Al Green-gets next to you

[The_Hook_Up]

found a minty OG yesterday, never heard this particular Al Green LP from start to finish before, as I thought I had all the best tracks on 45 and you just dont see this one out in the field often...but goddamn, this has got to be one of the best soul LPs from start to finish...ever.

 

[hcrink]

It's "that heat"! Only Al Green I had buy on (gulp) eBay. I once found 3 vinyl-less copies in one day.

 

[hcrink]

and that coat, dude... damn.

 

[faux_rillz]

It's "that heat"! Only Al Green I had buy on (gulp) eBay. I once found 3 vinyl-less copies in one day.

I actually had to resort to the Bay for a clean copy of that one, too... great record.

 

[hcrink]

I'm still rockin a high VG "still in love with you". It's the best copy I've found outta the like 50 I've pulled. I actually bought a sealed one at a record show a few years back for $10 & was ultra stoked - till I got it home & tried to listen to it. WARPED!!!

 

[bull_ox]

45s are fine, but ALL the early Al Green albums are absolutely neccessary IMO... this one is really incredible... STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU is another favorite full album from him

 

[Rod_Torfulson]

Still in Love With You was the hardest pull for me. Still don't have a sleeve.
I just woke up, so the title of the one from '75 is escaping me, but Wish You Were Here is one of my favorite songe ever.

 

[pickwick33]

You HAVE to get the version with this cover.

There's a reissued edition from '77 or '78 with a slightly saner cover (Al by then had a close-cropped natural and a more conservative suit), but what you see up above there is the one to get.

I mean, really, Brotherman looks like he just landed from the planet Pluto or something! And the music inside is bluesier and wilder than the Smooth Loveman Al we know today. This was more or less the album that really broke him as a superstar, and only "Tired Of Being Alone" hints at the sophistication that was to come. But that cover is pure art, and only one other sleeve design equals it:

I ain't lyin'.

 

[drewnice]

Sadly this is one of those records that I let sit in the bin, let sit in the bin, let sit in the bin, let si- FUCK, somebody bought that shit!!!

Anyone ever been in a video store and looked at the ones that are all checked out like "man, those are the ones I really wanted to get!" even when that wasn't the case?

Same sort of feeling.

 

[SoulOnIce]

Stop me if I'm repeating myself:

I just love how these 2 complement each other.



I think Gets Next to You is probably my favorite Al Green, although it has stiff competition from this one:

 

[Birdman9]

Stop me if I'm repeating myself:

I just love how these 2 complement each other.



I think Gets Next to You is probably my favorite Al Green, although it has stiff competition from this one:

All these are classics, and undervalued because of their relative accessibility(tho as folks have pointed out, it's the finding unscathed copies that is the challenge)

I was VERY pleasantly surprised by this here(found at a flea a few weeks back)

Great sounding stuff, the hits, some gospel, but a great mix of his songs and with that live energy

 

[pickwick33]

As far as the Al Green and David Ruffin album covers resembling each other...they're both rocking the ruffled collars and the double-breasted jackets, but David looks a bit more normal. Al is downright outlandish.

My fave Al Green LP's are a three-album arc: Al Green Gets Next To You, Let's Stay Together, and I'm Still In Love With You, all released in that order between 1971-72. Listen to them in the order they came out, and you can hear how a semi-blues shouter mutated into a soft-soul crooner.

 

[faux_rillz]

As far as the Al Green and David Ruffin album covers resembling each other...they're both rocking the ruffled collars and the double-breasted jackets, but David looks a bit more normal. Al is downright outlandish.

I mean, aside from Al having fur trim on his coat, their 'fits look pretty similar to me... I think I may be missing some subtleties.

 

[hogginthefogg]

 

[Swayze]

sayin!

al's got a buckwild coat, but otherwise he looks normal

 

[dollar_bin]

 

[bull_ox]

 

[hcrink]

 

[pickwick33]

I love his BIZARRE version of "Light My Fire," where he starts "getting happy" and forgets the lyrics..."Teenie, play yo' guitar!...We WORKIN', y'all, we WORKIN'!"

Killer version of "The Letter": "My baby done wrote me...somethin' on a piece of paper, yeah!"

 

[TheMack]

every early Al Green is essential. this one is very great. my fave is Im Still in Love