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.
Everything
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out here baby everything is wrong, baby
In a dog-eat-dog world
Ain't nothing safe, baby
You've got mine, I've got yours
Everything's okay
Everybody knows you never told, baby
I got what it takes with my crazy ways
You came along and started this song
Everything's okay
Okay, okay, everything
Everything is okay, baby
Okay, okay, everything
Everything is okay, baby
You came along with your crazy ways
You came along and started this
Everything's okay
Okay, okay, everything
Everything is okay, baby
Okay, okay, everything
Everything is okay, baby
Okay, okay, everything
Everything is okay, baby
Okay, okay, everything
Everything is okay, baby
The song “Everything’s Ok” by Al Green is a soulful ballad about finding comfort and stability with a significant other. The first two lines of the song express a longing to return to the comfort of home because everything is wrong when away. The next few lines describe a world that is not safe and is filled with a cutthroat mentality, but the singer feels secure because he and his partner have a mutual trust and support system. The lyrics suggest that the singer’s partner is his sanctuary in a chaotic world.
The song goes on to describe the singer's life before his partner arrived, explaining that he started off in poverty, and struggled with his “crazy ways”. However, everything changed when his partner came into his life and they started this song together. The repetition of the line “everything’s okay” suggests that their relationship provides a sense of peace and normalcy in a world that can often feel chaotic.
Overall, the lyrics of “Everything’s Ok” express a deep sense of gratitude and contentment for the singer’s partner. They have a profound bond that provides a sense of stability in a world that can be unpredictable and dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna, I wanna come back home, baby
I desire to return to you, my love
Out here baby everything is wrong, baby
The world outside is harsh and full of problems
In a dog-eat-dog world
Living in a ruthless, competitive environment
Ain't nothing safe, baby
Nothing is secure or reliable
You've got mine, I've got yours
We have each other's back
Everything's okay
Despite the chaos around us, we're doing fine
I started out poor baby
I came from humble beginnings
Everybody knows you never told, baby
I kept my struggles to myself
I got what it takes with my crazy ways
I have the passion and drive to succeed despite my eccentricities
You came along and started this song
You brought joy and inspiration into my life
Okay, okay, everything
Reassuring ourselves that everything is alright
Everything is okay, baby
All is well, my love
You came along with your crazy ways
Your unique personality brings color to our lives
Okay, okay, everything
Acknowledging that everything is still alright
Everything is okay, baby
We're doing fine, my love
Okay, okay, everything
Building confidence in our situation
Everything is okay, baby
Overall, life is good with you by my side
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O CAPASSO, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL GREEN, WILLIE MITCHELL, WILLIE LAWRENCE MITCHELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@VeeVee76
I can play this song all day and I won't get annoyed... This is good music I love all his songs 💕
@phadung-sakmeksawad8189
I Love this too
@FLOOXY00
Wow. So many years, and I've came across this song. Ty Al green ❤
@SEPHNE55
Love this, Al is giving it everything
@joshuasummers8481
I love this beautiful song! Al Green is the best!
@ceeexemcee
Sweet. Al Green is a soul immortal.
@thepeaceinsideme9674
I want to live imortality in between AlGreen house and Freddy Mercury 🐴
@lalamoncada4293
Al Green!! I love it! GIVE IT EVERYTHING!! Listen to me! Listen to meeee! This is so true "THERE'S MORE TIME THEN LIFE". Give it everything Give it everything!! I love this man's voice.
@thepeaceinsideme9674
Always follow God 🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀
@VeeVee76
I love it♡