August 19, 2016
Frank Ocean’s new visual album Endless opens with a song he originally shared with the world months ago: his soul-stirring cover of The Isley Brothers’ “At Your Best (You Are Love).” Frank’s version has undergone a lush transformation since he first posted it on Tumblr, now featuring synths by James Blake and string orchestration by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. The song, originally released in the 1970s and made super popular in the 1990s by Aaliyah, has a long and beloved history in the cultural canon. Here’s a quick recap.
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1976: The Isley Brothers released “At Your Best (You Are Love).”
The Ohio trio and legendary songwriters originally dedicated the song to their mother, Sally.
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1994: An R. Kelly remix of Aaliyah’s cover, with a more chart-friendly ‘90s beat, became a huge hit.
2005: Filipina artist Nina covered the song on her album Nina Live!
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2014: And so did Tamar Braxton, on “Let Me Know,” her single with Future.
2016: Frank Ocean's Endless featured a fleshed-out cover of the song, with synths by James Blake.
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