Green was born in Forrest City, Arkansas. He started performing at age ten in a Forrest City quartet called the Greene Brothers; he dropped the final "E" from his last name years later as a solo artist. They toured extensively in the mid-1950s in the South until the Greenes moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, when they began to tour around Michigan. His father kicked him out of the group because he caught Green listening to Jackie Wilson.
In 1967 at the age of 16, Al formed an R&B group, Al Green & the Creations, with several of his high-school friends. Two Creation members, Curtis Rogers and Palmer James, founded their own independent record company, Hot Line Music Journal, and had the group record for the label. By that time, the Creations had been re-named the Soul Mates. The group's first single, "Back Up Train," became a surprise hit, climbing to number five on the R&B charts early in 1968. The Soul Mates attempted to record another hit, but all of their subsequent singles failed to find an audience. In 1969, Al Green met bandleader and Hi Records vice president Willie Mitchell while on tour in Midland, Texas. Impressed with Green's voice, he signed the singer to Hi Records, and began collaborating with Al on his debut album
He was perhaps the ideal complement to the orchestral, syrupy, strong soul production work of Hi Records wizard Willie Mitchell, who also helmed 70s classics for Syl Johnson, Ann Peebles, and himself.
On October 18, 1974, Mary Woodson, a woman who was his longtime girlfriend, threw a large pot of sticky boiling grits on him as he was preparing to shower, because he didn't want to get married. She committed suicide in minutes, which deeply affected Green to turn to God and religion. This assault from behind caused third-degree burns on his back, stomach and arm. Deeply shaken, Green continued to reaffirm and grow closer to his deeply held love for God, and became an ordained pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis in 1976.
Continuing to record R&B, Green saw his sales start to slip and drew mixed reviews from critics. 1977's The Belle Album was critically acclaimed but did not regain his former mass audience. In 1979 Green injured himself falling off the stage while performing in Cincinnati and interpreted this as a message from God. He then concentrated his energies towards pastoring his church and gospel singing, also appearing in 1982 with Patti Labelle in the Broadway musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God. According to Glide Magazine, "by the late 70s, he had begun concentrating almost exclusively on gospel music." His first gospel album was The Lord Will Make a Way. From 1981 to 1989 Green recorded a series of gospel recordings, garnering eight "soul gospel performance" Grammys in that period. In 1985, he reunited with Willie Mitchell along with Angelo Earl for He Is the Light, his first album for A&M Records. In 1984, director Robert Mugge released a documentary film, Gospel According to Al Green, including interviews about his life and footage from his church. In 1989, Green released "I Get Joy", again with producer/guitarist Angelo Earl. In 2001, he appeared in the movie and soundtrack of On the Line featuring Lance Bass.
After spending several years exclusively performing gospel, Green began to return to Rhythm & Blues. First, he released a duet with Annie Lennox, "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" for Scrooged, a 1988 Bill Murray film. In 1989 Green worked with producer Arthur Baker writing and producing the international hit "The Message Is Love". In 1991 he created the introductory theme song for the short-lived television series Good Sports featuring Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett. In 1992, Green recorded again with Baker, the Fine Young Cannibals, and reunited with his former Memphis mix engineer (this time functioning as producer) Terry Manning, to release the album Don't Look Back. His 1994 duet with country music singer Lyle Lovett blended country with R&B, garnering him his ninth Grammy, this time in a pop music category. Green's first secular album in some time was Your Heart's In Good Hands (1995), released to positive reviews but disappointing sales, the same year Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2000, Green published Take Me to the River, a book discussing his career. Green received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.
In 2001, Green's live cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" was released on the soundtrack to Will Smith's film Ali (the song plays when Muhammad Ali learns of the death of close friend Malcolm X).
By 2003 Green released a non-religious (secular) album entitled I Can't Stop, his first collaboration with Willie Mitchell since 1985's He is the Light. In March 2005 he issued Everything's OK as the follow-up to I Can't Stop. Green also collaborated with Mitchell on this secular CD.
The title of Al Green's latest album Lay It Down released May, 2008, truly tells it like it is. Conceived as a collaboration between the soul legend and a handful of gifted young admirers from the worlds of contemporary R&B and hip hop, the album is drawn from a series of inspired sessions that yielded the most high-spirited, funky and often lushly romantic songs of Green's latter-day career.
The project features the sophisticated R&B voices of singer-songwriters John Legend, Anthony Hamilton and Corinne Bailey Rae, and it was co-produced with Green by two of hip-hop's most innovative players, drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson from the Roots and keyboardist James Poyser , the go-to guy for high-profile artists ranging from Erykah Badu to Common. Add in Brooklyn's celebrated Dap-King Horns (Sharon Jones, Amy Winehouse), guitarist Chalmers "Spanky" Alford (Mighty Clouds of Joy, Joss Stone) and bassist Adam Blackstone (Jill Scott, DJ Jazzy Jeff), among others, and you've got a modern soul-music dream team, fronted by the most expressive voice in the business.
Ain't No Fun for Me
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just waiting in the rain
Standing by the highway
Just waiting in the rain
October sun is shining
These tears they cause the pain
It simply make up
And that ain't no fun to me
I said it ain't no fun to me
Leaving you, it sure ain't no fun to me, babe
I said leaving you, sure ain't no fun to me, baby
I believe in you
And I would like what you do to me
Baby, you make me feel like a brand new man
Oh baby, another time I could say
I'll take the love and affection
Wherever I can, baby
Now that's no fun to me, let me see it
That's no fun to me, baby
You got me standing here waiting
You got me standing here waiting
I really, really, I don't mind waiting
If I told you it ain't no fun to me
I want you to know, it ain't no fun to me, baby
'Cause sometimes I have to sit down
I think about it
Just sit down, think about it
It ain't no fun to me, baby
Sometimes I feel like leaving you, baby
I don't mind leaving you, baby
But it ain't no fun to me, no, no, no
But it ain't no fun to me
In Al Green's song "Ain't No Fun for Me," the singer expresses his disappointment and pain in ending a relationship with someone he deeply cared for. He stands by the highway in the rain, feeling the tears that he sheds causing him pain. The October sun only adds to the emotional turmoil he is feeling, as he realizes that he and his partner were only meant to break up, not make up. He declares that leaving her is no fun for him and that he believes in her and what she did for him.
Green conveys how being separated from someone he loved was a difficult decision and that he wishes he could go back to when he felt like a new man with her. Green does not want to take the love and attention of another person if it is not from the one he truly wants to be with. He expresses that standing and waiting for her is something he does not mind doing, but leaving her is just as difficult for him. Sometimes he even thinks about leaving her, but breaks off that thought when he thinks about how it is not fun for him to do so.
In summary, the song speaks about the end of a relationship between two lovers and how it affects each party. One person is left in pain and is standing in the rain, feeling the effects of the decision to separate. The other person is not having any fun leaving the person they once loved behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing by the highway
I am waiting for you to come back to me
Just waiting in the rain
I am patiently waiting for you, despite the discomfort
October sun is shining
Even though it's sunny outside, I am still sad and in pain
These tears they cause the pain
My tears are a result of my heartache and longing for you
It simply make up
Our love is fragile and easily broken
Only just to break up, oh baby
We keep breaking up, and it hurts me deeply
And that ain't no fun to me
I am unhappy and dissatisfied with our relationship's constant ups and downs
I said it ain't no fun to me
I am emphasizing how much our relationship is causing me pain
Leaving you, it sure ain't no fun to me, babe
Even though I sometimes consider leaving, the thought of it makes me unhappy
I believe in you
I have faith in our relationship and your love for me
And I would like what you do to me
I appreciate the love and affection you show me
Baby, you make me feel like a brand new man
Your love has the power to transform me and my outlook on life
Oh baby, another time I could say
I wish our relationship were how it used to be
I'll take the love and affection
I will accept and return your love
Wherever I can, baby
I will make it work between us, no matter the situation
Now that's no fun to me, let me see it
I cannot tolerate our relationship being one-sided, with only me trying to make it work
That's no fun to me, baby
I am unhappy with the current dynamic of our relationship
You got me standing here waiting
I am waiting for you to make an effort in our relationship
I really, really, I don't mind waiting
Even though waiting can be difficult, I am willing to do it for you
If I told you it ain't no fun to me
I am trying to convey how unhappy I am in our relationship
I want you to know, it ain't no fun to me, baby
I want you to understand how I feel and take action to improve our relationship
'Cause sometimes I have to sit down
Sometimes my emotions become overwhelming, and I need to take a break
I think about it
During these breaks, I reflect on our relationship and how to improve it
Just sit down, think about it
I take my time to carefully consider my thoughts and feelings
It ain't no fun to me, baby
I am still unhappy with our relationship, even after reflection
Sometimes I feel like leaving you, baby
At times, I contemplate ending our relationship
I don't mind leaving you, baby
The thought of leaving you doesn't make me sad
But it ain't no fun to me, no, no, no
Regardless of my thoughts, the prospect of actually leaving you still brings me no joy or satisfaction
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AL GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michelmullaney3641
Standing by the highway
Just waiting in the rain
Standing by the highway
Just waiting in the rain
October sun is shining
These tears they cause the pain
It simply make up
Only just to break up, oh baby
And that ain't no fun to me
I said it ain't no fun to me
Leaving you, it sure ain't no fun to me, babe
I said leaving you, sure ain't no fun to me, baby
I believe in you
And I would like what you do to me
Baby, you make me feel like a brand new man
Oh, baby, another time I could say
I'll take the love and affection
Wherever I can, baby
Now that's no fun to me, let me see it
That's no fun to me, baby
You got me standing here waiting
You got me standing here waiting
I really, really, I don't mind waiting
If I told you it ain't no fun to me
I want you know, it ain't no fun to me, baby
Cause sometimes I have to sit down
I think about it
Just sit down, think about it
It ain't no fun to me, baby
Sometimes I feel like leaving you, baby
I don't mind leaving you, baby
But it ain't no fun to me, no, no, no
But it ain't no fun to me
@dexcreativeliving7
Al sings with such heart, soul, and passion in his voice. He makes such amazing music. You can feel what he is singing.
@weldonharper4036
This song by Al Green is my jam!!
@robertfinch6220
ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES I GREW UP ON AN I STILL LISTEN TO, TODAY SIMPLY THE BEST 😃💯🔥❤️.
@Wonka275
Al opened with this when I saw him this year. Badass!
@nanaanderson7315
Hi
@danilodiscotecariorocha7220
Maravilha
@weldonharper4901
I've always liked the Al Green sound.
@michelmullaney3641
Standing by the highway
Just waiting in the rain
Standing by the highway
Just waiting in the rain
October sun is shining
These tears they cause the pain
It simply make up
Only just to break up, oh baby
And that ain't no fun to me
I said it ain't no fun to me
Leaving you, it sure ain't no fun to me, babe
I said leaving you, sure ain't no fun to me, baby
I believe in you
And I would like what you do to me
Baby, you make me feel like a brand new man
Oh, baby, another time I could say
I'll take the love and affection
Wherever I can, baby
Now that's no fun to me, let me see it
That's no fun to me, baby
You got me standing here waiting
You got me standing here waiting
I really, really, I don't mind waiting
If I told you it ain't no fun to me
I want you know, it ain't no fun to me, baby
Cause sometimes I have to sit down
I think about it
Just sit down, think about it
It ain't no fun to me, baby
Sometimes I feel like leaving you, baby
I don't mind leaving you, baby
But it ain't no fun to me, no, no, no
But it ain't no fun to me
@raygun1932
This is song actually good for working and for sport.
@sartainja
The Big A laying the funk down to us. He always has the best way to end a song.