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.
Free At Last
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Free at last, free, free, free, free
Oh, I give your name the praise
Free at last
Free, free, free, free,
Thank god almighty
Free at last
Thank god almighty, free at last
Let me say I am
Free, free, free, free, free, free, free
Thank you lord, yeah, yeah, no
Free, free, free, free
Thank you, thank you Jesus, the lord oh, yeah
Oh, how you pick me up, turn me around
Place my feet on solid ground
Yes you did and yes you did, yes you did
Hey, took me out of the muddy clay
Set me on a rock to stay yes you did, yes you did, yes you did
Oh, you blessed my soul with plenty of love
Gave me wings to fly above
Yes you did, yes you did, yeah
I love your name, I love your name [Repeat: x3]
Whoa, I'm free, free
Yes, my love can't justify the king, yes I
The song "Free At Last" by Al Green is a gospel-inspired hymn about an individual who has transcended his past struggles and has found freedom through the grace of God. The song is a celebration of the transformative power of God's love that has enabled the singer to rise above his problems and find solace in his faith. The repetitive use of "free" emphasizes the magnitude of the singer's liberation and expresses his profound gratitude towards God.
The opening lines "I'm free, thank God almighty, free at last" alludes to Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream" speech, where he declared, "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last." The song is believed to be Al Green's tribute to King and the civil rights movement.
The subsequent lines "Oh, I give your name the praise" show Green's recognition and appreciation for God's role in his life. These lines are repeated throughout the song, demonstrating the continuity of the singer's faith at various stages of his personal journey. The lyrics "Thank you, thank you Jesus, the lord, oh yeah" further emphasize the singer's gratefulness for his newfound freedom.
In summary, "Free At Last" is a powerful testament to the transformative and redemptive power of faith. The song is a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, as well as an expression of the singer's gratitude to God for delivering him from his struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm free, thank god almighty
I have been liberated from my struggles, and I express my gratitude to God for this freedom.
Free at last, free, free, free, free
I am no longer bound by the chains that held me down. I am finally free, and my heart overflows with joy.
Oh, I give your name the praise
I acknowledge that God is the source of my liberation and freedom, and I offer my praise and adoration to Him.
Free at last
I repeat my proclamation that I am finally free from whatever had held me down.
Thank god almighty, free at last
I reiterate my thanks to God for my freedom, recognizing that it is only by His grace that I have been released from my struggles.
Let me say I am
I am emphasizing that I am indeed free, and I express this with great satisfaction and relief.
Free, free, free, free, free, free, free
I cannot stop repeating the word 'free' to express my newfound freedom, which I cherish and hold dear.
Thank you lord, yeah, yeah, no
I thank the Lord for my freedom and express my joy and gratitude in different ways, including with cheerful affirmations.
Thank you, thank you Jesus, the lord oh, yeah
I express my gratitude to Jesus, who is my Lord and Savior and who has granted me this freedom.
Oh, how you pick me up, turn me around
I recognize that God has lifted me up from the depths of my struggles and has set me on a new path of freedom and hope.
Place my feet on solid ground
God has given me a stable foundation on which to build my life, and I am grateful for this firm footing.
Yes you did and yes you did, yes you did
I affirm that everything God has done for me is true, and I repeat this affirmation several times to emphasize its importance.
Hey, took me out of the muddy clay
I was stuck in a difficult situation, but God has rescued me and lifted me up out of this mire.
Set me on a rock to stay yes you did, yes you did, yes you did
God has given me a firm foundation on which to build my life, and I am confident that I can remain strong and steadfast on this rock.
Oh, you blessed my soul with plenty of love
God has showered me with love and blessings, and I am grateful for His abundant grace and mercy.
Gave me wings to fly above
God has given me the ability to rise above my struggles and to soar to new heights.
Yes you did, yes you did, yeah
I reiterate my affirmation that everything God has done for me is true, and I express this with great joy and gratitude.
I love your name, I love your name [Repeat: x3]
I express my love and devotion to God, recognizing that everything good in my life comes from Him.
Whoa, I'm free, free
I repeat once again that I am free, and I express this with great enthusiasm and passion.
Yes, my love can't justify the king, yes I
I acknowledge that my expressions of love and gratitude cannot fully capture and justify the glory and majesty of God, who is the King of Kings.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL GREEN, AL L GREEN, WRITER UNKNOWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vicpbs1997
Porra, vagabundo óh
Vou te falar, tô chapando
Eita mundo bom de acabar
O que fazer quando a fortaleza tremeu
E quase tudo ao seu redor
Melhor, se corrompeu
Epa, pera lá, muita calma, ladrão
Cadê o espírito imortal do Capão?
Lave o rosto nas águas sagradas da pia
Nada como um dia após o outro dia
Que, sou eu seu lado direito
Tá abalado, por que veio?
@J.E.Sunseri
Kennedy Center Honors
2014
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
2002
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
2009 · Stay With Me (By The Sea)
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
1995 · Funny How Time Slips Away
Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance
2009 · You've Got The Love I Need
BET Lifetime Achievement Award
2008
American Music Award for Favorite Album Soul/R&B
1974 · I'm Still in Love with You
Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement
2001
Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male
1988, 1987, 1984 · Everything's Gonna Be Alright, Going Away, I'll Rise Again
Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus
1985 · Sailin' on the Sea of Your Love
Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male or Female
1990 · As Long as We're Together
Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary
1983 · Higher Plane
Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional
1983, 1982 · Precious Lord, The Lord Will Make A Way
Soul Train Music Award for Best Gospel Album – Solo
1987 · He Is the Light
@DJNexus1
Sem essa obra não existiria Jesus Chorou, serei grato eternamente por essa música
@wagnerrosa6287
O grupo Racionais Mc's , coloca em suas músicas essas bases maravilhosas de grandes da Black Music,,,, sucesso garantido.
@prcoutojr1149
Que sonzeira! da para entender agora, porque Racionais é o que é. Olha as musicas que os cara escutavam.
@claudiowalder
@Pr CoutoJr Kl Jay e Mano brown principalmente
@mjuniorrap
foi a referencia por ter chegado aqui.top viu
@samuelafonso9505
Jesus chorou slc
@JORDAN-ls6ki
@SoundClaudio ice blue e edi rock tbm
Ainda mais o edi rock
@joaquimjoaquim1873
Lágrimas, molham a medalha de um vencedor...
@rafaelangelo2442
Chora agora ri depois , aí Jesus chorou
@Cabo_Vinicius
@@rafaelangelo2442 Lágrimas....