This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)
Encyclopedia
"This Old Heart of Mine" is an Isley Brothers song from 1966 that was a hit for them during their brief tenure on Motown's Tamla label. Featuring Ronald Isley
on lead vocal, "This Old Heart of Mine" peaked at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100
, and at number six on the Billboard R&B Singles chart
.
The single was the group's only major hit while on Motown, and then in 1969 the Isleys left Motown to restart their own T-Neck label. Tammi Terrell
recorded and released the song as a part of her Irresistible
album released in January, 1969.
Written by Motown's main songwriting team Holland–Dozier–Holland alongside Sylvia Moy
, "This Old Heart of Mine", produced by Brian Holland
and Lamont Dozier
, was originally intended for The Supremes
(who later recorded their own version for their Supremes A' Go-Go
album). The bridge of the song is virtually identical to an earlier Supremes hit, "Back in My Arms Again
".
released a remake of this song that met with some success.
Almost twenty-four years after the original recording, Ronald Isley and Rod Stewart released a Top 10 duet version of the song in 1989 that reached number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent five weeks at #1 on the US adult contemporary chart.
The song was produced by Bernard Edwards
and Trevor Horn
and was released on Warner Records.
The song was prominently featured in an episode of the hit 1980s show Moonlighting
and was one of the tunes included on the show's hit soundtrack.
, released in 1992 by the Dutch label JAM. It is the last record involving the line-up including Marga Scheide
, Carina Lemoine
and Diana van Berlo
before the reunion of the original trio in 1993.
The 1991 album Sincerely Yours and the singles released from it were far from being hit records, though the female pop formation was frequently invited to perform live at clubs and discos. Because of the lack of commercial success, Luv'
and RCA Records
/BMG
ended their legal relationship. The trio later signed a contract with the Dutch label JAM for the release of one single in 1992, a Dance cover version of "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" (originally performed by The Isley Brothers
. Luv'
s rendition of this Motown hit failed to top the charts. This attempt to cover a song from the Holland-Dozier-Holland
repertoire is not the first one for Scheide, one of Luv's members. In 1983, she recorded as a solo artist a Supremes medley that was aired on Black American radio stations despite its disappointing record sales.
Soon after promoting "This Old Heart of Mine", the group disbanded. One year later, the original formation (José Hoebee
, Patty Brard
and Marga Scheide) reunited and returned to the Dutch albums and singles charts.
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:...
on lead vocal, "This Old Heart of Mine" peaked at number twelve on 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...
, and at number six on the Billboard 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,...
.
The single was the group's only major hit while on Motown, and then in 1969 the Isleys left Motown to restart their own T-Neck label. Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
recorded and released the song as a part of her Irresistible
Irresistible (Tammi Terrell album)
Irresistible was the only solo album for Tammi Terrell, which was released in January 1969 by Motown Records. Due to complications with a malignant brain tumor in 1968 which caused her death in March 1970, Terrell did not record a subsequent solo album; this album compiles solo recordings Terrell...
album released in January, 1969.
Written by Motown's main songwriting team Holland–Dozier–Holland alongside Sylvia Moy
Sylvia Moy
Sylvia Moy is a songwriter and record producer, formerly associated with the Motown Records group. The first woman at the Detroit-based music label to write and produce for Motown acts, she is probably best known for her songs written for Stevie Wonder....
, "This Old Heart of Mine", produced by Brian Holland
Brian Holland
Brian Holland is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland. That songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops,...
and Lamont Dozier
Lamont Dozier
Lamont Herbert Dozier is an American songwriter and record producer, born in Detroit, Michigan. Dozier has either co-written or produced several US Billboard #1 hits.-Career:...
, was originally intended for The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
(who later recorded their own version for their Supremes A' Go-Go
Supremes A' Go-Go
The Supremes A' Go-Go is a 1966 album by Motown singing group The Supremes. The album was the first album by an all-female group to reach number-one on the Billboard 200 album charts in the United States....
album). The bridge of the song is virtually identical to an earlier Supremes hit, "Back in My Arms Again
Back in My Arms Again
"Back in My Arms Again" is a 1965 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Back in My Arms Again" was the fifth number-one song for the group on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States from...
".
Personnel
- 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:...
- Background vocals by 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:...
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:... - Additional background vocals by The AndantesThe AndantesThe Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow and Louvain Demps - Written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and Sylvia Moy
- Produced by Brian HollandBrian HollandBrian Holland is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland. That songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops,...
and Lamont DozierLamont DozierLamont Herbert Dozier is an American songwriter and record producer, born in Detroit, Michigan. Dozier has either co-written or produced several US Billboard #1 hits.-Career:... - Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
Rod Stewart version
In 1976, Rod StewartRod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
released a remake of this song that met with some success.
Rod Stewart and Ronald Isley version
It became an even bigger international hit with a later 1989 version by Rod Stewart and Ronald Isley.Almost twenty-four years after the original recording, Ronald Isley and Rod Stewart released a Top 10 duet version of the song in 1989 that reached number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent five weeks at #1 on the US adult contemporary chart.
The song was produced by Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
and Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
and was released on Warner Records.
The song was prominently featured in an episode of the hit 1980s show Moonlighting
Moonlighting
Moonlighting is the practice of holding a second job . It may also refer to:* Moonlighting , a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski* Moonlighting , broadcast in 1985–1989 and starring Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd...
and was one of the tunes included on the show's hit soundtrack.
Luv' cover version
"This Old Heart of Mine" is the twenty-fifth single by Dutch girl group Luv'Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
, released in 1992 by the Dutch label JAM. It is the last record involving the line-up including Marga Scheide
Marga Scheide
Marga Scheide is a Dutch former model and a singer. She is a member of the girl group Luv'....
, Carina Lemoine
Carina Lemoine
Carina Lemoine is a Dutch pop female singer. She was a member of the girl group Luv' from 1990 to 1992. She scored with the female formation a minor hit song: He's My Guy. After Luv' had disbanded in 1992, she formed with Diana van Berlo the short-lived girl duo Lady's D.C...
and Diana van Berlo
Diana van Berlo
Diana van Berlo is a Dutch pop female singer. She was a member of the girl group Luv' from 1989 to 1992. She scored with the female formation a Dutch and Flemish Top 30 hit with the single Welcome to my party as well as another minor hit song He's My Guy...
before the reunion of the original trio in 1993.
The 1991 album Sincerely Yours and the singles released from it were far from being hit records, though the female pop formation was frequently invited to perform live at clubs and discos. Because of the lack of commercial success, Luv'
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
and RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
/BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
ended their legal relationship. The trio later signed a contract with the Dutch label JAM for the release of one single in 1992, a Dance cover version of "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" (originally performed 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...
. Luv'
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
s rendition of this Motown hit failed to top the charts. This attempt to cover a song from the Holland-Dozier-Holland
Holland-Dozier-Holland
Holland–Dozier–Holland is a songwriting and production team made up of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. They are considered to be one of the greatest songwriting teams in popular music...
repertoire is not the first one for Scheide, one of Luv's members. In 1983, she recorded as a solo artist a Supremes medley that was aired on Black American radio stations despite its disappointing record sales.
Soon after promoting "This Old Heart of Mine", the group disbanded. One year later, the original formation (José Hoebee
José Hoebee
José Hoebee is a Dutch pop female singer. She is part of Luv' . In late 1981, she went solo and was successful in her homeland and in the Flanders region of Belgium between 1982 and 1985...
, Patty Brard
Patty Brard
Patty Brard is a famous Indo entertainer. She is a TV personality and a singer notable as a member of the girl group Luv'...
and Marga Scheide) reunited and returned to the Dutch albums and singles charts.