The "other"
O'Jays album masterpiece,
Ship Ahoy combined shattering message tracks and stunning love songs in a fashion matched only by
Curtis Mayfield's finest material. From the album cover showing a slave ship to the memorable title song and incredible "For the Love of Money,"
Gamble & Huff addressed every social ill from envy to racism and greed.
Eddie Levert's leads were consistently magnificent, as were the harmonies, production, and arrangements. "Put Your Hands Together" and "You Got Your Hooks in Me" would be good album cuts, but on
Ship Ahoy they were merely icing on the cake. [The 2003 reissue of
Ship Ahoy boasts new liner notes including remembrances by arranger
Bobby Martin, remastered sound, and one bonus track: a soul-wrenching live version of "Put Your Hands Together" recorded in London in 1973 and released on
the O'Jays' 1974 record
The O'Jays Live in London.] ~ Ron Wynn