by Ron Wynn
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 and 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.