The Isley Brothers: You Walk Your Way
From 7″ and 3+3 (T-Neck, 1975)
3+3 is one of those albums you almost automatically pick up because 1) copies are everywhere and 2) it’s the Isley’s at the height of their popularity so why the hell not? And sure, you probably are tired of hearing “That Lady” only because it’s in t.v. ads but then you remember that it also has a pretty good cover of “Summer Breeze” that hardcore DJ Premier fans will recognize from a friction’ Arrested Development promo-only remix. I digress.
I totally slept on “You Walk Your Way.” Never ever heard this because while I’ve owned 3+3 since at least the 1990s, I never actually got around to listening to it since I figured, “well, I already know what the greatest hits are.”1
Peep “You Walk Your Way” was an accident. It’s only because I had picked up “For the Love Of You” on 7″ (slow jam essential) and decided to check out the flip side and basically, now I think “Your Walk Your Way” is the greatest thing ever. Ok, maybe not the greatest thing. I wouldn’t dump “Between the Sheets” for it or anything. But I am an absolute sucker for soul songs with this kind of gospel feel to it. Plus the way in which the other Isleys come in on back-up is gorgeous and the hook will have you singing along without even realizing it (just make sure to do so with proper clenched-fist emoting).
By the way, when trying to think of other songs that also work with this kind of gospel feel, the song that automatically came to mind was this:
Patrice Rushen: This Is All I Really Know
From Posh (Elektra, 1980)
- I’m not positive but I’m guessing this ended up on the b-side of “For the Love Of You” as some kind of teaser for 3+3 since the two songs are from two different LPs. ↩
chatter