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.
Lay It Down feat. Anthony Hamilton
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put your head on the floor
Lay it down, lay it down, lay it down
I just met you, just the other day
Everything started flowing my way
I just love you, really I just love you for yourself
Hey lay it down
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
(Put your head on the floor)
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
(One more thang)
Your love is a wonder to me
I just love you, really, I would really love you for free
All I want to do (all I want to do)
I don't want you to change your mind
I love you baby, in your time
Hey hey lay it
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
(Lay your body down)
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
See I love you, you see, I love you before my self
You're everything I need, everything I need
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Ever since I started, holding your hand
I've never seen, I've never seen such a smiling man
You made me happy baby
I almost, I almost I wrapped up
When I see you, I want to love you more, and more, and more
Hey lay it down
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
(Hey, hey your better lay your body)
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
The lyrics of "Lay It Down" highlight the feeling of falling in love and the desire to fully immerse oneself in a new relationship. The repeated phrase "lay it down" encourages the listener to let go of any reservations or fears and surrender to love. The line "put your head on the floor" creates a sense of vulnerability and surrender, urging the listener to fully give themselves to their partner.
The verses depict the singer expressing their love and devotion to their newfound partner. They emphasize that they are in love with their partner for who they are, and do not want anyone else. The lines "your love is a wonder to me/I just love you, really, I would really love you for free" showcase the admiration and awe the singer feels towards their partner, and their willingness to love them unconditionally.
The chorus repeats the phrase "lay it down" multiple times, creating a sense of urgency and passion. The final verse underscores the joy and happiness their partner brings, and how they want to continue loving them more and more.
Overall, "Lay It Down" is a passionate and romantic song that urges the listener to open themselves up to love and experience its full intensity.
Line by Line Meaning
Lay it down, lay it down, lay it down
Reinforcing that the subject should lay something down
Put your head on the floor
Directing the subject to put their head on the floor
I just met you, just the other day
The singer has only recently met the subject
Everything started flowing my way
Since they met, things have been going well for the artist
I just love you, really I just love you for yourself
The artist loves the subject for who they are
I don't want no, no, no no no no nobody else
The singer is content with only the subject and does not want anyone else
Lay it down, let it go, fall in love
Repeating the message to lay something down and fall in love
One more thang
The artist is adding another point
Your love is a wonder to me
The subject's love is amazing to the artist
I just love you, really, I would really love you for free
The artist loves the subject unconditionally
All I want to do (all I want to do)
The singer only wants to do one thing
I don't want you to change your mind
The artist wants the subject to remain committed
I love you baby, in your time
The singer is patient and willing to wait for the subject
See I love you, you see, I love you before my self
The singer loves the subject even more than themselves
You're everything I need, everything I need
The subject is everything to the singer
Ever since I started, holding your hand
The artist has been happy since holding the subject's hand
I've never seen, I've never seen such a smiling man
The subject has made the artist very happy
You made me happy baby
The subject is the reason for the singer's happiness
I almost, I almost I wrapped up
The singer almost gave up but didn't
When I see you, I want to love you more, and more, and more
The artist's love for the subject grows stronger every time they see them
Hey, hey your better lay your body
Urging the subject to lay down their body
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, JELLYBEAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: JAMES JASON POYSER, CHALMERS E ALFORD, ADAM BLACKSTONE, AL GREEN, ANTHONY HAMILTON, AHMIR K THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mckdee1420
Thank Al Green and Anthony Hamilton for real Grown Folk Music❤
@victorjones4565
REAL TALK
@lawrenceanthony6427
77.
@GeorgeW2016
Al Green’s music will never get old. The collaboration with Anthony Hamilton was masterfully meshed together! Great job
@robbiekirby3384
I've had this on REPEAT for the last hour and a half!.....
Much Love and Respect to you Mr. Al Green all the way from Australia!!!
@mingram15
Anthony Hamilton's music has an "old school" vibe. He and Al Green together can't go wrong!
@carolynmckoy1603
You guys brought it back the true meaning of real music 💋❤️👍
@inezrebeccacal6621
IF THIS SONG DOESN'T TOUCH YOUR SOUL YOU APPARENTLY DON'T HAVE A SOUL
@lynnieceharris6957
119 people don't have a soul
@mszan1
I'm soooooo glad Al Green's flavor was kept in this song, while modernizing it a bit.....YESSSSSSSSS