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.
Hot Wire
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How I long to kiss you, baby
Without you, can't go on
Without you, baby
I got a hot wire from my baby
(From my baby)
Ooh, what a sweet little telegram
She wrote, darling, I love you
There's no one above you
I wish you were home
(Wish you were home)
You been gone so long
Sincerely
(I miss you)
I'm a tell, y'all
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
Every, every day now
(Without you) please
(Can't go on without you, baby)
What'd she say
She wrote, love be with you
And every day, I'll miss you
I wish you were home so bad
(I wish you were home) so bad
You been gone so long, oh
(I miss you)
Sing the song children now
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
(Without you) can't make it
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Play your part right here
Come on
She wrote, baby, I love you
My heart and soul is with you
I wish you were home
(Wish you were home)
You been gone so long
Sincerely
(I miss you)
Baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Without you)
Without you, I can't make it
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Take it just a bit higher, y'all
Look (I miss you)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
I'm gonna kiss you more and more
(Without you) baby
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Don't even have a possible chance
But I wanna say it one more
Come on
(I miss you) oh, baby
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
Every, every day, y'all
(Without you) yeah
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Just a little higher, y'all...
In this song, Al Green expresses his longing for his love who is away from him. He misses her badly and wants to kiss her passionately. He tells us that he can't live without her and this separation is hurting him badly. Then he receives a "hot wire," which is an old-fashioned term for a telegram or urgent message. His lover has sent him a telegram saying that she loves him and misses him terribly. She wishes he was back home with her as she feels lonely without him. In response, Green reaffirms his love for her and how much he misses her too. He sings that he will keep missing her and kissing her more and more.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by legendary singer and songwriter Willie Mitchell, who produced most of Al Green's hit songs. Mitchell was also a prominent figure in the Memphis music scene and produced music for other great artists like Otis Clay, Ann Peebles, and Syl Johnson. Another interesting fact is that "Hot Wire" was released as a single in 1971 but failed to make it to the top of the charts. However, it became a fan favorite and remains a beloved song today.
Additionally, the song was one of the last songs that Al Green recorded at Willie Mitchell's Hi Records studio in Memphis. Green had a tumultuous relationship with Mitchell, and after recording a few more albums with him, he left the label and went on to explore other music genres like gospel. Despite their rocky history, Green and Mitchell remained friends until Mitchell passed away in 2010.
The chords for the song are as follows:
Verse: E, A, E, A, B, E, A
Chorus: A, E, A, E, A, E, A, B
Bridge: C#m, A, E
Line by Line Meaning
I miss you
Green misses his significant other and wishes they were together.
How I long to kiss you, baby
Green desires to kiss his significant other, further highlighting his longing for them.
Without you, can't go on
Green is unable to carry on with his life without his significant other.
Without you, baby
Reiterating that Green is addressing his significant other who is absent.
I got a hot wire from my baby
Green received a message from his significant other that connects them together and brings comfort to Green's longing.
(From my baby)
This message is coming from Green's significant other, adding emphasis to the importance of the message.
Ooh, what a sweet little telegram
Green is delighted by the message he received from his significant other which brings joy to his life.
She wrote, darling, I love you
Green's significant other expressed her love for him which is what Green longs to hear.
There's no one above you
Green's significant other believes that Green is the best person for her.
I wish you were home
Green expresses his desire for his significant other to be with him.
(Wish you were home)
Retaining the importance of that one statement.
You been gone so long
Green's significant other has been away for quite a while now.
Sincerely
Green conveys his sincerity in his emotions towards his significant other.
(I miss you)
Restating what was previously expressed in the beginning, reiterating it's importance to Green.
I'm a tell, y'all
Green is about to express something important to his audience.
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
Reiteration of Green's longing to kiss his significant other, showing how passionate he is about the relationship.
Every, every day now
Green feels his emotions towards his significant other every day.
(Without you) please
Enforcing the fact that Green's life can not carry on without his significant other, who he adores a lot.
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Also re-enforcing the same fact.
What'd she say
The audience can tell Green is curious to what his significant other had to say in her message.
She wrote, love be with you
Green's significant other hopes he has love with him wherever he goes.
And every, every day, I'll miss you
Showing the reader that Green's significant other will also miss him every day.
I wish you were home so bad
Green expresses how badly he yearns for his significant other's presence.
(Wish you were home) so bad
Green re-emphasizes the same feelings for his significant other.
You been gone so long, oh
Green's significant other has been away for what feels like an eternity to him.
(I miss you)
Restating Green's feeling towards his significant other, and how it is affecting him.
Sing the song children now
Green directs the audience to sing along with him, offering catharsis to his feelings.
(Without you) can't make it
Green reiterates that he wouldn't be able to carry on without his significant other.
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Retaining the same emotions again regarding Green's dependency on his significant other.
Play your part right here
Green requests the audience to participate and sing the song with him, reinvigorating the vibe.
She wrote, baby, I love you
Green's significant other reaffirmed her love for him, bringing him hope and happiness.
My heart and soul are with you
Green's significant other has an emotional attachment with Green and it makes him feel complete.
(Wish you were home)
The importance of Green's desire for his significant other to come home holds true.
You been gone so long
Reiterating that Green's significant other has been away for way too long.
Sincerely
Green wants to convey that he truly means everything he is saying.
Baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Green's serious sentiments to his significant other is driven home with more emphasis and passion by repeating 'yeah' four times.
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
Green re-emphasizes that he deeply desires to kiss his significant other.
(Without you)
Retaining the importance of Green's dependency on his significant other.
Without you, I can't make it
Green without his significant other would not be able to carry on with life.
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Re-emphasis on Green's emotions related to his strong desire for his significant other.
Take it just a bit higher, y'all
Green's passion for his significant other, and his connection between them inspires him to perform better, and take the love even higher.
Look (I miss you)
Green directs his lyrics to his significant others and reaffirms how much he misses her.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Green's emotional state is conveyed with vocalizations instead of lyrics.
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
Restating Green's deep longing to be with his significant other.
I'm gonna kiss you more and more
Green imagines when his significant other returns how passionate he will be with her, and he will kiss her more often.
(Without you) baby
Green expresses how his longing for his significant other is taking over him, and he does not feel like he can carry on.
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Reiterating the relationship between Green and his significant other and signifying how important it is to him.
Don't even have a possible chance
Green cannot survive without his significant other, and he is expressing how deeply he is affected by this fact.
But I wanna say it one more
Green still has things to say about his longing for his significant other.
Come on (I miss you) oh, baby
Green reminds his significant other that he misses her, and he wants her to come back home to him.
(How I long to kiss you, baby)
Showing the importance of the passion that Green shares for his significant other.
Every, every day, y'all (Without you) yeah
Green's song reaffirms his feelings for his significant other every day, without her presence it will never be complete.
(Can't go on without you, baby)
Green's dependency on his significant other is something he cannot help and is expressed again.
Just a little higher, y'all
Green wants his lyrics to go even higher, reflecting how significant his desire for his significant other is.
Contributed by Mila T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.