"Harvest for the World" is a 1976 single released by American musical group

The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...

on their T-Neck imprint. It was the title track from their 1976 album ''

Harvest for the World ''Harvest for the World'' is the fourteenth studio album released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint on May 29, 1976. The album was remastered and expanded for inclusion in the 2015 released CD box set ''The RCA Victor & T-Neck Albu ...

''.

Background and composition

One of their socially conscious singles (about world peace), the song was composed by

Ernie Isley Ernest Isley (born March 7, 1952) is an American musician, best known as a member of the musical ensemble The Isley Brothers, and also the splinter group Isley-Jasper-Isley. Biography Ernie was born in Cincinnati, where his older brothers for ...

, who wrote most of the lyrics, together with

Marvin Isley Marvin Isley (August 18, 1953 – June 6, 2010)
– accessed June 2010 was the youngest member of the family music grou ...

and

Chris Jasper Christopher Howard Jasper (born December 30, 1951)Allmusic biography/ref> is an American singer, composer, and producer. Jasper is a former member of the Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley and is responsible for writing and producing the maj ...

, with additional lyrics and musical arrangements added by the three original members

O'Kelly O'Kelly is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Aloysius O'Kelly (1853–1936), Irish painter, brother of James Joseph O'Kelly * Auguste O'Kelly (1829–1900), music publisher in Paris * Christopher O'Kelly (1895–1922), Canadia ...

, Rudolph and

Ronald Ronald is a masculine given name derived from the Old Norse ''Rögnvaldr'',#H2, Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 234; #H1, Hanks; Hodges (2003) § Ronald. or possibly from Old English ''Regenweald''. In some cases ''Ronald'' is an Anglicised ...

. The song was recorded on the same day as

Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2) "Fight the Power" (sometimes titled as "Fight the Power (Part 1 and Part 2)") is a song recorded by the Isley Brothers, who released the song as the first single off their landmark album, '' The Heat Is On''. The song is notable for the usage ...

and was originally intended to go on

The Heat Is On (album) ''The Heat Is On'' is the thirteenth studio album by American soul and funk group the Isley Brothers, released June 7, 1975, on T-Neck Records and Epic Records. Written and produced entirely by the group, the album was recorded in 1975 at Kend ...

as the lead single but Fight The Power ended up being the lead single by a group vote and was saved to go on the harvest for the world LP, and as on many Isley Brothers records, Ronald sang lead on the song while his older brothers O'Kelly and Rudolph usually backed him up.

Chart performance

The song became a top ten R&B hit, peaking at No. 9, and peaking at No. 63 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was a bigger hit in the UK, reaching No. 10 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

Cover versions

British/American

supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to: * Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields * Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry * Supergroup ...

the Power Station recorded a cover of it for their 1985 self-titled debut album. The Christians released a 1988 hit cover of the song that reached No. 8 in the UK.

Paul Carrack Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

released a 2001 cover of the song in his album "Groovin'".

Vanessa Williams Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She gained recognition as the first African-American woman to receive the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She resigne ...

covered the song for her 2005 album ''

Everlasting Love "Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, originally a 1967 hit for Robert Knight and since remade numerous times, most successfully by Love Affair, as well as Town Criers, Carl Carlton, Sandra Cretu, and Gloria Estef ...

''.

Personnel

Ronald Isley Ronald Isley (; born May 21, 1941) is an American recording artist, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. Isley is the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers. Early life Born in 1941 to Sally ...

: lead vocals, background vocals *

O'Kelly Isley Jr. O'Kelly "Kelly" Isley Jr. (December 25, 1937 – March 31, 1986) was an American singer and one of the founding members of the family group the Isley Brothers. Biography The eldest of the Isley Brothers, Kelly started singing with his brothe ...

: background vocals *

Rudolph Isley Rudolph Bernard Isley (born April 1, 1939 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer-songwriter and is one of the founding members of The Isley Brothers. Life and career Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rudy began singing in church at a youn ...

: background vocals *

: electric guitar, acoustic guitars, drums, background vocals *

Marvin Isley Marvin Isley (August 18, 1953 – June 6, 2010)
– accessed June 2010 was the youngest member of the family music grou ...

: bass guitar, background vocals *

: piano, keyboards, synthesizers, background vocals *Handclaps by

*Produced, written, arranged and composed by

and

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harvest For The World (Song) 1976 singles 1988 singles Anti-war songs Peace songs The Isley Brothers songs Songs written by Chris Jasper T-Neck Records singles Charity singles Songs written by Ernie Isley Songs written by Marvin Isley Songs written by Rudolph Isley Songs written by O'Kelly Isley Jr. Songs written by Ronald Isley 1976 songs