Smooth Sailin' (Isley Brothers album)

Smooth Sailin'
Smooth Sailin'
Studio album by the Isley Brothers
Released	1987
Recorded	1986–1987
Studio	Conway (Hollywood, California); Ocean Way (Los Angeles, California); Westlake (Los Angeles, California);
Genre	R&B
Length	41:23
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Angela Winbush
The Isley Brothers chronology

Smooth Sailin' is an album by the American musical group the Isley Brothers, released in 1987 on Warner Bros. Records.^[1] It was the first album that the group released as a duo of Rudolph and Ronald after the untimely death of eldest brother O'Kelly, who died in 1986 due to occlusive coronary artery disease.^[2] Hooking up with R&B singer-songwriter Angela Winbush, the Isleys scored with the top 10 R&B title track and "I Wish", also an R&B top 40 hit.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	^[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[4]

The Los Angeles Times wrote that the album is close "to the old Isley style-slow, sensuous R&B."^[5]

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Everything Is Alright"	Angela L. Winbush, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley	4:57
2.	"Dish It Out"	Angela L. Winbush, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley	4:55
3.	"It Takes a Good Woman"	Angela Winbush	5:05
4.	"Send a Message"	Angela L. Winbush	5:33

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
5.	"Smooth Sailin' Tonight"	Angela L. Winbush	4:59
6.	"Somebody I Used to Know"	Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Everett Collins, Angela L. Winbush	4:59
7.	"Come My Way"	Angela L. Winbush, René Moore	5:48
8.	"I Wish"	Raymond Reeder	6:47

Personnel

The Isley Brothers

Ronald Isley – lead & background vocals
Rudolph Isley – lead & background vocals

with

Tony Maiden – guitar (tracks 1–6)
Angela Winbush – keyboards (tracks 2–8), Moog synthesizer (track 7); bass synthesizer (tracks 1, 2), drum machine (track 5), additional background vocals (tracks 2, 3, 7)
Jeff Lorber – additional synthesizers (tracks 1, 3–6)
Raymond Reeder – synthesizer (tracks 7); string line guitar synthesizer & drum machine (track 8)
Nathan East – bass (tracks 1, 3–6)
Louis Johnson – bass (track 2)
Gregory Phillinganes – bass synthesizer (track 2)
Rayford Griffin – drums (tracks 1, 2, 6)
Andre Fischer – drums (tracks 4, 7)
Paulinho da Costa – percussion (tracks 1–3, 5)

Technical personnel & arrangements

Produced by Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley & Angela Winbush
Recorded & mixed by Steve Sykes
Additional engineer (Conway Studios): Czaba Petocz
Assistant engineer (Ocean Way Recording): Bob Loftus, Joe Schiff, Mike Ross
Assistant engineer (Westlake Studios): Debbie Johnson
Mastered by Brian Gardner
Art direction & design by Janet Levinson
Photography by Jeff Katz

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1987)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[6]	64
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[7]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (1987)	Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[8]	39

References

^ Oermann, Robert K. (December 31, 1987). "I'm looking over the albums that shook my soul in 1987". USA Today.
^ ^a ^b Tucker, Ken (21 June 1987). "Isleys: Still in Harmony". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. K9.
^ Wynn, Ron. "The Isley Brothers - Smooth Sailin' (1987) album review, credits & releases". AllMusic. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 346.
^ Hunt, Dennis (3 July 1987). "Isley Brothers' 'Sailin'' Back on Charts". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 21.
^ "The Isley Brothers Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
^ "The Isley Brothers Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2021.