| 'Footsteps in the Dark' | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Isley Brothers | |
| from the album Go for Your Guns | |
| A-side | 'Groove with You' |
| Released | 1977 |
| Recorded | Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York, 1977 |
| Genre | Rhythm and blues, soul, funk |
| Length | 5:07 |
| Label | T-Neck |
| Songwriter(s) | Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Chris Jasper |
| Producer(s) | The Isley Brothers |
'Footsteps in the Dark' is a 1977slow jam recorded by The Isley Brothers as an album track featured on the group's double-platinum album, Go For Your Guns.[1][2][3][4] It was the B-side to 'Groove with You', which reached #16 on the R&B singles chart. Track also noted Ron Isley's growing transition into singing more ballads, compared to the band's more funk approach.
Download FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK PART 1 & 2 by THE ISLEY BROTHERS free. #1 rated music site. 6.5 Million songs. Get lyrics ♫ music videos for your iPhone®. 'Footsteps in the Dark' is a song made 'in the style of' The Isley Brothers. The duration of this file is 5:08. This song is available to download in MIDI format. [G E Em F#m Bm D C A C#m] Chords for FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK - Isley Brothers with capo transposer, play along with guitar, piano, ukulele & mandolin. Play and Listen isley brothers between the sheets footsteps in the dark live from dvd summer breeze the isley brothers greatest hits live 2005 follow us Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets / Footsteps In The Dark (Live) Mp3.
Footsteps in the Dark, Parts 1 & 2 - The Isley Brothers - free sheet music and tabs for fingered bass, overdrive guitar, jazz guitar, drums, trumpet and square wave. Learn this song on Jellynote with our interactive sheet music and tabs. The Isley Brothers - Footsteps in the Dark (Drum Cover) Reese Williams / Music. Length: 5:08 Quick View. Now you can download songs, movies, episodes, trailers. Check out Footsteps in the Dark, Pts. 1 & 2 by The Isley Brothers on Amazon Music. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. Footsteps in the Dark, Pts. 1 & 2 by The Isley Brothers on Amazon Music - Amazon.com.
Legacy[edit]
While the song didn't chart on either the pop or R&B singles chart, it still garnered popularity initially for its laid-back grooves and the solemn lyrics (the song discussed infidelity) and later would be the basis of a sample years later first by rap group Compton's Most Wanted on their album Straight Checkn 'Em on the track 'Can I Kill It?' and rapperIce Cube, who used the musical instrumental of the song for his breakthrough hit, 'It Was a Good Day'.[5] While the song is well noted for its unique guitar timbre which can be heard on other Isley Brother tracks such as 'Voyage to Atlantis'[6][circular reference]. However, the track is most commonly sampled for its unique syncopated drum riff.
The song was again sampled by Black Milk on Slum Village's 2005 self-titled album on the track 'Call Me' (which featured R&B singer Dwele), and Hip-Hop producer J Dilla reworked it into 'Won't Do' on his posthumous album The Shining. Singer k-os used a sped-up sample from the song for his 2002 single 'Heaven Only Knows', from his album Exit.
Footsteps In The Dark Movie
Although lesser known, the song was also sampled by Usher on his second album My Way in the song 'One Day You'll Be Mine.' The song is also sampled on the Rhymefest song 'All Girls Cheat' from his 2006 album Blue Collar, although the portion of the song used is sung by Mario, and not a sample of the original recording. Alicia Keys heavily sampled on her song 'A Woman's Worth', recorded for her 2005 live album Unplugged. The song was also sampled by Raheem DeVaughn on 'Until', a song from his debut album, The Love Experience. Thundercat's 'Them Changes' from his 2015 record The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam also quotes the famous drum kit opening of the song.[7]
Composition[edit]
Footsteps In The Dark
Ernie Isley's playing on this track is heavily influenced by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, whose first recording session was actually with the Isley Brothers in 1964 with the track 'Testify'.[8]
Ernie Isley not only played guitar but also played drums and wrote the lyrics to 'Footsteps in the Dark'. The verse of the song is written in the key of D-major.
Cover versions[edit]
- The Players Association (as “Footsteps”) (1977 - Born to Dance)[9]
- Evelyn 'Champagne' King (1989 - The Girl Next Door)
- R&B group Body (1990 - Easy to Love)[10], featuring Isley Brothers’ lead singer Ronald Isley on background vocals.[11]
- Kipper Jones (1990 - Ordinary Story)[12]
- Fingazz (2008 - Classics for the O.G.s Vol. 2[13]
- Nivea (2011 - Undercover)[14]
- zen. (2016 - as wavy). Song is used in intro for YouTuberMemeulous[15]
Credits[edit]
Written, Composed and Arranged by The Isley Brothers
Co-produced by The Isley Brothers, Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff
- Ronald Isley: lead vocals, background vocals
- Rudolph Isley: background vocals
- O'Kelly Isley, Jr.: background vocals
- Ernie Isley: background vocals, congas, drums, 12-String Guitar, electric guitar
- Marvin Isley: background vocals, bass played by
- Chris Jasper: background vocals, tambourine, piano, synthesizer
Sources: [16][17]
References[edit]
- ^Pareles, Jon (January 1, 2002). 'POP REVIEW; Two Brothers Who Are Carrying On the Family Act'. The New York Times.
- ^Lipsitz, George (2007). Footsteps in the Dark: The Hidden Histories of Popular Music. University of Minnesota Press. p. 27.
- ^Sumney, Moses (November 2, 2012). 'Alex Isley Has Her Own Thing'. LA Weekly.
- ^Coker, Cheo Hodari (May 6, 1997). 'A Playful Encounter With the Isley Brothers'. Los Angeles Times.
- ^Hyden, Steven (October 25, 2011). 'Ice Cube, 'It Was A Good Day''. The A.V. Club.
- ^Go for Your Guns
- ^Hirway, Hrishikesh (July 30, 2015). 'Episode 45: Thundercat'. Song Exploder.
- ^Paule, Marty. “A Conversation with Ernie Isley...”. The HUB. 19 March 2014. http://thehub.musiciansfriend.com/artist-interviews/conversation-with-ernie-isley-of-the-isley-brothers
- ^The Players Association. “Footsteps”. Second Hand Songs. 1977, 2003. https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/274523/originals#nav-entity
- ^Body. “Easy to Love”. MCA. 6 March 1990. https://www.allmusic.com/album/easy-to-love-mw0000204090
- ^Body. “Footsteps in the Dark R&B”. YouTube: Finder lost-songs. 26 May 2016. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tfYUE9uxQ4U
- ^Jones, Kipper. “Footsteps in the Dark”. YouTube: Hisayukilsshiki. 13 May 2010. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-lkZ43jclSk
- ^Fingazz. “Footsteps in the Dark”. Second Hand Songs. 24 November 2008. https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/134269/originals#nav-entity
- ^Nivea. “Footsteps in the Dark”. YouTube: Ben Hastings. 13 September 2011. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ULY01wt_r1k
- ^Zen. - Wavy (Memeulous Intro/Outro Song). YouTube: . 10 September 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdyR2eMtR0E
- ^The Isley Brothers. 'Go For Your Guns' (Album notes). T-Neck / Epic. 1977.
- ^The Isley Brothers. 'Footsteps in the Dark, Pts. 1 & 2'. YouTube: The Isley Brothers - Topic. 18 February 2017. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyq9zlYMw9g