Winner Takes All (album)

Winner Takes All is a studio album by the Isley Brothers, released on T-Neck Records on August 21, 1979. It was their first and only double album. The album included the number-one R&B hit, "I Wanna Be With You" and the top 20 UK disco hit, "It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop)".

Winner Takes All
Studio album by the Isley Brothers
Released	August 21, 1979
Recorded	1979
Studio	Bearsville (Woodstock, New York)
Genre	Funk soul rock disco pop
Length	72:28
Label	T-Neck Records
Producer	The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers chronology
Timeless (1978) Winner Takes All (1979) Go All the Way (1980)
Singles from Winner Takes It All
"I Wanna Be with You" Released: April 1979 "Winner Takes All" Released: July 1979 "It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop)" Released: August 1979

The album was remastered and expanded for inclusion in the 2015 released CD box set The RCA Victor & T-Neck Album Masters, 1959-1983.

The album continued the brothers' trademark of mixing uptempo funk numbers with softer soul balladry. However, their sound now included elements of disco. While some of their music had pioneered the genre, Winner Takes All was the first album to embrace disco rhythms.

The disco element helped songs such as "I Wanna Be With You" and "It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop)" become hits. However, the band did not release any ballads from the album, making it one of the few times since 1973 that they not release a ballad as a single. However, ballads like "You're Beside Me" and "How Lucky I Am" still received airplay on quiet storm radio formats.

The album was successful enough on both the pop and R&B album charts where it reached #14 and #3 respectively and eventually went gold after selling past 500,000 copies.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Christgau's Record Guide	C+
Smash Hits	mixed

The Bay State Banner wrote that "every song is done in the characteristic two-part formula, with high energy levels and the familiar funk-rock synthesis."

Track listing

Unless otherwise noted, Information is based on Liner notes

All tracks are written by Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, Chris Jasper, Rudolph Isley, O'Kelly Isley and Ronald Isley

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I Wanna Be with You (Parts 1 & 2)"	6:20
2.	"Liquid Love (Parts 1 & 2)"	5:17
3.	"Winner Takes All"	4:18

Side two

No.	Title	Length
4.	"Life in the City (Parts 1 & 2)"	7:55
5.	"It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop) (Parts 1 & 2)"	5:13
6.	"(Can't You See) What You Do to Me?"	4:09

Side three

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Let's Fall in Love (Parts 1 & 2)"	4:39
2.	"How Lucky I Am (Parts 1 & 2)"	5:38
3.	"You're the Key to My Heart"	3:26
4.	"You're Beside Me (Parts 1 & 2)"	5:32

Side four

No.	Title	Length
5.	"Let Me into Your Life (Parts 1 & 2)"	5:10
6.	"Love Comes and Goes (Parts 1 & 2)"	5:07
7.	"Go for What You Know"	3:24
8.	"Mind Over Matter (Parts 1 & 2)"	6:00

2013 reissue bonus track

No.	Title	Length
1.	"It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop)" (12" Disco Version)	8:44

Personnel

Performance

• Ronald Isley - lead vocals, background vocals
• O'Kelly Isley, Jr. - background vocals
• Rudolph Isley - additional lead vocals (B5), background vocals
• Ernie Isley - maracas, drums, congas, timbales, percussion, guitar, background vocals
• Marvin Isley - background vocals, bass, percussion
• Chris Jasper - piano, clavinet, ARP synthesizer, keyboards, congas, percussion, background vocals

Technical

• George Carnell - assistant engineer
• John Holbrook - recording engineer, synthesizer programming

Charts

Chart (1979)	Peak position
Billboard Pop Albums	14
Billboard Top Soul Albums	3

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US Pop	US R&B
1979	"I Wanna Be With You"	-	1
	"It's A Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop)"	90	27

External links

• The Isley Brothers-Winner Takes All at Discogs