It's Ladies Night - "That Lady"

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Way back in 1964, the Isley Brothers were still a vocal trio (they had been at it since 1957, when they released their first single, “The Cow Jumped Over the Moon.”) In 1964, coincidentally in my birth month, they put out a single called “Who’s that Lady?” It failed to chart, but remains a favorite of fans of classic R&B. Eventually, the Isley Brothers transformed themselves into a funk band. In 1973, they released their classic album, 3 + 3, which contained their psychedelic funk remake, simply titled “That Lady.” The single (released as “That Lady, Part 1,” with “That Lady, Part 2” being the B-side) reached #2 on the Billboard US R&B Singles Chart, but more importantly, crossed over into the mainstream, reaching #6 on the Hot 100. Here’s where it gets kind of interesting. The song had quite a climb ahead of itself; when it cracked the Hot 100, it was at #89. It was also appeared on the chart titled “Meet the Lady.” As it spent the next six weeks climbing, it was then titled “Meet that Lady,” after which it simply became “That Lady.” I have no idea if it was T-Neck Records, Billboard, or the Isley’s themselves that kept changing the title. Perhaps it’s a mystery best left unsolved. Link is to the studio recording: