The Whispers, And the Beat Goes On | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 130^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “And the Beat Goes On” by The Whispers.  

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 130^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2025), we recollect and reflect on “And the Beat Goes On” performed by The Whispers.

“And the beat goes on / Just like my love, everlasting / And the beat goes on / Still moving strong on and on.” R&B collective The Whispers struck gold in 1980 with their single, “And The Beat Goes On”. “Beat” marked their breakthrough hit.  It appeared on their 1979 platinum-certified self-titled album.  Notably, the single peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. Only their ace-in-the-hole, “Rock Steady”, released in the late 1980s, would chart higher on the pop charts.  Stephen Shockley, Leon Sylvers III, and William Shelby wrote “And The Beat Goes On.” Worth noting, as I recollect this 1980s gem, founding member and vocalist Walter Scott Jr. passed away in June 2025 at the age of 81. Alongside his twin brother, Scotty, Walter conjured up plenty of vocal magic.

“And The Beat Goes On” slaps for a plethora of reasons.  The production is sleek to the nth degree. Does it get any crisper-sounding than the rhythm guitar on this track? No, or at least, that’s how it feels and sounds! Beyond the guitaring, “Beat” delivers picturesque, lush strings, a prominent bass line, a danceable, electrifying groove, and colorful keys and synths.  The instrumental is EVERYTHING.  Beyond the accompaniment, the singing is also on point! The vocals are delightful: silky smooth and falsetto-laden. Yes, the chorus, excerpted earlier, is the section to beat, but the verses are sweet, too! “Do you ever wonder / That to win, somebody’s got to lose,” Scott asserts in the first verse, adding in the second, “Now I understand myself (When I’m down) / Like the sweet sound of hip music / There’ll always be something new.” Ultimately, The Whispers are 100%. “The beat goes on,” despite taking an L, or perhaps, many Ls when it comes to that L of a thing called love.  Regardless, on “And The Beat Goes On”, The Whispers don’t give up.  They are still moving strong, on and on!