The O'Jays
Encyclopedia
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio
, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert
(born June 16, 1942), Walter Williams (born August 25, 1942), William Powell (January 20, 1942 – May 26, 1977), Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The O'Jays had their first hit
with "Lonely Drifter", in 1963. In spite of the record's success, the group was considering quitting the music industry until Gamble & Huff, a team of producers and songwriters, took an interest in the group. With Gamble & Huff, the O'Jays (now a trio after the departure of Isles and Massey) emerged at the forefront of Philadelphia soul
with "Back Stabbers
" (1972), and topped the Billboard Hot 100
the following year with "Love Train
".
. Originally known as The Triumphs, and then The Mascots, the friends began recording with "Miracles" in 1961, which was a moderate hit in the Cleveland area. In 1963, they took the name "The O'Jays", in tribute to Cleveland radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay who was part of the powerful management team of Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett & Eddie O'Jay, (Toop, 1991), and released "Lonely Drifter," which charted nationally. Their debut album
was Comin' Through. Throughout the 1960s, they continued to chart
with songs such as "Lipstick Traces
" (which they performed nationally on the ABC Television program, Shivaree
), "Stand In For Love," "Stand Tall," "Let It All Out," "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow," "Look Over Your Shoulder," "Deeper In Love With You," and "One Night Affair," along with several other regional and national pop and R&B hits. In 1972, they finally scored with their first million-seller, "Back Stabbers", from the album of the same name
. By this time, original members Bill Isles and Bobby Massey had also departed, leaving the group a trio. This album produced several more hit singles, including "992 Arguments," "Sunshine," "Time To Get Down," and the #1 pop smash, "Love Train
".
During the remainder of the 1970s the O'Jays continued releasing hit singles, including "Put Your Hands Together" (Pop #10), "For the Love of Money
" (Pop #9), "Give the People What They Want
", "Let Me Make Love To You", "I Love Music
" (Pop #5), "Livin' for the Weekend
", "Message in Our Music
" and "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)
". Original member William Powell died of cancer
in 1977 at age 35.
After adding Sammy Strain (born December 9, 1941) (of Little Anthony and the Imperials), the O'Jays continued recording, though with limited success. 1978's "Use ta Be My Girl
" was their final Top Five hit, though they continued placing songs on the R&B charts throughout the 1980s. The O'Jays success was not confined to the United States, as they also logged up nine hit singles in the United Kingdom
between 1972 and 1983, including four tracks that reached the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart
. Their 1987 album, Let Me Touch You, was a breakthrough of sorts, and included the #1 R&B hit "Lovin' You". Though they continued charting on the R&B charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the O'Jays never again achieved pop success. In 1992, Sammy Strain left the group, and returned to the Imperials, to be replaced by Nathaniel Best, and later, by Eric Grant. Later in the 1990s, the group did little recording, though they remained a popular live draw. Their latest album was Imagination in 2004.
In 2003, they co-starred in the movie The Fighting Temptations
, which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce Knowles
. In the film, they played three barbers who joined the local church choir to help out the film's protagonist Darrin (Gooding) who was the choir director.
In 2005, the O'Jays were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
. Original members Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Bobby Massey and, posthumously, William Powell, were inducted. In a note of controversy, Sammy Strain was also inducted with the group, while original member Bill Isles was not. (Strain is one of the few artists in popular music history who is a double RRHOF inductee: with The O'Jays in 2005, and The Imperials in 2009). In 2006, the O'Jays performed at the ESPY
awards, hosted by Lance Armstrong
. "For the Love of Money" is the theme song to the hit reality TV show The Apprentice
, starring Donald Trump
.
On February 23, 2007, Radio-Canada's website reported that Canadian Industry Minister, Jim Prentice, had used the song "For The Love of Money" without the group's permission during a political event, a faux pas since Prentice is responsible for the application of the Copyright Act in Canada. Radio-Canada also reported that Prentice has since been contacted by the attorneys for both the O'Jays and Warner/Chappell Music.
On June 28, 2009, at the 2009 BET
Award Show in the Shrine Auditorium
the O'Jays were honored with BET's 2009 Life Time Achievement Award. Tevin Campbell
, Trey Songz
, Tyrese Gibson, and Johnny Gill
performed a medley of the group's songs, followed by the presentation of the award by Don Cornelius
. The group reminisced, joked with the audience and accepted their award before performing a rendition of their hit songs.
On October 30, 2010, the group performed at Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C.
pop singles chart or the United Kingdom's UK Singles Chart
.
pop albums chart.
", "Love Train
", "For the Love of Money
", and "I Love Music
"; plus for the albums Back Stabbers
, Ship Ahoy
, and Family Reunion
.
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert
Eddie Levert
Edward "Eddie" Levert is an American singer, and is the lead vocalist of the soul/funk/R&B vocal group, The O'Jays.Levert was born in Bessemer, Alabama, but was raised in Canton, Ohio. While attending high school, he met buddies Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, and William Powell...
(born June 16, 1942), Walter Williams (born August 25, 1942), William Powell (January 20, 1942 – May 26, 1977), Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The O'Jays had their first hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
with "Lonely Drifter", in 1963. In spite of the record's success, the group was considering quitting the music industry until Gamble & Huff, a team of producers and songwriters, took an interest in the group. With Gamble & Huff, the O'Jays (now a trio after the departure of Isles and Massey) emerged at the forefront of Philadelphia soul
Philadelphia soul
Philadelphia soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound or Sweet Philly, is a style of soul music characterized by funk influences and lush instrumental arrangements, often featuring sweeping strings and piercing horns. The subtle sound of a glockenspiel can often be heard in the background of...
with "Back Stabbers
Back Stabbers
Back Stabbers is a studio album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released in August 1972 on Philadelphia International Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972.-Reception:...
" (1972), and topped the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard 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...
the following year with "Love Train
Love Train
"Love Train" is a hit single by the O'Jays, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Released in 1972, it reached number one on both the R&B Singles and the Hot 100, in February and March 1973 respectively, and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was The O'Jays' first and only number-one record on...
".
Career
They formed the group in Canton, Ohio in 1958 while attending Canton McKinley High SchoolCanton McKinley High School
Canton McKinley Senior High School is a public high school in Canton, Stark County, Ohio, U.S. It is one of the largest and oldest high schools in Ohio.-Athletics:...
. Originally known as The Triumphs, and then The Mascots, the friends began recording with "Miracles" in 1961, which was a moderate hit in the Cleveland area. In 1963, they took the name "The O'Jays", in tribute to Cleveland radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay who was part of the powerful management team of Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett & Eddie O'Jay, (Toop, 1991), and released "Lonely Drifter," which charted nationally. Their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
was Comin' Through. Throughout the 1960s, they continued to chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
with songs such as "Lipstick Traces
Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)
"Lipstick Traces " is a song first recorded by New Orleans singer Benny Spellman in 1962. It was written by Allen Toussaint under the pseudonym Naomi Neville. The song became Spellman's only hit record peaking at number 28 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart...
" (which they performed nationally on the ABC Television program, Shivaree
Shivaree (TV series)
Shivaree was a Los Angeles-based music variety show that ran in syndication from 1965 to 1966. It was hosted by Gene Weed. In its brief run, the show featured numerous well-known acts, including the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, the Byrds, the Bobby Fuller Four, the...
), "Stand In For Love," "Stand Tall," "Let It All Out," "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow," "Look Over Your Shoulder," "Deeper In Love With You," and "One Night Affair," along with several other regional and national pop and R&B hits. In 1972, they finally scored with their first million-seller, "Back Stabbers", from the album of the same name
Back Stabbers
Back Stabbers is a studio album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released in August 1972 on Philadelphia International Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972.-Reception:...
. By this time, original members Bill Isles and Bobby Massey had also departed, leaving the group a trio. This album produced several more hit singles, including "992 Arguments," "Sunshine," "Time To Get Down," and the #1 pop smash, "Love Train
Love Train
"Love Train" is a hit single by the O'Jays, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Released in 1972, it reached number one on both the R&B Singles and the Hot 100, in February and March 1973 respectively, and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was The O'Jays' first and only number-one record on...
".
During the remainder of the 1970s the O'Jays continued releasing hit singles, including "Put Your Hands Together" (Pop #10), "For the Love of Money
For the Love of Money
"For the Love of Money" is a soul/funk song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Anthony Jackson; and recorded by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays for the album Ship Ahoy. Produced by Gamble and Huff for Philadelphia International Records, "For the Love of Money" was issued as a single in...
" (Pop #9), "Give the People What They Want
Give the People What They Want (song)
"Give the People What They Want" is a popular song by R&B vocal group The O'Jays. Released from their album, Survival, it spent one week at number one on the R&B singles chart in the summer of 1975...
", "Let Me Make Love To You", "I Love Music
I Love Music (song)
"I Love Music" is a disco song written by Gamble and Huff and recorded by The O'Jays. It appeared on the group's 1975 album Family Reunion. The single version went to number one on the soul singles chart and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100...
" (Pop #5), "Livin' for the Weekend
Livin' for the Weekend
"Livin' for the Weekend" was a popular song by R&B vocal group The O'Jays. Released from their 1975 album, Family Reunion, it spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in the spring of that year. It was also successful on the pop charts, peaking at number twenty on the Billboard Hot...
", "Message in Our Music
Message in Our Music
"Message In Our Music" was a hit song for the R&B vocal group The O'Jays in 1976 from their album, Message in the Music. Written by famed songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, it spent a week at number one on the R&B singles chart in October, 1976, and peaked at number forty-nine on the Billboard...
" and "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)
Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)
"Darlin' Darlin' Baby " was a hit song by R&B vocal trio The O'Jays released in late 1976. The follow-up single to "Message in Our Music", it became their second number one R&B single from the album, Message in the Music, and was less successful on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number...
". Original member William Powell died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in 1977 at age 35.
After adding Sammy Strain (born December 9, 1941) (of Little Anthony and the Imperials), the O'Jays continued recording, though with limited success. 1978's "Use ta Be My Girl
Use ta Be My Girl
"Use ta Be My Girl" was a hit song by R&B vocal group The O'Jays. Released from their hit 1978 album, So Full of Love, it became a huge crossover hit. The song spent five weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart. It also peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" was their final Top Five hit, though they continued placing songs on the R&B charts throughout the 1980s. The O'Jays success was not confined to the United States, as they also logged up nine hit singles in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
between 1972 and 1983, including four tracks that reached the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Their 1987 album, Let Me Touch You, was a breakthrough of sorts, and included the #1 R&B hit "Lovin' You". Though they continued charting on the R&B charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the O'Jays never again achieved pop success. In 1992, Sammy Strain left the group, and returned to the Imperials, to be replaced by Nathaniel Best, and later, by Eric Grant. Later in the 1990s, the group did little recording, though they remained a popular live draw. Their latest album was Imagination in 2004.
In 2003, they co-starred in the movie The Fighting Temptations
The Fighting Temptations
The Fighting Temptations is a 2003 American musical dramedy film produced by Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. It stars Cuba Gooding, Jr. as the film's protagonist as he attempts to revive a church choir in order to enter a gospel competition with the help of a beautiful lounge singer with whom he...
, which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. In the film, they played three barbers who joined the local church choir to help out the film's protagonist Darrin (Gooding) who was the choir director.
In 2005, the O'Jays were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. Original members Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Bobby Massey and, posthumously, William Powell, were inducted. In a note of controversy, Sammy Strain was also inducted with the group, while original member Bill Isles was not. (Strain is one of the few artists in popular music history who is a double RRHOF inductee: with The O'Jays in 2005, and The Imperials in 2009). In 2006, the O'Jays performed at the ESPY
Espy
-People:* Cecil Espy , American baseball player* Duane Espy, American baseball figure* James Pollard Espy , American meteorologist.* Mike Espy , American politician* William Gray Espy , American actor...
awards, hosted by Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
. "For the Love of Money" is the theme song to the hit reality TV show The Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. TV series)
The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...
, starring Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
.
On February 23, 2007, Radio-Canada's website reported that Canadian Industry Minister, Jim Prentice, had used the song "For The Love of Money" without the group's permission during a political event, a faux pas since Prentice is responsible for the application of the Copyright Act in Canada. Radio-Canada also reported that Prentice has since been contacted by the attorneys for both the O'Jays and Warner/Chappell Music.
On June 28, 2009, at the 2009 BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
Award Show in the Shrine Auditorium
Shrine Auditorium
The Shrine Auditorium is a landmark large-event venue, in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is also the headquarters of the Al Malaikah Temple, a division of the Shriners.-History:...
the O'Jays were honored with BET's 2009 Life Time Achievement Award. Tevin Campbell
Tevin Campbell
Tevin Jermod Campbell is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actor. He scored a string of R&B chart hits as a teenager in the early to mid-1990s.-Music career:...
, Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
, Tyrese Gibson, and Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B supergroup New Edition, and was also a member of another supergroup called LSG; with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. His signature song "My, My, My" has been included on numerous romantic...
performed a medley of the group's songs, followed by the presentation of the award by Don Cornelius
Don Cornelius
Donald Cortez "Don" Cornelius is an American television show host and producer who is best known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance/music franchise Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971-1993...
. The group reminisced, joked with the audience and accepted their award before performing a rendition of their hit songs.
On October 30, 2010, the group performed at Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Top Twenty singles
The following singles reached the Top Twenty on either the United States 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...
pop singles chart or the United Kingdom's UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
- 1972: "Back StabbersBack Stabbers (song)"Back Stabbers" is the second single from the 1979 album Love Explosion by Tina Turner.The song, along with the other two singles released from Love Explosion, was largely disco-oriented and was overlooked by audiences both in Europe and the United States due to the so called "anti-disco backlash"...
" (US #3; UK #14) - 1973: "Love TrainLove Train"Love Train" is a hit single by the O'Jays, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Released in 1972, it reached number one on both the R&B Singles and the Hot 100, in February and March 1973 respectively, and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was The O'Jays' first and only number-one record on...
" (US #1: UK #9) - 1973: "Put Your Hands Together" (US #10)
- 1974: "For the Love of MoneyFor the Love of Money"For the Love of Money" is a soul/funk song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Anthony Jackson; and recorded by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays for the album Ship Ahoy. Produced by Gamble and Huff for Philadelphia International Records, "For the Love of Money" was issued as a single in...
" (US #9) - 1975: "I Love MusicI Love Music (song)"I Love Music" is a disco song written by Gamble and Huff and recorded by The O'Jays. It appeared on the group's 1975 album Family Reunion. The single version went to number one on the soul singles chart and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100...
" (US #5; UK# 13) - 1976: "Livin' for the WeekendLivin' for the Weekend"Livin' for the Weekend" was a popular song by R&B vocal group The O'Jays. Released from their 1975 album, Family Reunion, it spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in the spring of that year. It was also successful on the pop charts, peaking at number twenty on the Billboard Hot...
" (US #20) - 1978: "Use ta Be My GirlUse ta Be My Girl"Use ta Be My Girl" was a hit song by R&B vocal group The O'Jays. Released from their hit 1978 album, So Full of Love, it became a huge crossover hit. The song spent five weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart. It also peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" (US #4; UK #12)
Top Twenty albums
The following albums reached the Top Twenty on the United States Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
pop albums chart.
- 1972: Back StabbersBack StabbersBack Stabbers is a studio album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released in August 1972 on Philadelphia International Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972.-Reception:...
(US #10) - 1973: Ship AhoyShip Ahoy (album)Ship Ahoy is a rhythm and blues album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released on November 10, 1973 on Philadelphia International Records...
(US #11) - 1974: The O'Jays Live in London (US #17)
- 1975: SurvivalSurvival (The O'Jays album)-Charts:AlbumSingles-External links:* at Discogs...
(US #11) - 1975: Family ReunionFamily Reunion (album)Family Reunion is a 1975 album by American R&B group The O'Jays.-Reception:Released late 1975 on the Philadelphia International Records label...
(US #7) - 1976: Message in the MusicMessage in the MusicMessage in the Music is a 1976 album by American R&B group The O'Jays,-Reception:Released in 1976 on the Philadelphia International Records label...
(US #20) - 1979: So Full of LoveSo Full Of LoveSo Full Of Love is an 1978 album by the The O'Jays. The album contains the #1 R&B hit "Use ta Be My Girl".This album was awarded RIAA Platinum Certification for sales of 1,000,000 copies sold...
(US #6) - 1979: Identify YourselfIdentify YourselfIdentify Yourself is a 1979 album by American R&B group The O'Jays, released on the Philadelphia International Records label. The album was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, with four tracks produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, three by group members Eddie Levert and Walter...
(US #16)
Million sellers
Gold discs, signifying sales in excess of one million copies were awarded to their singles "Back StabbersBack Stabbers (song)
"Back Stabbers" is the second single from the 1979 album Love Explosion by Tina Turner.The song, along with the other two singles released from Love Explosion, was largely disco-oriented and was overlooked by audiences both in Europe and the United States due to the so called "anti-disco backlash"...
", "Love Train
Love Train
"Love Train" is a hit single by the O'Jays, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Released in 1972, it reached number one on both the R&B Singles and the Hot 100, in February and March 1973 respectively, and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was The O'Jays' first and only number-one record on...
", "For the Love of Money
For the Love of Money
"For the Love of Money" is a soul/funk song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Anthony Jackson; and recorded by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays for the album Ship Ahoy. Produced by Gamble and Huff for Philadelphia International Records, "For the Love of Money" was issued as a single in...
", and "I Love Music
I Love Music (song)
"I Love Music" is a disco song written by Gamble and Huff and recorded by The O'Jays. It appeared on the group's 1975 album Family Reunion. The single version went to number one on the soul singles chart and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100...
"; plus for the albums Back Stabbers
Back Stabbers
Back Stabbers is a studio album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released in August 1972 on Philadelphia International Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972.-Reception:...
, Ship Ahoy
Ship Ahoy (album)
Ship Ahoy is a rhythm and blues album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released on November 10, 1973 on Philadelphia International Records...
, and Family Reunion
Family Reunion (album)
Family Reunion is a 1975 album by American R&B group The O'Jays.-Reception:Released late 1975 on the Philadelphia International Records label...
.