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.
I'm Wild About You
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never talk about love, I just like to show
Something wrong, you can tell me, I need to see, oh yeah
I talk my talk and I walk my walk, just you and me
No doubt
I'm wild about you baby, hey I'm wild
There's always talk about things, I, I cannot change
There always moves about things, I, I can't rearrange
I'm wild about you baby, you know, how I feel, hey baby
I'm wild about you baby, your down in my heart,
Your down in my mind, your down in my soul yeah, soul yeah
I love you so much, I wanna take you in my arms,
Take you in my arms, take you in my arms yeah
Mocking down about somethings, I can't remain, oh yeah
I'm standing on the one I can depend on
And there can't be no gain
I'm wild about you baby, yes sir
I'm wild about
I'm wild about you baby,
I'm wild, I'm wild
I'm wild about you baby, good God
I'm wild, yeah
I'm wild about you baby,
You don't know how it feels
Yeah, yeah
In this song, Al Green expresses his love for his significant other. He highlights that rather than just talking about love, he loves to show it. The lyrics express a sense of commitment and devotion. The repetition of the phrase "I'm wild about you baby" emphasizes the depth of his love, and he is not hesitant in declaring it.
Green talks about his inability to change certain things about his life but implies that his love for his significant other is one thing that he can rely on. He expresses that he loves his partner so much that he wants to take them in his arms. The lyrics are a declaration of love and affection that is simple but meaningful.
Overall, the song is a representation of Green's devotion to his partner, and his declaration of love is an affirmation of the strength and depth of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Always talk about love, what do you know
People always talk about love but they don't truly understand its depth and complexity.
I never talk about love, I just like to show
Instead of just talking about love, I express it through actions and behaviors.
Something wrong, you can tell me, I need to see, oh yeah
I am open to feedback and willing to change if something is not right in our relationship.
I talk my talk and I walk my walk, just you and me
I am consistent with my words and my actions when it comes to our relationship.
No doubt
There is no question that I am devoted to you.
I'm wild about you baby, hey I'm wild
I have a strong passion and desire for you.
I'm wild about you baby, there ain't no doubt
There is no question that my feelings for you are intense and unwavering.
There's always talk about things, I, I cannot change
There may be discussions about aspects of our relationship that are out of my control.
There always moves about things, I, I can't rearrange
There may be changes or developments that I cannot influence or adjust.
I'm wild about you baby, you know, how I feel, hey baby
I am deeply in love with you and I hope you feel the same way.
I'm wild about you baby, your down in my heart, Your down in my mind, your down in my soul yeah, soul yeah
You are an important part of my life and my being on every level - emotional, mental, and spiritual.
I love you so much, I wanna take you in my arms, Take you in my arms, take you in my arms yeah
I am eager to hold you close and comfort you with my love.
Mocking down about somethings, I can't remain, oh yeah
If something is bothering me, I cannot keep silent about it for too long.
I'm standing on the one I can depend on And there can't be no gain
I know that I can rely on you and that true love requires selflessness rather than selfishness.
I'm wild about you baby, yes sir
My feelings for you are strong and unwavering.
I'm wild about I'm wild about you baby, I'm wild, I'm wild
I cannot contain or control my passion and love for you.
I'm wild about you baby, good God
My love for you is intense and awe-inspiring.
I'm wild, yeah
I am consumed by my feelings for you.
I'm wild about you baby, You don't know how it feels, Yeah, yeah
I have such strong love for you that it is difficult to express in words.
Lyrics © JELLYBEAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ahmir K. Thompson, Al L. Green, Chalmers E. Alford, Adam W. Blackstone, James Jason Poyser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind