That Lady, Pt. 1 & 2
Encyclopedia
"That Lady, Pt. 1 & 2" is a 1973 R&B and soul hit song for The Isley Brothers
, released on their T-Neck
imprint. The song, one of the group's most well known, was originally performed by the group nearly a decade before in 1964 (released as "Who's That Lady?") inspired by The Impressions. After signing with Epic Records
in 1973, the eldest members of the group (O'Kelly Isley, Jr.
, Rudolph Isley
and Ronald Isley
) had included younger members, guitarist Ernie Isley
, bassist Marvin Isley
and keyboardist/pianist Chris Jasper
, as official members. In a response to this transformation, the group gave themselves the moniker of 3 + 3
, describing the three original vocalists in the group and three recruited instrumentalists, inspiring the aptly titled album that came out that year.
The group entered the studio to remake "Who's That Lady?" after being inspired by rock acts such as Carlos Santana
bringing in a Latin
percussive rock feel to it including congas and an organ solo by assorted other musicians while the other Isleys played various instrumentation. The two youngest Isley brothers and in-law Jasper re-wrote the instrumental while the older brothers revamped their harmonies, with Ronald showcasing a much smoother vocal than the original version. Brother Ernie Isley's Jimi Hendrix
/Santana-inspired guitar solo was one of the major highlights of the song and one of the key elements of what defined the 3 + 3 era of the Isleys. The song became their first Top 10 pop single
since 1969's "It's Your Thing
" peaked at number two on the pop singles chart, reaching number six on the pop chart while also reaching number two on the US R&B Singles chart. It was also another cross-Atlantic hit for the group, reaching number fourteen in the UK.
The song is ranked #348 on Rolling Stone
's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song is heard in a 1998
TV commercial for Salon Selectives
and a 2010
TV commercial for Swiffer
.
"That Lady" is also heard in the 1993 crime
-drama film
Blood In Blood Out
, 2004 comedy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
and Episode 104 Jack the Writer
in 30 Rock
.
ist Peter White
scored radio airplay with this cover from the album Glow.
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...
, released on their T-Neck
T-Neck Records
T-Neck Records was a record label founded by The Isley Brothers in 1964.It's notable for having the Isleys becoming the first R&B band to form a record label, a rarity in black music. During the label's early years, the Isleys issued the records "Testify" and "Move Over And Let Me Dance", which...
imprint. The song, one of the group's most well known, was originally performed by the group nearly a decade before in 1964 (released as "Who's That Lady?") inspired by The Impressions. After signing with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
in 1973, the eldest members of the group (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:...
, Rudolph Isley
Rudolph Isley
Rudolph 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:...
and Ronald Isley
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:...
) had included younger members, guitarist Ernie Isley
Ernie Isley
Ernest "Ernie" Isley is a member of the iconic American musical ensemble, The Isley Brothers.-Life and career:Ernie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his older brothers formed The Isley Brothers, first as a gospel group, then as a secular-singing group. In 1960 his family moved to Englewood and...
, bassist Marvin Isley
Marvin Isley
Marvin Isley was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist....
and keyboardist/pianist Chris Jasper
Chris Jasper
Chris Jasper is a former member of both the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He is also a successful solo artist and record producer, recording a number of his own solo albums, and producing artists, for his New York based record label, Gold City Records...
, as official members. In a response to this transformation, the group gave themselves the moniker of 3 + 3
3 + 3
3 + 3 is a 1973 album released by The Isley Brothers for the Epic label under their T-Neck imprint. Their first album for the label after several years in Buddah Records, it was also the first time the family group, which had consisted of founding members O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph Isley and...
, describing the three original vocalists in the group and three recruited instrumentalists, inspiring the aptly titled album that came out that year.
The group entered the studio to remake "Who's That Lady?" after being inspired by rock acts such as Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
bringing in a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
percussive rock feel to it including congas and an organ solo by assorted other musicians while the other Isleys played various instrumentation. The two youngest Isley brothers and in-law Jasper re-wrote the instrumental while the older brothers revamped their harmonies, with Ronald showcasing a much smoother vocal than the original version. Brother Ernie Isley's Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
/Santana-inspired guitar solo was one of the major highlights of the song and one of the key elements of what defined the 3 + 3 era of the Isleys. The song became their first Top 10 pop single
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...
since 1969's "It's Your Thing
It's Your Thing
"It's Your Thing" is an influential funk single by the Isley Brothers. Released in 1969, the funk anthem was an artistic response to Motown chief Berry Gordy's demanding hold on his artists after the Isleys left the label in late-1968....
" peaked at number two on the pop singles chart, reaching number six on the pop chart while also reaching number two on the US R&B Singles chart. It was also another cross-Atlantic hit for the group, reaching number fourteen in the UK.
The song is ranked #348 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Uses in popular culture
The guitar solo at the beginning of the song was used by the Beastie Boys on "Paul's Boutique," released in 1989. The sample (which is a loop throughout) can be heard on the "A Year and a Day" track of the "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" ending compilation.The song is heard in a 1998
1998 in television
The year 1998 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.For the American TV schedule, see: 1998–99 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
TV commercial for Salon Selectives
Salon Selectives
Salon Selectives is a line of hair care products, ranging from shampoos and hair conditioners to mousses, sprays, gels, and oils. Salon Selectives was the first salon-inspired mass market hair care brand, introduced by Helene Curtis in 1987...
and a 2010
2010 in television
2010 in television may refer to:*2010 in American television*2010 in Australian television*2010 in British television*2010 in Canadian television*2010 in Japanese television...
TV commercial for Swiffer
Swiffer
Swiffer is a line of cleaning products by Procter and Gamble. Introduced in 1999, the brand uses the "razor-and-blades business model"; in this case, the consumer purchases the handle assembly at a low price, but must continue to purchase replacement refills and pads over the life of the product...
.
"That Lady" is also heard in the 1993 crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
-drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
Blood In Blood Out
Blood in Blood out
Blood In Blood Out is a 1993 crime-drama film directed by Taylor Hackford. It follows the intertwining lives of the three Chicano relatives, Miklo , Cruz and Paco from 1972 to the mid 1980s...
, 2004 comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, or simply Anchorman, is a 2004 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film, which was also written by Ferrell and McKay, is a tongue-in-cheek take on the culture of the 1970s, particularly the then-new Action News format...
and Episode 104 Jack the Writer
Jack the Writer
"Jack the Writer" is the fourth episode of the first season of the American situation comedy 30 Rock, which aired on November 1, 2006 on the NBC network in the United States, and on November 1, 2007 in the United Kingdom. The episode was written by Robert Carlock and was directed by Gail Mancuso...
in 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
.
Personnel
- 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:...
: lead vocals - 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:...
, 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:...
and 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:...
: background vocals - Ernie IsleyErnie IsleyErnest "Ernie" Isley is a member of the iconic American musical ensemble, The Isley Brothers.-Life and career:Ernie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his older brothers formed The Isley Brothers, first as a gospel group, then as a secular-singing group. In 1960 his family moved to Englewood and...
: guitar and percussion - Marvin IsleyMarvin IsleyMarvin Isley was the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist....
: bass and percussion - Chris JasperChris JasperChris Jasper is a former member of both the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He is also a successful solo artist and record producer, recording a number of his own solo albums, and producing artists, for his New York based record label, Gold City Records...
: piano, keyboards - George Moreland: drums, percussion
- Truman Thomas: organ
Cover versions
In 2001, instrumentalInstrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
ist Peter White
Peter White (musician)
Peter White is a smooth jazz and jazz fusion guitarist. He also plays the accordion and the piano. His brother, Danny White, was one of the original members who formed the UK based band Matt Bianco.-Career:...
scored radio airplay with this cover from the album Glow.