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 Tried To Tell Myself
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you would be back
(You would be back)
I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
That you would be back
(You would be back)
Oh, though you said you would
I know I'm trying to be someone
Say I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
You got to ride
(You got to ride)
Oh, I tried to tell myself, I tried
I really tired to sleep at night
(Sleep at night)
Before the break of day
Turning another page into life's mystery
And the light of day
I can now hear you say
I then take this trip
With me to eternity
Oh, I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
You need a friend
(You need a friend)
Oh and as soon as I wake up
The sun begin to shine, I start to rain
(Start to rain)
I see you finally made it
All the time you waited
I, I could be with you
I see you finally made it
All the time you waited
Now I wanna be with you, oh yeah
I tried to tell myself
I tried to tell myself
I don't wanna ever leave you
I tried to tell myself
I tried to tell myself
I never want you to ever leave me all alone
I tried to tell myself
I never want you to ever leave me away
I tried to tell myself
I tried to tell myself
I don't want you to ever leave me all alone
Al Green's "I Tried to Tell Myself" is a song where the songwriter is trying to convince himself that his lover will come back to him. The first verse is about the singer trying to reassure himself that his lover will actually come back to him, but deep down, he knows that it is a wishful thinking. The second verse talks about the singer trying to sleep at night, but his mind is preoccupied with thoughts of the lover. The third verse captures the singer trying to convince his lover that he is a friend and that he wants to take this trip to eternity with her. The final verse denotes the singer's wish that his lover would never leave him alone.
The song, on a broader view, offers a picture of a person trying to convince oneself that things will get better or return back to normal. However, that is not always the case.
Line by Line Meaning
I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
The singer attempted to convince themselves of something.
That you would be back
The singer believed and hoped that their loved one would return to them.
(You would be back)
Reiteration of the singer's belief that their loved one would return to them.
Oh, though you said you would
Despite their loved one saying they would return, the artist was unsure if they actually would.
I only wish you could
The artist wished that their loved one would fulfill their promise of returning.
I know I'm trying to be someone
The singer is attempting to be strong and stoic despite their emotional turmoil.
Say I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
Again, the singer attempted to convince themselves of something.
You got to ride
The artist urges their loved one to keep moving forward, to keep living their life.
(You got to ride)
Reiteration of the artist's urging for their loved one to keep living their life.
Oh, I tried to tell myself, I tried
Once again, the artist tried to convince themselves of something.
I really tired to sleep at night
The singer is having trouble sleeping at night due to their emotional turmoil.
(Sleep at night)
Reiteration of the artist's sleeping troubles.
Before the break of day
Refers to the time right before morning.
Turning another page into life's mystery
The singer feels like they are moving forward in their life, but are uncertain of what will happen next.
And the light of day
Refers to daylight or morning.
I can now hear you say
The artist hears their loved one's voice in their memories or imagination.
I then take this trip
The artist is ready to embark on a journey.
With me to eternity
The singer wants their loved one to be with them forever, either in life or death.
Oh, I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
Once again, the singer tried to convince themselves of something.
You need a friend
The artist believes that their loved one needs emotional support and companionship.
(You need a friend)
Reiteration of the artist's belief that their loved one needs emotional support.
Oh and as soon as I wake up
The artist wakes up with hope or optimism.
The sun begin to shine, I start to rain
The singer's emotional state is suddenly shifted when they think of their loved one.
(Start to rain)
The artist becomes emotional, possibly crying, when they think of their loved one.
I see you finally made it
The singer sees that their loved one has arrived or has made progress in life.
All the time you waited
The singer acknowledges that their loved one has had to wait for something.
I, I could be with you
The singer wants to be by their loved one's side.
Now I wanna be with you, oh yeah
The artist has a sudden desire to be with their loved one.
I tried to tell myself
Once again, the artist tried to convince themselves of something.
I don't wanna ever leave you
The singer never wants to be separated from their loved one.
I never want you to ever leave me all alone
The singer does not want to feel lonely or abandoned by their loved one.
I tried to tell myself
Once again, the artist tried to convince themselves of something.
I never want you to ever leave me away
The artist never wants to be separated from their loved one.
I tried to tell myself
Once again, the artist tried to convince themselves of something.
I don't want you to ever leave me all alone
The singer does not want to feel lonely or abandoned by their loved one.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AL L. GREEN, WILLIE MITCHELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@adeadhead423
I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
That you would be back
(You would be back)
I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
That you would be back
(You would be back)
Oh, I know you said you would
I only wish you could
I know I'm trying to be some good
Say I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
You got to do right
(You got to do right)
Oh, I tried to tell myself, I tried
I really tired to sleep at night
(Sleep at night)
Before the break of day yay
Iβm turning another page yay into life's destiny oh ohh
In the light of day
I can now hear you say
Come and take this trip
With me into eternity
Oh, I tried to tell myself, I tried to tell myself
You need a friend
(You need a friend)
Oh and as soon as I wake up
The sun begin to shine, I start to grin
(Start to grin)
I see you finally made it
All the time you waited
I, I could be with you
I see you finally made it
All the time you waited
Now I wanna be with you, oh yeah
I tried to tell myself
I tried to tell myself
I don't wanna ever leave you
I tried to tell myself
I tried to tell myself
I never want you to ever leave me all alone
I tried to tell myself
I never want you to ever leave me away
I tried to tell myself
I tried to tell myself
I don't want you to ever leave me all alone
@tammy5654
One of Al's lesser known songs but totally awesome to me. Great lyrics, great music, and the incredible, very distinctive, and instantly recognizable voice of the GREAT & LEGENDARY AL GREEN.
π₯°π₯°β€β€ππ
@douglasallen9428
This was the first Al Green single I ever boughtβ¦. although I donβt have my copy anymore, I still feel like this song should have been an enormous hit!
@lathanwheeler3925
Beautiful π₯°ππππ way back in the days masterpiece of a classic gem from a well gifted artist love him and his music πΉ π€ πΊπ·πΊ ππ₯π―πΉβπΈπ₯ππππππ.
@mremac266
Simply Beautiful!!!
@mremac266
One of the Best songs from one of the best to ever do it!!!
@botonazul
This song is so beautiful.
@mckenzie6593
2024. Still sounds wonderful.
@andrewjwheelerjr275
And I try to tell myself that life now Is way way too short especially right we must come together as one completely united Nations for hope for a better and brighter future still way way ahead of us all but i know together we can do it people give it a try well peace everyoneππππππππππππππππππ.
@boneteesmith9061
Thank u
@ladielayla7632
My man