Givin' It Back
Givin' It Back is the ninth album released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint on September 25, 1971.[1] After years of having white rock acts covering their most famed material, particularly, "Shout" (1959) and "Twist and Shout" (1961), the Isleys decided to do the same to music made famous by white artists such as Stephen Stills, Eric Burdon and Neil Young. Among the songs they covered were "Spill the Wine", "Love the One You're With", the social commentary medley of "Ohio" and "Machine Gun" (from Jimi Hendrix), "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor and Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay". The Isleys' perseverance paid off when their covers of "Love the One You're With", "Lay Lady Lay" and "Spill the Wine" became charted hits.[2] Bill Withers plays guitar on the Isleys' version of his "Cold Bologna".[1]
| Givin' It Back | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 25, 1971 | |||
| Recorded | 1971 | |||
| Studio | Mediasound (New York City) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 41:47 | |||
| Label | T-Neck/Buddah Records | |||
| Producer | Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley | |||
| The Isley Brothers chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album was remastered and expanded for inclusion in the 2015 released 23CD box set The RCA Victor & T-Neck Album Masters (1959-1983).[3]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B [5] |
| Pitchfork | 8.3/10 [6] |
| Uncut | [7] |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ohio" / "Machine Gun" | Neil Young / Jimi Hendrix | 9:13 |
| 2. | "Fire and Rain" | James Taylor | 5:29 |
| 3. | "Lay Lady Lay" | Bob Dylan | 10:22 |
| Total length: | 25:04 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | "Spill the Wine" | Charles Miller, Howard E. Scott, B.B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Harold Ray Brown, Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen, Lee Oskar | 6:32 |
| 5. | "Nothing to Do But Today" | Stephen Stills | 3:42 |
| 6. | "Cold Bologna" | Bill Withers | 3:03 |
| 7. | "Love the One You're With" | Stephen Stills | 3:40 |
| Total length: | 16:57 | ||
Trivia
The only other recording of "Cold Bologna" is found on the 1973 Bill Withers live album, Live at Carnegie Hall as "Harlem/Cold Baloney".[8]
Personnel
- Ronald Isley – lead and backing vocals
- O'Kelly Isley Jr. and Rudolph Isley – backing vocals
- Ernie Isley – lead guitar (1-5, 7), rhythm guitar, drums
- Marvin Isley – bass guitar
- Chris Jasper – piano
- Chester Woodard – lead guitar (1-5, 7), rhythm guitar
- Bill Withers – lead guitar (6)
- Milton Westley – organ
- John Mosley – flute
- George Moreland – drums, percussion
- Gary Jones – congas (1-6)
- Buck Clarke – congas (7)
- Technical & arrangements
- Produced by Ronald Isley & Rudolph Isley
- Hal Wilson – photography
- George Patterson – musical arrangements
- The Isley Brothers – musical arrangements
References
- The Isley Brothers - Givin It Back (1971) album releases & credits at Discogs
- "Givin' It Back > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" at AllMusic. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- The Isley Brothers - The RCA Victor & T-Neck Album Masters, 1959-1983 (2015) 23CD Box Set review by Andy Kellman, credits & releases at AllMusic
- Eder, Bruce. The Isley Brothers - Givin It Back (1971) album review, credits & releases at AllMusic. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: I". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (September 11, 2015). "The Isley Brothers - The RCA Victor and T-Neck Album Masters, 1959-1983 (2015) 23CD Box Set review". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- Stubbs, David (October 1, 1997). "REISSUES: Freak beats". Uncut. No. 5. p. 92. ProQuest 1771210800.
- Bill Withers – Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall (1973) album releases & credits album releases & credits at Discogs
