Message in the Music
| Message in the Music | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1976 | |||
| Recorded | 1975–76 | |||
| Studio | Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
| Genre | Philadelphia soul, R&B | |||
| Length | 42:51 | |||
| Label | Philadelphia International Records | |||
| Producer | Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Bunny Sigler, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Victor Carstarphen | |||
| The O'Jays chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Message in the Music | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B−[2] |
| The New York Times | (favourable)[3] |
Message in the Music is a 1976 album by American R&B group the O'Jays.
Released in 1976 on the Philadelphia International Records label. Recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, with six of the eight tracks written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Message in the Music spawned two R&B chart-topping singles in "Message in Our Music" and "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)", with the latter also giving the group their fourth UK top 30 single. Message in the Music peaked at #3 on the R&B chart (ending a run of three consecutive #1 R&B albums for the group) and reached #20 on the pop chart.
Message in the Music is the last O'Jays album to feature vocals from original group member William Powell, who would die prematurely from cancer, aged 35, in May 1977.
In 2004, Message in the Music was reissued by Demon Music in the UK in a double package with The O'Jays' 1977 album Travelin' at the Speed of Thought.
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Gamble and Huff, except where noted [4]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Message in Our Music" | 6:24 |
| 2. | "A Prayer" | 6:30 |
| 3. | "Paradise" | 5:02 |
| 4. | "Make a Joyful Noise" | 4:02 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Desire Me" | 6:21 | |
| 6. | "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)" | 4:14 | |
| 7. | "I Swear, I Love No One But You" | Bunny Sigler | 5:13 |
| 8. | "Let Life Flow" | John Whitehead, Gene McFadden, Victor Carstarphen | 4:37 |
Charts
[edit]Album
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Pop Albums[5] | 20 |
| Billboard Top Soul Albums[5] | 3 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions[6] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 |
US R&B | |||
| 1976 | "Message in Our Music" | 49 | 1 | |
| "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)" | 72 | 1 | ||
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[7] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Hamilton, Andrew. The O'Jays: Message in the Music > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: O". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Rockwell, John (October 22, 1976). "The Pop Life". The New York Times.
- ^ allmusic ((( Message in the Music > Overview ))). All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2011-10-13.
- ^ a b "US Albums Chart > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
- ^ "US Singles Chart > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- ^ "American album certifications – O'Jays – Message in the Music". Recording Industry Association of America.
