Harvest for the World (song)

"Harvest for the World" is a 1976 single released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint. It was from their 1976 album Harvest for the World. One of their socially-conscious singles (about world peace), the song was originally lyrically composed by Ernie Isley, who also musically composed it with Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper, with additional lyrics and musical arrangements added by the three original members O'Kelly, Rudolph and Ronald. As on many Isley Brothers records, Ronald sung lead on the song while his older brothers O'Kelly and Rudolph usually backed him up. The song became a top ten R&B hit peaking at #9 and peaking at #63 on the US pop charts and was a bigger pop hit in England reaching #10 on the UK pop singles chart.

Cover versions

English band The Christians released a hit cover of the song in 1988 that reached #8 in the UK, and three years later the song was performed by Australian singer Jason Donovan and British singer Kim Wilde on an anniversary show for Amnesty International. Despite rumours that the track would be recorded and released as a single, it was not.

Other cover versions were recorded by Duran Duran side project The Power Station, by Vanessa L. Williams for her album Everlasting Love, and by Phats & Small.

Credits

Ronald Isley: lead vocals
O'Kelly Isley, Jr. and Rudolph Isley: background vocals
Ernie Isley: acoustic guitar and drums
Marvin Isley: bass
Chris Jasper: piano, keyboards, synthesizers
Handclaps by The Isley Brothers
Produced, written, arranged and composed by The Isley Brothers and Chris Jasper