Soul Survivor (Al Green album)

Soul Survivor is a studio album by the American musician Al Green, released in 1987.[1][2] The album peaked at No. 131 on the Billboard 200.[3]

Soul Survivor
Studio album by
Al Green
Released1987
GenreSoul, gospel
LabelA&M
ProducerEban Kelly, Jimi Randolph, Deborah McDuffie, Errol Thomas and Paul Zaleski.
Al Green chronology
He Is the Light
(1985)		 Soul Survivor
(1987)		 I Get Joy
(1989)

Production

The cover of "You've Got a Friend" is a duet with Billy Preston.[4] Green also covered the Hollies' "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother".[5] A gospel choir backed Green on "The 23rd Psalm" and "Yield Not to Temptation".[6]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Robert ChristgauA−[8]
The Gazette7.5/10[9]

The Chicago Tribune deemed Soul Survivor "an album of richly moving and vibrant singing."[10] The Gazette wrote that "it's nice to feel the power of [Green's] healing voice in real material again."[9] The Globe and Mail called the album "a quixotic mixture [that] in every way reflects the rather schizophrenic nature of Green himself."[11] The Dallas Morning News praised the "secular/funk texture" of the title track.[12]

Track listing
  1. "Everything's Gonna be Alright" (Eban Kelly, Jimi Randolph) - 4:21
  2. "Jesus Will Fix It" (Al Green) - 3:24
  3. "You Know and I Know" (Green, Paul Zaleski) - 4:01
  4. "Yield Not to Temptation" (Traditional) - 3:35
  5. "So Real to Me" (Green) - 0:54
  6. "Soul Survivor" (Kelly, Randolph) - 4:43
  7. "You've Got a Friend" (Carole King) - 5:37 (duet with Billy Preston)
  8. "He Ain't Heavy" (Sidney Russell, Bobby Scott) - 4:03
  9. "23rd Psalm" (Green) - 3:46

Personnel
  • Al Green – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 3, 6), acoustic guitar (2, 4, 5, 9), arrangements (2-5, 8, 9)
  • Jimi Randolph – all other instruments (1), arrangements (1, 6), all instruments (6)
  • P. Leon Thomas – keyboards (1)
  • Debra Carter – organ (4, 9)
  • Louis Paul – synthesizers (5)
  • Jonathan Cobert – synthesizers (7)
  • Billy Preston – Hammond B3 organ (7), lead vocals (7)
  • Jerry Peters – keyboards (8)
  • Michael Toles – electric guitar (2, 5), organ (5)
  • Bobby Manuel – guitars (8)
  • Paul Zaleski – bass (2), percussion (2, 3), keyboards (3)
  • Francisco Centeno – bass (7)
  • Willie Hall – drums (2-5, 9), percussion (5)
  • Jeff Vilinsky – drums (7), arrangements (7)
  • Steve Mergen – drums (8)
  • Errol Thomas – arrangements (3, 8), bass (4, 8, 9)
  • Deborah McDuffie – arrangements (7)
  • Andrew Love – saxophone (8)
  • Berkley Buckles – backing vocals (1)
  • Eban Kelly – backing vocals (1, 6), arrangements (1, 6)
  • Full Gospel Tabernacle Choir – backing vocals (4, 9)
  • Andrea Blackwood – backing vocals (5)
  • Donna Blackwood – backing vocals (5)
  • Jeanie Hamilton – backing vocals (5)
  • Michael Brown – backing vocals (7)
  • Dennis Collins – backing vocals (7)
  • Curtis King – backing vocals (7)
  • Patrice Taylor – backing vocals (8)

Production
  • Producers – Eban Kelly and Jimi Randolph (Tracks 1 & 6); Errol Thomas and Paul Zaleski (Tracks 2-5, 8 & 9); Deborah McDuffie (Track 7).
  • Executive Producer – Al Green
  • Engineers – Jimi Randolph (Tracks 1 & 6); Al Green, Errol Thomas and Paul Zaleski (Tracks 2-5, 7, 8 & 9).
  • Assistant Engineers – Eban Kelly (Tracks 1 & 6); Ron Dickerson, Tom Luani and Pat Taylor (Tracks 2-5, 7, 8 & 9).
  • Recorded at Al Green Music Recording Studio and Ardent Studios (Memphis, TN); Startec (Washington D.C. ); Mayfair Recording Studios (New York, NY).
  • Mixed at Al Green Music Recording Studio; Ardent Studios; Mayfair Recording Studios; Mission Control Studios (Boston, MA).
  • Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
  • Art Direction – Chuck Beeson
  • Design – Donald Krieger
  • Photography – Peter Nash

References
  1. Tucker, Ken (22 Mar 1987). "Standing fast on principle...". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. I1.
  2. Strauss, Duncan (19 Apr 1987). "Rev. Al Coasts". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 92.
  3. "Al Green". Billboard. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  4. Bream, Jon (1 May 1987). "Al Green, 'Soul Survivor'". Star Tribune. p. 3C.
  5. MacInnis, Craig (11 Sep 1987). "Let's face it. The good Rev. Al Green could sing soup commercials and make them sound interesting". Toronto Star. p. E14.
  6. Gilbert, Calvin (March 20, 1987). "Green never took soulfulness out of gospel music". Fun. The Advocate. Baton Rouge. p. 2.
  7. Campbell, Al (November 1, 2001). Review: Soul Survivor. AllMusic. Retrieved on 2011-01-15.
  8. Christgau, Robert (May 5, 1987). "Consumer Guide: Soul Survivor". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 2011-01-15.
  9. Griffin, John (21 May 1987). "Al Green Soul Survivor". The Gazette. p. F11.
  10. Brogan, Daniel (20 Mar 1987). "Al Green, Soul Survivor". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 70.
  11. Kelly, Deirdre (11 Sep 1987). "The 'real' Al Green isn't out on stage". The Globe and Mail. p. D9.
  12. Samuels, Lennox (March 22, 1987). "Al Green, Soul Survivor". The Dallas Morning News. p. 6C.
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