Family Reunion is the ninth album by American R&B group The O'Jays, released on November 25, 1975 via Philadelphia International Records.
| Family Reunion | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 25, 1975 | |||
| Recorded | 1975 | |||
| Studio | Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
| Genre | Philadelphia soul, R&B, disco | |||
| Length | 44:06 | |||
| Label | Philadelphia International Records | |||
| Producer | Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff | |||
| The O'Jays chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C[2] |
The album was released in late 1975 on the Philadelphia International Records label. Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Family Reunion includes the enduring classic "I Love Music" and "Livin' for the Weekend", both of which topped the R&B singles chart, and placed at #5 and #20 respectively on the pop chart. The ballad "Stairway to Heaven", originally issued as the B-side to "Livin' for the Weekend" and unrelated to the Led Zeppelin song of the same name, has also gone on to become a staple of quiet storm radio programming. While the title track did not chart, it still garnered airplay, as the lyrics (as well as the album artwork) focused on the importance of the family structure especially at gatherings.[3]
Family Reunion became the group's third consecutive R&B chart-topping album, and its #7 peak on the pop chart was their highest placing on this chart at the time (1978's So Full of Love would peak one place higher). Family Reunion was awarded a Platinum Album for RIAA Certification of over one million copies sold.[1]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Gamble and Huff, except where noted [4]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Unity" | 4:59 | |
| 2. | "Family Reunion" | 6:55 | |
| 3. | "You and Me" | Bunny Sigler, Louise Bishop | 5:59 |
| 4. | "She's Only a Woman" | John Whitehead, Gene McFadden, Victor Carstarphen | 5:44 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Livin' for the Weekend" | Gamble, Huff, Cary Gilbert | 6:29 |
| 6. | "Stairway to Heaven" | 6:15 | |
| 7. | "I Love Music" | 6:51 |
Charts
editAlbum
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Pop Albums[5] | 7 |
| Billboard Top Soul Albums[5] | 1 (1975) |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions[6] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | US R&B |
U.S. Disco Singles | ||
| 1975 | "I Love Music (Part 1)" | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| "Livin' for the Weekend" | 20 | 1 | — | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Henderson, Alex. The O'Jays: Family Reunion > 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.
- ^ The O'Jays, Family Reunion, AllMusic.
- ^ allmusic ((( Family Reunion > Overview ))). All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2011-10-13.
- ^ a b "US Albums Charts > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
- ^ "US Singles Charts > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-31.