Our Top Alessi Brothers Songs list presents the best Alessi Brothers Songs “Oh, Lori,” “All for a Reason,” “Put Away Your Love” and many more. Since 1976, Billy and Bobby Alessi have been rocking the American audience. Born on July 12, 1954, in West Hempstead, New York, the brothers formed their first band while attending high school with fellow students Don Droege and Bob Pelicane. As The Mod Scene, the group performed a series of gigs at venues located in Greenwich Village and Long Island. Since then, the band underwent a series of name and lineup changes. This included the 1967 identity known as The Look. At the time the brothers were signed to Verve Records and released “If I Were a Carpenter” as a single, along with “Can You Do” on the record’s flip side.
Barnaby Bye
Going into 1970, the Alessi brothers teamed up with a guitarist from Blue Magoos fame, Peppy Castro. Together, they performed in Hair, a Broadway production that would lead them to a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1972. This stage production served as a starting point for several Broadway performers to move onto popular hits such as 42nd Street and Jesus Christ Superstar.
As for the Alessi Brothers, they were part of Barnaby Bye’s roster, along with Peppy Castro and Mike Ricciardella. Together, they produced the first of their three albums, Room to Grow, in 1972. Touch would be the 1973 follow-up album, then Thrice Upon a Time. Although the third album was recorded in 1974, it wasn’t released until after 2008 when the band reunited.
Brotherly Legacy
In 1976, Billy and Bobby recorded their first album as a duo. Simply titled Alessi, this was the recording that produced the brothers’ signature hit, “Oh Lori.” Come 1977, the Alessi Brothers earned their first taste of global fame after the single became a charted hit among a multitude of nations. From there, additional singles would become chart hits from the twelve albums that have been credited to the Alessi Brothers so far. In addition to these recordings was 1984’s “Savin’ the Day” for the Ghostbusters soundtrack. The album itself earned a Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.
Throughout the course of The Alessi Brothers’ career as musicians, they’ve also produced and written for other recording artists such as Christopher Cross, Debbie Gibson, Paul McCartney, Olivia Newton-John, and Frankie Valli. They also toured with Andy Gibb when he held his Shadow Dancing Tour during the late 1970s. It was during this time both Gibb and the Alessi Brothers realized the height of their popularity, especially among mainstream music fans.
In 1979, they were the backup vocalists for Art Garfunkel’s album, Fate for Breakfast. They also did the same for John Lennon’s Milk and Honey album. Upon the turn of the twenty-first century, the Alessi Brothers resumed their career as recording artists. In 2012, the duo, as well as Barnaby Bye, were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.
So far, Billy and Bobby Alessi have sold over eight million records worldwide and are still going strong with the recent release of Eden Roc. On a global level, the Alessi Brothers have more than ten million fans who find both men still “have it” even after performing as a duo since 1976.
In addition to enjoying a career as recording artists for the music industry, Billy and Bobby Alessi have also made a name for themselves as campaign writers for a series of companies such as Blockbuster Video, Coke, JC Penny, and Sears. Many of the popular jingles between 7UP, Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, Greyhound, and Kentucky Fried Chicken came from the brothers.
Top 10 Alessi Brothers Songs
#10 – Long Time Friends
The title track for the 1982 album Long Time Friends featured a piano performance by Michael Omartian throughout this beautiful ballad was simply spectacular. There was also a duet performance of this same song shared between Billy Alessi and Patty Austin that’s also become a fan favorite. “Long Time Friends” was a romantic song that appealed to romantics around the world. There are reasons why the Alessi Brothers have a fan base of over ten million fans and this song is one of them.
#9 – Driftin’
The beauty behind “Driftin'” was the carefree feeling it gave as a song performed by Billy and Bobby Alessi. Released as a single in 1978, it became a number eighty-six hit on Australia’s Kent Music Report. With a lyrical sound that has their fans agree that shared the same quality level as the Bee Gees, the Alessi Brothers made a career out of producing easy-listening music that romantics could relate to. It was a formula that’s worked in their favor ever since they formed their first band in high school.
#8 – Don’t Hold Back
“Don’t Hold Back” was the debut single released by the Alessi Brothers from their self-titled album, Alessi, in 1977. While the music was technically recorded in 1976, the first of its six singles was not released until the turn of the new year. While it may not have made a big nationwide impression at the time, it did establish why Billy and Bobby were musical heroes among the fan base they had in New York. The Alessi brothers were romantics at heart, which served as the core ingredient behind each song they performed. While mainstream music ran in the direction of disco, Billy and Bobby chose to appeal to a fan base that was just as romantic at heart as they were.
#7 – Joanna
In 1977, “Joanna” was a single that was released in Australia only. On its Kent Music Report, it peaked as high as number eighty-five. In the song, the Alessi Brothers spoke of a popular girl that captivated the hearts of all the boys in school. As a tune many teenagers can relate to, the desire to win the love interest over was outmatched by the competition, even as “Joanna” seemed to generate interest in the vocalist herself.
#6 – Sad Songs
What made “Sad Songs” a fan favorite was the simplicity behind a tune that catered to romantics. The Alessi Brothers seemed more interested in recording quality music that fans of all ages could enjoy instead of just focusing on the trends. That’s what made this duo so appealing. “Sad Songs” represented the relationship with a girl that experienced all the highs and lows but still loved every minute of it.
#5 – Savin’ the Day
In 1984, “Savin’ the Day” was one of the songs recorded for the Ghostbusters soundtrack. As a heroic number, “Savin’ the Day” perfectly alerted the listener that something serious was about to go down. The Alessi Brothers were well-noted for delivering crisp clear vocals with performances that became easy-listening favorites.
#4 – Put Away Your Love
“Put Away Your Love” was the one and only single released by the Alessi Brothers that made an appearance on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1982, “Put Away Your Love” became a number seventy-one hit on its chart. On the US Cash Box chart, it peaked as high as number seventy-nine. In the song, it was expressed to a former love interest that the vocalist has moved on and has since become involved in another relationship. He also made it clear he wasn’t about to jeopardize a good thing he had going just to rekindle what he once upon a time had with her. Among fans who could relate, “Put Away Your Love” became one of the signature tunes that made the Alessi Brothers an easy-listening favorite.
#3 – Seabird
“Seabird” was a song originally produced by the Alessi Brothers that is now featured in the 2021 comedy-drama series Resident Alien. It was also played during Hunt for the Wildepeople‘s closing credits in 2016. This came from a 2012 recording from the compilation album Late Night Tales: Metronomy. Metronomy is a UK-based band that covered “Seabird” as one of the twenty tracks it recorded as their contribution to the Late Night Tales series. In total, Late Night Tales has fifty albums that have been recorded and released so far. The recordings featured on these albums are cover versions of previously recorded musical material by other artists. Alessi’s original “Seabird” was first recorded in 1976 as one of the tracks on the brothers’ self-titled album.
Before Metronomy covered “Seabird,” the Alessi Brothers had their original recording featured on The Tourist‘s 2010 soundtrack. In 2022, it was also their version that was included in the Loot soundtrack.
#2 – All for a Reason
“All for a Reason” was a single that was released by the Alessi Brothers in 1977. On South Africa’s Springbok chart, it peaked as high as number seventeen. In the Netherlands, it was a number twenty-two hit. The Australians peaked the song as high as number sixty-nine. Although the Alessi Brothers didn’t make a big impression on the US Billboard charts, they were musical heroes among a fan base that preferred the easy-listening material that came from Billy and Bobby. In the song, the love interest, Ann, was contacted by telephone as the narrator poured out his heart.
#1 – Oh, Lori
In 1977, the Alessi Brothers witnessed their hit single, “Oh, Lori” become a top ten hit among a number of nations including Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK. Although it did not make a chart impression on the US Billboard Hot 100, it did peak as high as number eighty-four on the US Cash Box chart. This easy-listening love song addressed the love interest with a hopeful approach their romantic relationship could stand the test of time, from season to season.
Top 10 Alessi Brothers Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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