The O'Jays

Welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Jumpin' John, and in this episode I will discuss one of the most successful and influential vocal groups in soul music history:  The O'Jays!  The rich harmonies, socially conscious lyrics, and passionate performances of the O'Jays made them central figures in the "Philadelphia soul" sound of the 1970's.  Over a career spanning more than six decades, they produced dozens of hit singles, sold millions of records, and helped define an era of American R&B.

All podcasts on the Rock and Roll Flashback Podcast are produced by brothers-in-law Bill Price and "Jumpin' John" McDermott.  The Podcast Theme Song, "You Essay", was written by John.  It was initially recorded by Bill and John on April 1, 2004 with several revisions since then. 
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Until next time...
Rock On!

Transcript

Thank you for that introduction, and welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Jumpin' John, and in this episode I will discuss one of the most successful and influential vocal groups in soul music history:  The O'Jays!  The rich harmonies, socially conscious lyrics, and passionate performances of the O'Jays made them central figures in the "Philadelphia soul" sound of the 1970's.  Over a career spanning more than six decades, they produced dozens of hit singles, sold millions of records, and helped define an era of American R&B.

The group was formed in Canton, Ohio, in 1958 by five high school friends:  Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles.  They originally called themselves The Triumphs, then The Mascots.  In 1963 they adopted the name The O'Jays in honor of Cleveland radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay, who became an early supporter.  Like many vocal groups of the era, they were inspired by harmony groups such as The Five Satins and The Dells.  During the early 1960's, they toured extensively on the so-called "Chitlin' Circuit," performing in theaters and clubs throughout the eastern United States.

Their first charting song on the Billboard Hot 100 was 1963's "Lonely Drifter", which peaked at #93 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Their debut album, Comin' Through, was released shortly thereafter.  Several other singles charted on the R&B charts, but national success remained elusive.  Throughout the 1960's they recorded for several labels, including Imperial, Bell, and others.  Although they earned a reputation as an exciting live act, they often found themselves overshadowed by more commercially successful contemporaries such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Impressions.  By the end of the decade, the group's future was uncertain.

Everything changed in 1972 when legendary songwriting and producing team Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff signed the group to Philadelphia International Records.  By this time, Bill Isles and Bobby Massey had left the touring lineup, leaving the classic trio of Eddie Levert on lead vocals, Walter Williams on lead and harmony vocals, and William Powell on tenor vocals.  Gamble and Huff recognized the trio's remarkable vocal chemistry and paired it with sophisticated orchestral arrangements, driving rhythms, and meaningful lyrics.  The result was the signature "Philadelphia soul sound".  Much of the group's success rested on the powerful lead voice of Eddie Levert. His gritty, yet expressive, tenor could convey tenderness, urgency, joy, or heartbreak with equal conviction.  Walter Williams provided an ideal vocal complement, while William Powell's smooth tenor completed the group's lush harmonies.  Together they became one of the finest vocal combinations in soul music.

Their first album for Philadelphia International, 1972's Back Stabbers, transformed the O'Jays into stars.  Back Stabbers was a breakthrough album for the group, reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Pop Albums chart and selling over 500,000 copies within a year of release.  It also featured two of their most successful singles, "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train".  The following year, on May 8th, the Back Stabbers LP was also certified Gold by the RIAA.  It has gained the reputation as a landmark album of early 1970's soul and has been cited by critics as the pinnacle of Philly soul.  In 2012, the album was ranked #318 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Four singles would be released from the album:  "Back Stabbers", "992 Arguments", "Love Train", and "Time to Get Down".  The title song, "Back Stabbers," was released on May 31st, 1972 and became an international hit.  It reached #1 on the R&B chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  On September 1st, 1972, "Back Stabbers" was certified as a gold single by the RIAA.  

Here is the O'Jays version of "Back Stabbers":

I always associate the song "Back Stabbers" with a Sunday night drive that I made in my new Ford Pinto from Pennsylvania to Arlington, Virginia on June 18th, 1972.  I was driving south to check into a tiny one room apartment the day before I began work as a summer intern with the Internal Revenue Service in Washington , DC.  During that drive I was flipping around AM stations and actually heard the song "Back Stabbers" twice.  I didn't know it at the time, but the break-in at the Democratic National Committee Headquarters in Washington, DC's Watergate complex had happened the night before my nighttime drive!

On December 20th, 1972 the O'Jays released what became their signature recording:  "Love Train."  Written by Gamble and Huff, the song called for people around the world to unite in peace and brotherhood.  "Love Train" entered the Billboard Hot 100's top 40 on January 27th, 1973, the same day that the Paris Peace Accords were signed.  It became #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the R&B chart, and a major international hit.  It also reached #9 on the UK singles chart and was certified gold by the RIAA.   It would be the O'Jays' first and only #1 record on the US pop chart.  More than fifty years later, it remains one of the best-known songs of the 1970's and is frequently heard in films, television programs, sporting events, and celebrations.  The song's lyrics of unity mention a number of countries, including England, Russia, China, Egypt, and Israel, as well as the continent of Africa.  The single was a 2006 inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Here is the O'Jays #1 hit from 1973, "Love Train":

During the remainder of the 1970's, the O'Jays continued releasing hit albums and singles, and they enjoyed one of the most impressive runs in soul music.  

[Play the intro to the O'Jays version of "Put Your Hands Together"]

Philadelphia International Records released their album Ship Ahoy on November 19th, 1973.  The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching #11 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the R&B Albums chart.  Conceived as a theme album built around the title track, Ship Ahoy includes socially relevant tracks and love songs under a cover that is itself notable for its serious subject matter.  The album achieved RIAA platinum certification in 1992 for over 1 million copies sold, and was the highest selling R&B album on the Billboard Year-End chart for 1974.  The Ship Ahoy LP launched two hit singles.  "Put Your Hands Together" reached #2 on the R&B singles chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.   "For the Love of Money" reached #3 on the R&B singles chart and #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.  "For the Love of Money," with its unforgettable bass line, has since been sampled by numerous hip-hop artists and remains one of the most recognizable grooves in popular music.  The single was a 2016 inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Here is an excerpt from the O'Jays Grammy-awarded "For the Love of Money":

The album Survival, released in April 1975, matched exactly the chart performance of its predecessor Ship Ahoy, topping the R&B chart and peaking at #11 on the pop chart.  From the album, the single "Give the People What They Want" peaked at #1 on the R&B singles chart and #45 on the Pop chart.  Later that year, on November 25th, 1975, Philadelphia International Records released the album Family Reunion.  It became the group's third consecutive R&B chart-topping album, and its #7 peak on the pop chart was their highest placing on this chart at the time.  Family Reunion was awarded a platinum certification by the RIAA for over one million copies sold.  The single "I Love Music" reached #1 on the R&B Chart and #5 on the Pop chart.  The single "Livin' for the Weekend" also reached #1 on the R&B Chart and #20 on the Pop chart.

Here is an excerpt from the O'Jays version of "I Love Music":

The year 1976 saw the release of the album Message in the Music.  The LP peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and #20 on the US Billboard 200.  Message in the Music has also been certified gold in the US by the RIAA.  This would be the last album that original group member William Powell would sing on.  Hit singles released from the album were "Message in Our Music", which reached #1 on the R&B Chart and #49 on the Pop chart and "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)" which reached #1 on the R&B Chart and #72 on the Pop chart.

The group had added Sammy Strain, of Little Anthony and the Imperials, to replace William Powell, who was stricken with cancer.  The first album that Sammy sang on was 1977's Travelin' at the Speed of Thought.  Unusual for the time, there had been no advance single release from the album.  The only single subsequently issued, "Work on Me", became a #7 R&B hit but failed to reach the pop listings, making this the first O'Jays album released by Philadelphia International Records without a top 100 pop single.  Travelin' at the Speed of Thought peaked at #6 on the R&B chart, reached #27 on the pop chart, and achieved a gold certification.  Sadly, original member William Powell died from cancer in May 1977 at age 35.  

The O'Jays continued recording, though with limited success.  In 1978, the group released "Use ta Be My Girl," which was their final Top 5 hit, although they continued placing songs on the R&B charts throughout the 1980's.  "Use ta Be My Girl" was released from their 1978 album, So Full of Love, and became a crossover hit single.  The song spent five weeks at #1 on the R&B singles chart.  It also peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.  "Use ta Be My Girl" became one of the biggest and most familiar hits by The O'Jays.  The song has also been certified platinum by the RIAA as a million-seller.  1978's So Full of Love hit #1 on the Billboard Top R&B albums chart and #6 on Billboard 200 albums chart.  It would be certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1 million copies.

The O'Jays also saw some success in the United Kingdom, where they scored nine singles on the UK Singles Chart between 1972 and 1983, including four of which reached the Top 20 on that chart.  Their 1987 album, Let Me Touch You, included the #1 R&B hit "Lovin' You."  However, the O'Jays never again achieved pop success.  In 1992, Sammy Strain left the group and returned to the Imperials.  He was replaced first by Nathaniel Best, and eventually by Eric Nolan Grant.  Later in the 1990's, the group did little recording, however, they continued to tour extensively and remained one of the premier live soul acts.

The O'Jays have received numerous honors, including:

•In 1998 they received the National Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award

•In 2004 they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame 

•In 2005 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 

•In 2009 they were awarded the BET Awards Lifetime Achievement Award

•In 2013 they were inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame

More than sixty years after they first sang together in Canton, Ohio, the O'Jays are widely regarded as one of the greatest soul vocal groups of all time.  Their recordings capture not only the elegance of the Philadelphia soul era, but also timeless themes of love, family, integrity, hope, and social justice, ensuring that their music continues to resonate with listeners around the world.  Their influence can be heard in countless R&B, soul, hip-hop, and pop artists.

Thank you for listening to another episode of Rock and Roll Flashback podcasts!  In this episode I reviewed the career of the American R&B group The O'Jays!  I will end this podcast with the O'Jays final Top 5 hit, "Use ta Be My Girl".  So fellow travelers, may your path be smooth and your music always be rockin'!  And until next time...Rock On!