| "Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2)" | ||||
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| Single by The Isley Brothers | ||||
| from the album The Heat Is On | ||||
| Released | May 31, 1975 | |||
| Format | 7" Single | |||
| Recorded | Kendun Recorders, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Funk | |||
| Length | 5:18 | |||
| Label | T-Neck 2256 |
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| Writer(s) | Rudolph Isley O'Kelly Isley, Jr. Ronald Isley Ernie Isley Marvin Isley Chris Jasper |
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| Producer | Rudolph Isley Ronald Isley |
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| The Isley Brothers singles chronology | ||||
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"Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2)" is a 1975 protest funk song by The Isley Brothers, released on their T-Neck imprint. The anti-establishment song was originally thought of by Ernie Isley while the group was recording for another socially conscious song, "Harvest for the World".
Co-written with music by Ernie, baby brother Marvin and in-law Chris Jasper, when brought to the older Isleys, including lead singer Ronald, the frontman decided to change up the lyric in the bridge of the song where Ernie wrote And I roll with the punches/got knocked down on the ground by all this bullshit going down. It was actually Ronald who injected "bullshit" to the lyric while Ernie had originally written nonsense.
When asked why he changed it, Ronald said "because that's what everyone needed to hear". The song was a rarity in which all three of the elder Isleys sung lead in unison, with Ron leading the way through most of it with backing from brothers O'Kelly and Rudolph. The trio's vocals during the verses were influenced by rock while its later ending vamp brought gospel influences. The bridge was led by Ronald.
Released in May of that year, the song became a monumental record for the group, partly based on the interesting censoring of "bullshit" on radio stations, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart, becoming the Isleys' second number-one hit on that chart.[1] The success of the single helped to send their album, The Heat Is On, to number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The Isleys inspired a rap version of its "fight the powers that be" battle cry by Public Enemy in their even more militant version 14 years later.
| Preceded by "The Hustle by Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony |
Billboard Hot Soul Singles number-one single July 19 - August 2, 1975 |
Succeeded by "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" by Sharon Paige & Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes |