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.
Smile A Little Bit More
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
my heart
disappears
oh smile & move
your burning feet
so just smile a little bit more, a little bit more
hey we just smile a little bit more, a little bit more
can bring
sudden rain i can think yea
our turn to see the winds change
soo smile
all you gotta do is just smile
in my heart i see the winter
making me do over but iiiii i don't mind
i just smile a little bit more a little bit more
"still incomplete"
In Al Green's song "Smile A Little Bit More," the lyrics indicate the power and influence of a simple smile. The singer encourages someone to smile more and move their "burning feet," suggesting that smiling can help alleviate the burdens and struggles of life. He admits that sometimes even his own heart disappears, but he sees the potential in smiling to help overcome the struggles. The lyrics go on to say that even if sudden rain comes or winds change, the power of a smile can remain constant. In the singer's heart, there may be difficulties or struggles, symbolized by the winter, but he resolves to keep smiling even as he acknowledges that he is still "incomplete."
Overall, the song seems to be a message of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. While things may not always be easy or completed, a simple smile can often make a significant difference in how we approach life's struggles. The singer acknowledges that even he may face hardships, but he chooses to keep on smiling and encourages others to do the same.
Line by Line Meaning
i smile
I am expressing happiness by showing a smile on my face.
my heart
My feelings and emotions.
disappears
My heart becomes less heavy and I feel better.
oh smile & move
Smile and keep going, don't give up.
your burning feet
The feeling of pain or discomfort that you may experience while walking or running.
so just smile a little bit more, a little bit more
Encouragement to keep smiling even if things are tough.
hey we just smile a little bit more, a little bit more
Encouraging others to join in and smile despite their problems.
oh dear
An expression of surprise or disappointment.
can bring
May result in or cause.
sudden rain i can think yea
The sudden appearance of problems or challenges that can cause us to feel down.
our turn to see the winds change
It is our time to experience a change for the better.
soo smile
Keep smiling even when things are difficult.
all you gotta do is just smile
Smiling is an easy and effective way to improve our mood.
in my heart i see the winter
I feel like I am in a difficult season of life.
making me do over but iiiii i don't mind
Even though things may not be perfect, I am okay with trying again.
i just smile a little bit more a little bit more
I choose to keep smiling despite my circumstances.
"still incomplete"
The feeling that something is missing or that life is not yet complete.
Contributed by Sebastian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andrew Helbig
Great song
jeshon loonskin
How are there no comments on this song?!?!
Roberta un Black
A smile đ is just a Frown âšī¸ turned up side down đđ so turn it and smile a little bit more, you might like it. Just Smile A Little Bit More.