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.
White Christmas
Al Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in Heavenly peace
Sleep in Heavenly peace
Silent Night, Holy night, shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from Heaven a far
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Silent Night, Holy night, Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
The lyrics to Al Green's version of "White Christmas" are not actually the familiar holiday song written by Irving Berlin, but instead a medley of "Silent Night" and "White Christmas." In the first verse, Green sings the familiar opening lines of "Silent Night," invoking the peace and stillness of the night when Jesus was born. He describes the scene of Mary and Joseph watching over the infant Jesus, filled with wonder and love. The second verse shifts the focus to the shepherds who witnessed the miraculous birth, and the angels who appeared from Heaven to announce the good news. Finally, in the third verse, Green returns to "Silent Night" and emphasizes the divine nature of Jesus, calling him the "Son of God" and describing his radiant light as a symbol of redemption and hope.
The juxtaposition of "Silent Night" and "White Christmas" in Green's medley highlights both the sacred and secular dimensions of the holiday season. The religious significance of Christmas is expressed through the biblical story of Jesus' birth, while the cultural icon of a "white Christmas" evokes nostalgic feelings of family gatherings, gift-giving, and snowy landscapes. By weaving the two songs together, Green encourages listeners to reflect on the deeper meanings of the holiday, while also savoring the joys of the season.
Line by Line Meaning
Silent Night, Holy night, all is calm, all is bright
The night is peaceful and full of light
'Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
The Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus are nearby
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Baby Jesus is pure and gentle
Sleep in Heavenly peace
Rest in eternal peace and happiness
Silent Night, Holy night, shepherds quake at the sight
The shepherds are frightened by what they see
Glories stream from Heaven a far
Amazing things are happening from afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
The angels sing praises to God
Christ the Savior is born
Jesus, who will save the world, has been born
Silent Night, Holy night, Son of God, love's pure light
Jesus, who is the Son of God and represents pure love, is present
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
Jesus's face shines with a holy light
With the dawn of redeeming grace
At this moment, God's grace is saving humanity
Sleep in heavenly peace
Rest in eternal peace and happiness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Roberta un Black
They say Christmas 🎄 ain't Christmas 🎄 without the one you love, I say Christmas ⛄ ain't Christmas ⛄ without Al Green 💚 his music 🎵🎶🎵 makes me smile 😊
Erika Cruz
It's one of my family traditions to play Al Green White Christmas everyday in the month of December. It ain't Christmas until this album is played.
Marco Jaime Jardina
Al Green Music Is A Blessing 💯🎶
Mary Helen
2021 and Rev. Al Green still sounds as fresh as ever. If you're reading this, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas. 💚❤🎵
Dave Miller
Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year!
"B.B Storm" Songstress"Neo soul "
Awesome I love it and my mom loved Al Green he is amazing I was also born on his birthday 04/13 love Neo soul artist and writer Belinda BBstorm continued blessings Al Green you are one of a kind in all music !!
Beverly Carter
My Christmas Time company. The loneliest time of the year when you are alone. Any song this anointed child sing is music to my ears.God Bless Him always.
denise mitchell
It ain’t Christmas for me until I hear this...my mom had the record that would play over and over as a kid🎄🎄🎄
Nicole
I remember this as a kid, funny, can't stop singing to this song
all day. I don't know if this is weird but I feel like this throwback music is made yesterday
someone lunch meeeeeeee
Alex Stanilla
I always like when you can tell the singers reading the lyrics as they're singing them. Al Green still kills it but his cadence and delivery in white Christmas is pretty funny at times.