"For the Love of You" | ||||
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Single by The Isley Brothers | ||||
from the album The Heat Is On | ||||
Released | September 22, 1975 | |||
Recorded | Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California, 1975 | |||
Genre | Smooth soul, quiet storm | |||
Length | 5:38 (Album version) 4:44 (7" edit) |
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Label | T-Neck/Epic | |||
Writer(s) | The Isley Brothers Chris Jasper |
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Producer(s) | The Isley Brothers | |||
The Isley Brothers singles chronology | ||||
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"For the Love of You" (sometimes titled For the Love of You, Part 1 & 2) is a song recorded by The Isley Brothers, who released the song as the second single off their landmark 1975 album, The Heat Is On. The record was unique in that it showcased the two sides of the act, with the album's first single "Fight the Power" reflecting a fast-paced funk vibe while showcasing a ballad side on the latter. The song later became a crossover hit for the brothers and one of their most enduring records by their legion of fans.
By 1975, most of the songwriting within the Isley Brothers had changed. Prior to their arrivals in 1973, original members Ron, Kelly and Rudy had written a majority of their recordings after reviving their T-Neck Records label in 1969. After the release of 3 + 3, their 1973 release, most of the brothers' compositions were devised by multi-instrumentalists Ernie Isley and Chris Jasper with minimal composition help by bassist Marvin Isley.
According to engineers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff, the way the brother band conducted business was workmanlike in comparison with the more laid back Stevie Wonder, with whom Cecil and Margouleff worked on several of Wonder's so-called "classic albums" during the 1970s period. Cecil described the band's eldest brother O'Kelly as a taskmaster and was always directing his younger brothers and Jasper. Younger brother and prominent lead vocalist Ron was described as shy while Ernie Isley was described as a genius.
Recording of the song took place at Burbank's Kendun Recorders studio. The song had been composed by Ernie Isley and Chris Jasper based off a poem written for Jasper's sister Elaine by her husband and Jasper's brother-in-law Rudy Isley. Jasper wrote the music while Ernie Isley composed the lyrics. Initially during the song's first take, Cecil and Margouleff had accidentally erased the vocals. Although upset by the initial failure of them erasing what he felt was a perfect take of the song, Ron Isley recorded his take again and by the song's finish had told the engineers that he was going home.