Message in the Music
Studio album by
The O'Jays
Released1976
Recorded1975-76
StudioSigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
GenrePhiladelphia soul, R&B
Length42:51
LabelPhiladelphia International Records
ProducerKenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Bunny Sigler, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Victor Carstarphen
The O'Jays chronology
Family Reunion
(1975)		 Message in the Music
(1976)		 Travelin' at the Speed of Thought
(1977)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[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

All tracks are written by Gamble and Huff, except where noted [4]

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Message in Our Music"6:24
2."A Prayer"6:30
3."Paradise"5:02
4."Make a Joyful Noise"4:02
Side two
No.TitleWriter(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 Sigler5:13
8."Let Life Flow"John Whitehead, Gene McFadden, Victor Carstarphen4:37

Charts

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

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Hamilton, Andrew. The O'Jays: Message in the Music > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ Rockwell, John (October 22, 1976). "The Pop Life". The New York Times.
  4. ↑ allmusic ((( Message in the Music > Overview ))). All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2011-10-13.
  5. 1 2 "US Albums Chart > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  6. ↑ "US Singles Chart > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
  7. ↑ "American album certifications – O'Jays – Message in the Music". Recording Industry Association of America.
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