For The Record: Side 3

 

I love music with a message. The O’Jays album Message In Our Music is just that. I was really moved by the excerpt written on the back of the album cover. It says,

 

“In this day of confusion, we must find the root of the problem in order to solve it.

The problem is the lack of truth and communication among man and woman. Therefor, the wrong interpretation of life and life’s purpose has been exposed.

The word with music is one of the strongest, if not the strongest means of communication known to man.

It is the only natural science known to man.

We choose to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” only to help vindicate His name. So His will be done.

The word with music can do it’s part to calm the savage beast that lives in every man.

The message is PEACE

The message is LOVE

The message is WISDOM

The message is UNDERSTANDING

The message is UNITY

The message is dedicated to truth and justice for all mankind.

Man Understanding Spiritual Information Clearly

‘Understand while you dance’

-Kenneth Gamble”

 

A bit about The O’Jays…

The O’Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1958. The original members are Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, and William Powell. The group actually started singing together in high school! How many of your high school bands made it big time? Not many… This album is special to me in many ways, but it also holds unique value for the members of The O’Jays as it was the last album to feature vocals from original group member William Powell, who would die prematurely from cancer, aged 35, in May 1977. Gone way too soon.

This album is super powerful! Songs like “Make a Joyful Noise” and “A Prayer” echoe the excerpt that I shared above, about man understanding spiritual information clearly and raising a shout to the Lord for the vindication of His name. Songs like “Desire Me” and “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby” –  the latter becoming one of the groups biggest hits – speak to a more sensual side; their message is speaking to the ‘root of the problem’, as Kenneth Gamble puts it, which is the lack of truth and communication among men and woman. I love how they say that ‘the word with music is one of the strongest, if not the strongest means of communication on the planet Earth’.

What’s it communicating to you?

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Credits:

Artist: The O’Jays

Album: Message In The Music

Songs featured:

• Message In Our Music

• A Prayer

• Make A Joyful Noise

• Desire Me

• Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby

• Let Love Flow

Producers: Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff

Writers: Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huf

Engineers: Joe Tarsia and Art Stoppe

Arrangers: Bobby Martin, Jack Faith, and Ron Kersey

Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, PA

Mastered at Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs, Philadelphia, PA

Design: Ed Lee

Photo: Don Hunstein

Front cover: Bruce Coleman Inc.