The album is notable for the group's decision to alter their trademark funk rock sound in the 1970s with the then-current early 1980s electro funk scene dominated by Rick James, Prince, Zapp and the Gap Band.

Following the releases of two 1981 albums, the gold-selling Grand Slam and the lesser-successful Inside You, the Isley Brothers were finding themselves in a rut following a successful nine-year run of gold and platinum albums and a succession of hit singles that had made them one of the top-selling R&B/funk bands of the 1970s.

For their next album, 1982's The Real Deal, the group went for a more minimalist funk sound with the title track, which hit the top 20 of the R&B charts, Ron Isley, Ernie Isley and Chris Jasper showcase "Stone Cold Lover", the vocoderized "Are You With Me", the mid-tempo "It's Alright With Me" (with Chris Jasper being the only other vocalist beside Ron Isley singing on the song) with the smoother pop rock ballad "All in My Lover's Eyes", which peaked at number sixty-seven on the R&B chart in 1983, while Ron and Ernie are showcased heavy on the Jimi Hendrix-inspired "Under the Influence", which showcased a more bluesier approach than the group was used to.

Despite hopes that the album will bring the Isleys back to the top of the charts, it stalled at number 87 on the Billboard 200.

A year later the group will bounce back with Between the Sheets, which became the last album to feature Chris Jasper.