imprint. The song, which was the first single released from their album, Go For Your Guns, was written as a warning to politicians to be the leader that the people need and to others who want change reminding them that...
", only reached number 63 on the Hot 100 while it hit number 1 on the R&B side.
Credits
- Shared lead vocals by Ronald IsleyRonald IsleyRonald Isley is an American singer and is known as the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.-Career:...
and Rudolph IsleyRudolph IsleyRudolph Bernard Isley , better known as Rudy Isley, is an American singer-songwriter and is one of the founding members of the legendary family group, The Isley Brothers.-Biography:... - Background vocals by Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley and O'Kelly Isley, Jr.O'Kelly Isley, Jr.O'Kelly Isley, Jr. , better known as Kelly Isley, was an American singer and one of the founding members of the legendary family group, The Isley Brothers.-Biography:...
- Drums and guitars by Ernie IsleyErnie IsleyErnest "Ernie" Isley is a member of the iconic American musical ensemble, The Isley Brothers.-Life and career:Ernie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his older brothers formed The Isley Brothers, first as a gospel group, then as a secular-singing group. In 1960 his family moved to Englewood and...
- Bass by Marvin IsleyMarvin IsleyMarvin Isley was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist....
- Keyboards by Chris JasperChris JasperChris Jasper is a former member of both the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He is also a successful solo artist and record producer, recording a number of his own solo albums, and producing artists, for his New York based record label, Gold City Records...