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.
Summertime
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fish are jumping everyday and the cotton is high
Your dad is so rich babe and your mama might good looking, yeah, yeah
So hush little baby, yeah and don't you, no, no, no, no
Please don't cry
One of these mornings we're gonna get up, oh yeah
We're gonna rise up singing, yeah
And we'll take t the sky again
But there ain't nothing, nowhere, no, no
There ain't nothing is gonna harm you, touch you, baby, yeah, yea
You know why cause your daddy and your mommy
Is gonna be standing by all, all, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Al Green's song Summertime is a classic favorite that was originally composed by George and Ira Gershwin in 1934. It talks about the ease of living during summer with the fish jumping and the cotton high. The first lines of the song, "Summertime and the living is easy" suggests a slow and relaxed tone which sets the foundation of the rest of the song. Al Green's soulful voice portrays the laidback and enjoyable mood of the song.
The mention of the baby's father being rich and mother good-looking suggests the possibility of the baby having a privileged life ahead. Yet, Green advices the baby to hush and not cry. He assures that the baby has no reason to worry and harm will be far from her touch. The phrase "hush little baby" portrays a comforting and reassuring tone throughout the song.
The second paragraph talks about rising up in the morning to sing, spreading one's wings, and flying high. The tone shifts from reassuring to motivational, as he encourages the listener to have the courage to soar high. He emphasizes that the baby's parents will always be there for support and will never leave the baby vulnerable to harm.
Overall, the lyrics of Summertime promote comfort and encouragement wrapped in a slow and relaxing melody. Al Green's rendition of the classics adds his signature smooth and soulful tone to an already timeless piece.
Line by Line Meaning
Summertime and the living is easy
The hot, relaxing days of summer have come and everything feels carefree and unhurried.
Fish are jumping everyday and the cotton is high
Nature is active and plentiful, with fish leaping out of the water and cotton growing tall in the fields.
Your dad is so rich babe and your mama might good looking, yeah, yeah
Your family is well-off and your parents are attractive, which can lead to certain advantages and privileges.
So hush little baby, yeah and don't you, no, no, no, no
Calm down, baby, and don't fret or worry about anything right now.
Please don't cry
I'm asking you not to shed tears, even if things might be tough at times.
One of these mornings we're gonna get up, oh yeah
In the future, we'll wake up with renewed energy and hope for a better day.
We're gonna rise up singing, yeah
We'll wake up with joy in our hearts and voices, ready to start each day with enthusiasm.
We'll spread our wings baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We'll feel free to explore and try new things, unencumbered by fear or doubt.
And we'll take t the sky again
We'll soar to new heights and aim for our dreams again, just like we did in the past.
But there ain't nothing, nowhere, no, no
No matter what happens or where we go, there's nothing that can truly harm us.
There ain't nothing is gonna harm you, touch you, baby, yeah, yea
Nothing bad will be allowed to affect or come near you, baby.
You know why cause your daddy and your mommy
The reason is that your parents are there for you.
Is gonna be standing by all, all, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
They'll always be there to offer you support and protection, no matter what.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, ACUM Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Heyward, Du Bose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sheree Wofford
Never heard it but i love it
Derrick Bell
A nice slowed down bluesy version of this cover of this classic song
Mario Caffari
A * MILESTONE * in Black - Interpreted - American - Music - History ! < A WILLIE MITCHELL PRODUCTION >
No one did this song better, with the exeption of the great < Billy Stewart >, even thoug they have don her best.
But this one it's even ° MAGICAL ° Best audio - quality on youtube ° ENJOY ° Regards from Switzerland
Nayti
I love this song
meandmymonkeyzone
Summertime and the living is easy
Fish are jumping everyday and the cotton is high
Your dad is so rich babe and your mama mighty good looking yeah, yeah
So hush little baby, yeah and don’t you, no, no, no, no
Please, please don't cry
One of these mornings we're gonna get up, oh yeah
We're gonna rise up singing, yeah
We’ll spread our wings baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And we’ll take to the sky again
But there ain't nothing, nowhere, no, no
There ain’t nothing is gonna harm you, touch you, baby, yeah, yeah
You know why 'cause your daddy and your mommy
Is gonna be standing by all, all, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Summertime
Vickie Neuman
❤️
Joanne Tanner
Yeah indeed.!!!!
M. Gray
💋💜💋