Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedIt’s Your Thing
Funk1960s184BPM
UnconfirmedKey
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The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
A real, formally litigated 18-year dispute (Isley v. Motown) that a federal jury resolved in the Isley Brothers’ favor in 1975, finding the record was first cut in January 1969 after their Motown contract lapsed. The complexity is kept intact: the brothers changed their earlier sworn testimony — admitting they had fabricated an earlier Motown session to obtain a cash advance — and the judge noted the outcome rested predominantly on that later, revised testimony. Presented honestly, not smoothed over.
Quick Facts
Released1969
AlbumIt’s Our Thing
GenreFunk, Soul, R&B
LabelT-Neck Records
ProducerThe Isley Brothers
Recorded atA&R Studios, New York City
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Ronald, O’Kelly & Rudolph Isley
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Likely the Isleys’ T-Neck entity post-1975 verdict — not independently confirmed
Adampwhite → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A #1 R&B funk cornerstone (much-sampled); a real 18-year Motown lawsuit was resolved in the Isleys’ favor by jury verdict in 1975, with the contested testimony kept honestly.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record.
Related Songs
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Same group (this batch)
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Same group, earlier era (already in this catalogue)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Ronald Isley, O’Kelly Isley Jr. & Rudolph Isley
A real, 18-year Motown lawsuitWhen the song became a hit, Motown chief Berry Gordy sued (Isley v. Motown Record Corp.), claiming the Isleys were still under Motown contract when they recorded it and seeking the recording and publishing rights. The case ran through multiple trials over 18 years.
Contested testimony — the honest complexityIn their initial depositions the brothers testified that a real Motown session had occurred in Nov 1968, that Motown had paid them for it, and that a tape existed. At the 1975 trial they changed their testimony, admitting they had fabricated that session to obtain a needed cash advance, that no music was actually performed, and that their mother had thrown out the tape a month later. A federal jury ruled for the Isleys in 1975, finding the song was genuinely first recorded in Jan 1969 after their Motown contract had lapsed — but the presiding judge separately noted the outcome rested predominantly on the brothers’ own later, revised testimony, which contradicted some of their earlier sworn claims. Presented honestly, not smoothed over.
The recording (current administrator)Likely the Isleys’ own T-Neck entity, given the favorable resolution
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Two takes, and 16-year-old Ernie on bass
Ronald Isley conceived the melody and some lyrics in his head after taking his daughter to school; his older brothers added lyrics. Recorded in two takes, featuring 16-year-old Ernie Isley’s first appearance on bass after a studio musician couldn’t match his rehearsal part — Ernie said he was in “complete fear” during the recording. No lyrics reproduced.
AllMusic · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
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Times sampled
The Isley Brothers’ biggest US chart hit
Covers
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First flip
Who to Contact
YT
Ronald, O’Kelly & Rudolph Isley (T-Neck)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 22)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass