長い長い長い長い経歴で、どの時代においても衰えることなく今も現役でがんばっているのが、ISLEY BROTHERSである。ファンクもスローもどっちもばっちりのRONALD ISLEYの独特かつ味わい深いボーカルあってのものである。日本では異常に評価が低いと思うがどうか。とは言っても日本でしかＣＤ化されていないアルバムもあるようなので、一部ソウル・ファンクファンには絶大なる支持を得ているといっていいのだろうか。アメリカでは別格扱いだと思いますが。

SHOUT (RCA LPM2156), 1959
 SHOUT

TWIST & SHOUT (WAND 653), 1962
 *TWIST & SHOUT

TWISTING & SHOUTING (UNITED ARTISTS UAS6313), 1963

THIS OLD HEART OF MINE, (TAMLA 269), 1966
 *THIS OLD HEART OF MINE (IS WEAK FOR YOU)

SOUL ON THE ROCKS, (TAMLA 275), 1967

*ISLEY BROTHERS (60'S) GREATEST HITS AND RARE CLASSICS, (MOTOWN 3746354832), 1991

 1 TWIST & SHOUT
 2 THIS OLD HEART OF MINE (IS WEAK FOR YOU)
 3 THERE'S NO LOVE LEFT
 4 TAKE SOME TIME OUT FOR LOVE
 5 WHO COULD EVER DOUBT MY LOVE
 6 I GUESS I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
 7 I HEAR A SYMPHONY
 8 NOWHERE TO RUN
 9 JUST AIN'T ENOUGH LOVE
10 GOT TO HAVE YOU BACK
11 BEHIND A PAINTED SMILE
12 PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE
13 IT'S OUT OF THE QUESTION
14 TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS (ROCK ME A LITTLE WHILE)
15 WHY WHEN LOVE IS GONE
16 LITTLE MISS SWEETNESS
17 ALL BECAUSE I LOVE YOU
18 TELL ME IT'S JUST RUMOR BABY
19 MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE (FOREVER)
20 THAT'S THE WAY IT IS
21 ONE TWO MANY HEARTACHED
22 IT'S YOUR THING

 2 THIS OLD HEART OF MINE (IS WEAK FOR YOU)
22 IT'S YOUR THING

IT'S OUR THING (T-NECK 3001), 1969
*I KNOW WHO YOU BEEN SOCKING IT TO
 SOMEBODY BEEN MESSIN'
 SAVE ME
 I MUST BE LOSING MY TOUCH
 FEEL LIKE THE WORLD
*IT'S YOUR THING
 GIVE THE WOMEN WHAT THEY WANT
 LOVE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT
 DON'T GIVE IT AWAY/HE'S GOT YOUR LOVE

THE BROTHERS ISLEY (T-NECK 3002), 1969
 1 I TURNED YOU ON
 2 VACUUM CLEANER
 3 I GOT TO GET MYSELF TOGETHER
 4 WAS IT GOOD TO YOU?
 5 THE BLACKER THE BERRIE (AKA BLACK BERRIES)
 6 MY LITTLE GIRL
 7 GET DOWN OFF OF THE TRAIN
 8 HOLDING ON
 9 FEELS LIKE THE WORLD

LIVE AT YANKEE STADIUM (T-NECK 3004-2)

GET INTO SOMETHING (T-NECK 3006), 1971
 1 GET INTO SOMETHING
 2 FREEDOM
 3 TAKE INVENTORY
 4 KEEP ON DOIN'
 5 GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS
 6 I NEED YOU SO
 7 IF HE CAN YOU CAN
 8 I GOT TO FIND ME ONE
 9 BEAUTIFUL
10 BLESS YOUR HEART

IN THE BEGINNING (T-NECK 3007), 1971

*GIVIN' IT BACK (T-NECK 3008), 1971

 1 OHIO / MACHINE GUN
 2 FIRE AND RAIN
 3 LAY LADY LAY
 4 SPILL THE WINE
 5 NOTHING TO DO BUT TODAY
 6 COLD BOLOGNA
 7 LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH

　ジャケットが独特なだけあって、中身も独特。なぜ３人がアコースティックを持っているのか不思議であるが、フォークソングではない。時代を反映して長尺のファンク傾向に入りつつあるといった感じだ。
 1 OHIO / MACHINE GUN　これなんかはかなり重めの曲。
 4 SPILL THE WINE　ラテン系のリズムが印象的なファンク曲。

 4 WORK TO DO　この曲も今やクラシックで、結構カバーされている。アイズレーバージョンのインパクトは非常に強い。

THE ISLEY'S LIVE (T-NECK 3010), 1973
 1 WORK TO DO
 2 IT'S TOO LATE
 3 IT'S YOUR THING
 4 POP THAT THANG
 5 LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH
 6 LAY LADY LAY
 7 LAY AWAY
 8 OHIO / MACHINE GUN
 9 I KNOW WHO YOU BEEN SOCKING IT TO
10 I TURNED YOU ON / IT'S YOUR THING
11 SHOUT

ISLEY'S GREATEST HITS (T-NECK 3011)

*3 + 3 (T-NECK 32453), 1973
 1 THAT LADY (PART 1 & PART 2)
 2 DON'T LET ME BE LONELY TONIGHT
 3 IF YOU WERE THERE
 4 YOU WALK YOUR WAY
 5 LISTEN TO THE MUSIC
 6 WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO
 7 SUNSHINE (GO AWAY TODAY)
 8 SUMMER BREEZE
 9 THE HIGHWAYS OF MY LIFE

*LIVE IT UP (T-NECK 33070), 1974

 LIVE IT UP
 BROWN EYED GIRL
 NEED A LITTLE TASTE OF LOVE
 LOVER'S EVE
 MIDNIGHT SKY
 HELLO IT'S ME
 AIN'T I BEEN GOOD TO YOU
 LIVE IT UP (LIVE VERSION)

*THE HEAT IS ON (T-NECK PZ 33536),1975

A FIGHT THE POWER (PART 1 & 2)
  THE HEAT IS ON (PART 1 & 2)
  HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER LOVE (PART 1 & 2)
B FOR THE LOVE OF YOU (PART 1 & 2)
  SENSUALITY (PART 1 & 2)
  MAKE ME SAY IT AGAIN GIRL (PART 1 & 2)

HARVEST FOR THE WORLD (T-NECK 33809), 1976

 HARVEST FOR THE WORLD (PRELUDE)
 HARVEST FOR THE WORLD
 PEOPLE OF TODAY
 WHO LOVES YOU BETTER
 (AT YOUR BEST) YOU ARE LOVE
 LET ME DOWN EASY
 SO YOU WANNA STAY DOWN
 YOU STILL FEEL THE NEED
 SUMMER BREEZE (LIVE)

GO FOR YOUR GUNS (T-NECK 34432), 1977
 1 THE PRIDE (PART 1 & 2)
 2*FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK (PART 1 & 2)
 3 TELL ME WHEN YOU NEED IT AGAIN (PART 1 & 2)
 4 CLIMBIN' UP THE LADDER (PART 1 & 2)
 5 VOYAGE TO ATLANTIS
 6 LIVIN' THE LIFE
 7 GO FOR YOUR GUNS

FOREVER GOLD (T-NECK 34452)

SHOWDOWN (T-NECK 34930), 1978
  SHOWDOWN (PART 1 & 2)
 *GROOVE WITH YOU
  AIN'T GIVIN' UP NO LOVE
  ROCKIN' WITH FIRE (PART 1 & 2)
  TAKE ME TO THE NEXT PHASE (PART 1 & 2)
  COOLIN' ME OUT (PART 1 & 2)
  FUN AND GAMES
  LOVE FEVER (PART 1 & 2)

 *TAKE ME TO THE NEXT PHASE (PART 1) (T-NECK SINGLE 2272), MARCH 1978

TIMELESS (T-NECK 35650)
 *IT'S YOUR THING
 

*WINNER TAKES ALL (T-NECK 36077), 1979

 I WANNA BE WITH YOU (PART 1 & 2)
 LIQUID LOVE
 WINNER TAKES ALL
 LIFE IN THE CITY (PART 1 & 2)
 IT'S A DISCO NIGHT (ROCK DON'T STOP)(PART 1 & 2)
 (CAN'T YOU SEE) WHAT YOU DO TO ME
 LET'S FALL IN LOVE (PART 1 & 2)
 LOW LUCKY I AM (PART 1 & 2)
 YOU'RE KYE TO MY HEART
 YOU'RE BESIDE ME (PART 1 & 2)
 LET ME IN YOUR LIFE
 LOVE COMES AND GOES (PART 1 & 2)
 GO FOR WHAT YOU KNOW
 MIND OVER MATTER (PART 1 & 2)

GO ALL THE WAY (T-NECK 36305), 1980
 GO ALL THE WAY (PART 1 & 2)
 SAY YOU WILL (PART 1 & 2)
 PASS IT ON (PART 1 & 2)
 HERE WE GO AGAIN (PART 1 & 2)
 DON'T SAY GOOD NIGHT (IT'S TIME FOR LOVE) (PART 1 & 2)
THE BELLY DANCER (PART 1 & 2)

*GRAND SLAM (T-NECK FZ 37080),1981

A TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT (IF I HAD YOU)
  I ONCE HAD YOUR LOVE (AND I CAN'T LET GO)
  HURRY UP AND WAIT
B YOUNG GIRLS
  PARTY NIGHT
  DON'T LET UP
  WHO SAID?

INSIDE YOU (T-NECK 37533),1981

THE REAL DEAL (T-NECK 38047),1982

BETWEEN THE SHEETS (T-NECK 38674), 1983
 1 CHOOSEY LOVER
 2 TOUCH ME
 3 I NEED YOUR BODY
 4*BETWEEN THE SHEETS
 5 LET'S MAKE LOVE TONIGHT
 6 BALLAD FOR A FALLEN SOLDIER
 7 SLOW DOWN CHILDREN
 8 WAY OUT LOVE
 9 GETTIN' OVER
10 ROCK YOU GOOD

*GREATEST HITS VOL.1 (T-NECK 39240), 1984

 THAT LADY (PART 1 & PART 2) (FROM 3 + 3)
 GROOVE WITH YOU (FROM SHOWDOWN)
 FOR THE LOVE OF YOU (PART 1 & 2) (FROM THE HEAT IS ON)
 FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK (PART 1 & 2) (FROM GO FOR YOUR GUNS)
 BETWEEN THE SHEETS
 IT'S YOUR THING
 FIGHT THE POWER (PART 1 & 2) (FROM THE HEAT IS ON)
 LIVE IT UP (FROM LIVE IT UP)

「いつでも手に入るからまあいいや」みたいな感じで、結局全然増えていかないISLEYコレクション。 こんなことしてると、後で泣くことになるのかも。ということで、とりあえず押さえの一枚を300円で購入。ああ助かった。

MASTERPIECE (WARNER BROS. 25347)

SMOOTH SAILIN' (WARNER BROS. 25586), 1987
 1 EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT
 2 DISH IT OUT
 3 IT TAKES A GOOD WOMAN
 4 SEND A MESSAGE
 5 SMOOTH SAILIN' TONIGHT
 6 SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW
 7 COME MY WAY
 8 I WISH

SPEND THE NIGHT (WARNER BROS. 25940), 1988
 1 SPEND THE NIGHT (CE SOIR)
 2 YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
 3 ONE OF A KIND
 4 REAL WOMAN
 5 COME TOGETHER
 6 IF YOU EVER NEED SOMEBODY
 7 BABY COME BACK HOME
 8 ONE OF A KIND (REPRISE)

MISSION TO PLEASE, 1996
 1 FLOATIN' ON YOUR LOVE
 2 WHENEVER YOU'RE READY
 3 LET'S LAY TOGETHER
 4 TEARS
 5 CAN I HAVE A KISS (FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE)?
 6 MISSION TO PLEASE YOU
 7 HOLDING BACK THE YEARS
 8 MAKE YOUR BODY SING
 9 LET'S GET INTIMATE
10 SLOW IS THE WAY

ISLEY/JASPER/ISLEY
CARAVAN OF LOVE,1985
 DANCIN' AROUND THE WORLD
 INSATIABLE WOMAN
 I CAN HARDLY WAIT
 LIBERATION
 CARAVAN OF LOVE
 IF YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE
 HIGH HEEL SYNDROME

*ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS -- A TRIBUTE TO  CURTIS MAYFIELD,1994
 I'M SO PROUD / THE ISLEY BROTHERS

*KEITH SWEAT (ELEKTRA 7559-61707-2), 1996
 COME WITH ME (FEATURING RONALD ISLEY)
 

COVER VERSIONS
IT'S YOUR THING
 *DYKE & THE BLAZERS
 *MARVA WHITNEY (AS IT'S MY THING)
 *THE T.S.U. TORONADOS
 *COLD GRITS
 *DENNIS COFFEY
 *GRANT GREEN

この曲は当時インパクトがありすぎたのでしょうね。ファンクの一つの代表的パターンと言ってもよいかと思います。やたらとカバーバージョンの多い曲です。