Did AL GREEN record disco?

[PaulC]

...

[Forrrce]

There's a 12" by him I sometimes see on disco record lists, which I haven't actually heard - this may be a disco track, or just an uptempo Al Green tune (I'll try and find the title). 'Love Ritual' was a bit of a club tune but it's not particularly disco.

[originalbigm]

Al Green was strictly a r&b/soul artist and never recorded anything in a disco format. Hits included Let's Stay Together,L-O-V-E,Let's Get Married,Take Me To The River and my all time favourite of his Love and Happiness.

[NickNack]

We got a promo 10" on "Full of Fire" but he's not a disco artist. His music just received a decent amount of club play because it's good :D .

[DISCODISK]

hi PAULC its not from the disco era but check the joey negro mixes of als 94 track "keep on pushing love" on r.c.a :P

[Discomanic]

Don't know if you consider it disco or not but I have a 12" by Al Green "To Sir With Love."

[efunk_adelic]

We got a promo 10" on "Full of Fire" but he's not a disco artist. His music just received a decent amount of club play because it's good :D .

I would have to agree with Nicknack... Full Of Fire clocks in at 115 bpm's and has that driving beat... I would never consider him a disco artist.. but, some of the songs discussed here that I don't consider disco, are. So be it.

[QUINNY]

Al Green was certainly played one hell of a lot in '73 / '74. In that respect he did have disco records.

[markydefad]

The production on "Full Of Fire" and "Keep Me Cryin'" sure used the disco production style of the era.....

From allmusic:

"FULL OF FIRE":

The disco music wave of the '70s washed away the careers of many soul music artists who were unable to relate to or create music that appealed to dance music lovers. Some though were able to ride the crest of the wave and surf to chart success. Al Green's foray into the genre, "Full of Fire," was hailed with a full-page color ad in Billboard. It also marked a change of recording location because the artist's usual backing sections were unavailable: The Memphis Horns were on tour with the Doobie Brothers while the background vocal trio of Rhodes, Chalmers & Rhodes were singing with Paul Anka. "Full of Fire" was recorded in Las Vegas and Chicago instead of Green's usual Memphis recording base, Royal Recording, owned by producer Willie Mitchell. Stylistically, "Full of Fire" has more in common with his '70s pop contemporary K.C. and the Sunshine Band (and their festive, brassy, junkanoo-influenced sound) than Green's soul man predecessor Otis Redding. The track also marked the beginning of the end of his mid-'70s heyday and his eventual journey into gospel music with its light references to a guiding power and being born again. Written by Green, Mitchell, and guitarist Mabon Hodges, "Full of Fire" went to number one R&B in late 1975. — Ed Hogan

KEEP ME CRYIN':


AMG REVIEW: In 1976, Al Green's music was going through a lot of changes. The traditional Memphis sound from producer Willie Mitchell was beginning to sound shopworn. At the same time, Green's ennui and shift from sex to more weighty concerns started to impact his vocals and his work. Have a Good Time and its leadoff single "Keep Me Cryin'" put the tug of war on hold. This exuberant and overly busy single has Green railing against everything and everyone within earshot. Making Green's list of nuisances were his neighbors, friends at the door, and people calling on the phone. While this is good-natured, in retrospect, Green was indeed getting tired of the secular world and this reflected it. Unlike the majority of Green's '70s work, "Keep Me Cryin'" might be loved and hated in equal measure. This track, like all of the Have a Good Time sessions, has Green singing with sheer force again and in a playful manner as he was willing to hit every note in his register. But the majority of the songs were slight like "Keep Me Cryin'." Believe it or not this hit the R&B charts at number four. It stalled on the pop charts, however, only reaching number 37. The lack of staying power from this single seemed to hasten and or validate Green's decision to stop doing pure pop/ R&B for a while. While this was all but forgotten in a short time, "Keep Me Cryin'" was included on Green's 1977 album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, and subsequent compilations like More Greatest Hits. Unlike the majority of Green's '70s work, this is good — not great — and was the second to last '70s single Green did with


AMG REVIEW: In 1976, Al Green's music was going through a lot of changes. The traditional Memphis sound from producer Willie Mitchell was beginning to sound shopworn. At the same time, Green's ennui and shift from sex to more weighty concerns started to impact his vocals and his work. Have a Good Time and its leadoff single "Keep Me Cryin'" put the tug of war on hold. This exuberant and overly busy single has Green railing against everything and everyone within earshot. Making Green's list of nuisances were his neighbors, friends at the door, and people calling on the phone. While this is good-natured, in retrospect, Green was indeed getting tired of the secular world and this reflected it. Unlike the majority of Green's '70s work, "Keep Me Cryin'" might be loved and hated in equal measure. This track, like all of the Have a Good Time sessions, has Green singing with sheer force again and in a playful manner as he was willing to hit every note in his register. But the majority of the songs were slight like "Keep Me Cryin'." Believe it or not this hit the R&B charts at number four. It stalled on the pop charts, however, only reaching number 37. The lack of staying power from this single seemed to hasten and or validate Green's decision to stop doing pure pop/ R&B for a while. While this was all but forgotten in a short time, "Keep Me Cryin'" was included on Green's 1977 album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, and subsequent compilations like More Greatest Hits. Unlike the majority of Green's '70s work, this is good — not great — and was the second to last '70s single Green did with Willie Mitchell. — Jason Elias

[jazz_pilgrim]

hi PAULC its not from the disco era but check the joey negro mixes of als 94 track "keep on pushing love" on r.c.a :P

That song Keep On Pushing Love was a great return to form for Al Green. I managed to unearth a promo copy of the 12-inch in a second hand record shop.

:)

[Funkatronik]

I have an Al Green album called The Belle Album from 1977

Some tracks are, if not 100% disco, at least borderline cases. Fast beat and disco-ish soundscape. I can't recall the titles, though...

[markydefad]

I remember being disappointed by "The Belle Album"...and most of the LPs thereafter. :cry:

[Nano]

I didn't listen to "The Belle Album" in its entirety -would love to- but I have the song "Belle" in the Greatest Hits 2 album and certainly is one of my faves. Not disco at all, though...

[remicks]

*****


Surprised y'all didn't come up specifically with this one
This record which is heavy on the bass end will forever make me think of DJ Tim Rivers' spinning at the I-Beam on Haight St.




I recall the lyrics to include:

I feel good
I feel disco good

*****