Ship Ahoy (album)

The songs on Ship Ahoy balance the romantic with the politically and socially conscious. The album's lead single was "Put Your Hands Together," a song urging cooperation and optimistic prayer for "a better day to come." Rickey Vincent, author of Funk: The Music, the People, and the Rhythm of the One, describes the song as "fairly standard musically", "with a strong gospel feel." The second single, "For the Love of Money," is a protest against materialism with a groove that Rolling Stone described as "downright orgiastic". Bass Player went on to note that the song has "become one of the most recycled singles ever, sampled continually by rappers, and appearing on over 75 compilation CDs, numerous movie soundtracks, and, most recently, the theme for TV's The Apprentice." The song brought in the sounds of waves and cracking whips to add immediacy to lyrics which, according to PopMatters, personalized "the 'voyage' in ways that few black popular artifacts had previously done so—some three years before the publication of Alex Haley's Roots. In its 1974 review of the album, The New York Times characterized the song as "dark and occasionally spine-chilling." In 1993, The Miami Herald called it "a dark, atmospheric, frightening masterpiece that'll send a shiver up your spine." In 1995, The Los Angeles Times dubbed "Ship Ahoy", along with the song "Don't Call Me Brother" as among "[t]he cream of the vocal trio's angry music." "Don't Call Me Brother" is a nearly nine-minute long album track that protests hypocritical claims of racial unity from backstabbers. ==Artwork==

The cover of the album depicted the band in a slave hold with illustrations of slaves. In its review, PopMatters commented that the use by producers Gamble and Huff of this imagery demonstrated not only their freedom as the heads of Philadelphia International Records, but also "how seriously the duo viewed popular music as a vehicle to 'teach and preach'." Illustrator James Barkley was otherwise better known for illustrating children's books and a postage stamp ==Reception==

Ship Ahoy reached #1 on Billboards "Black Albums" chart and #11 on the "Pop Albums" chart and contained two hit singles, "For the Love of Money" (#3 "Black Singles", #9 "Pop Singles") and "Put Your Hands Together" (#2 "Black Singles", #10 "Pop Singles"). The album certified "Gold" by the RIAA on January 21, 1974 and "Platinum" on August 11, 1992. In addition to its commercial success, the album was critically well received. In a 1974 review, The New York Times described it as "[a] fine recent album" representing producers "Gamble and Huff at their creative best". AllMusic describes the album in its review as "[t]he "other" O'Jays album masterpiece", with "shattering message tracks and stunning love songs". ==Releases==

The album has been reissued multiple times by Philadelphia International as well as Epic Records, Legacy Records, Columbia Records, Sony Records and Sis Records. In 2003, it was re-released by Sony and Epic with a bonus track, a live version of "Put Your Hands Together" recorded in London in 1974. ==Track listing==

All tracks written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, except where noted. Side one • "Put Your Hands Together" – 4:07 • "Ship Ahoy" – 9:41 • "This Air I Breathe" (Gamble, Bunny Sigler) – 3:53 • "You Got Your Hooks in Me" (Sigler) – 5:34 Side two • "For the Love of Money" (Gamble, Huff, Anthony Jackson) – 7:19 • "Now That We Found Love" – 4:41 • "Don't Call Me Brother" (Gamble, Sigler) – 8:58 • "People Keep Tellin' Me" (John Whitehead, Gene McFadden, Victor Carstarphen) – 4:00 ==Personnel==

Performers • Lenny Pakula – arranger • Leon Isley Brooks – keyboards • Anthony Jackson – bass • Eddie Levert – vocals • MFSB – orchestra, various instruments • William Powell – vocals • Walter Williams – vocals • Rocco Bene – trumpet solos Production • James Barkley – illustration • Steven Berkowitz – A&R • Kenny Gamble – producer, surround mix • Norman Harris – arranger • Leon Huff – producer, surround mix • Don Hunstein – photography • Ed Lee – art direction • Bobby Martin – arranger • Lenny Pakula – arranger • Joseph M. Palmaccio – mastering • Darcy Proper – mastering • Al Quaglieri – remix producer • Leo Sacks – reissue producer • Joe Tarsia – engineer ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==See also==