Al Green Explores Your Mind
| Al Green Explores Your Mind | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 30:26 | |||
| Label | Hi | |||
| Producer | Willie Mitchell | |||
| Al Green chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | (B+)[2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
Al Green Explores Your Mind is the eighth album by soul singer Al Green. Unlike previous Al Green albums, this album featured only one major hit, the U.S. #7 hit "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)", but did contain the original version of "Take Me to the River", a song which went to #26 on the Billboard chart when covered by Talking Heads in 1978. In 2004, the song "Take Me to the River" was ranked number 117 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
The album was his fifth consecutive album to claim #1 on the Soul Albums chart, and peaked at #15 on the Pop Albums chart.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Al Green; except where indicated
- Side one
- "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)" – 3:01
- "Take Me to the River" (Green, Mabon "Teenie" Hodges) – 3:45
- "God Blessed Our Love" (Green, Willie Mitchell, Earl Randle) – 3:57
- "The City" (Green, Charles Hodges) – 3:25
- "One Nite Stand" – 2:26
- Side two
- "I'm Hooked on You" (Green, Mitchell) – 3:22
- "Stay with Me Forever" (Green, Alma Sanders) – 3:15
- "Hangin' On" (Green, Michael Allen) – 4:21
- "School Days" – 3:14
Personnel
- Al Green - vocals
- Teenie Hodges - guitar
- Leroy Hodges - bass
- Charles Hodges - organ, piano
- Howard Grimes - drums, congas
- Archie Turner, Michael Allen - piano
- Charles Chalmers, Donna Rhodes, Sandra Rhodes - backing vocals
- Andrew Love, Ed Logan - tenor saxophone
- James Mitchell - baritone saxophone
- Wayne Jackson - trumpet
- Jack Hale - trombone
Covers
"Take Me To The River" has been covered by several other performers including Talking Heads (on 1978's More Songs About Buildings and Food), Ron Fleeger & The Stranger, Al's label mate Syl Johnson, Levon Helm, Annie Lennox, Toni Childs, Max on the Rox, Dave Matthews Band, Grateful Dead, Bryan Ferry, Delbert McClinton, Maná, The Commitments, Foghat, Gov't Mule, Phish and Eva Cassidy.
See also
References
- ^ Al Green Explores Your Mind at AllMusic
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: al green". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
- ^ "Al Green Explores Your Mind - Rolling Stone". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2017-07-07.