I Get Joy is a studio album by Al Green, released in 1989 on A&M Records.[3][6] Green included many secular songs on the album, the first time he had done so since the 1970s.
I Get Joy | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 1989 | |||
Studio | Royal Studios, Ardent Studios and Colton Row (Memphis, Tennessee); Cheshire Studios (Atlanta, Georgia). | |||
Genre | Soul, gospel | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Producer | Al Green, Paul Zaleski, Eban Kelly, John Randolph | |||
Al Green chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B+[2] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hi-Fi News & Record Review | A:1*[4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Production
editGreen wrote the majority of the songs.[7] "As Long As We're Together" features Al B. Sure! singing backup.[8] Former Tempree Jasper "Jabbo" Phillips sings backup on "Tryin' to Do the Best I Can" and "Tryin' to Get Over You".
Critical reception
editRobert Christgau wrote: "What distinguishes this exercise is unflinching formal exposition--no Supremes or James Taylor ringers. Even the electrofunk belongs."[2] The Deseret News thought that Green "has a knack for writing songs that are subtle enough to work on both romantic and religious levels."[7] The Los Angeles Times opined that "Green should stick to what he does best, which, these days, is religious music."[9] The New York Times called Green's voice "the sound of a lone supplicant, gently testifying to the comforts of faith."[10]
Track listing
edit- "You're Everything to Me" (Al Green, Denise Flippen) - 4:13
- "All My Praise" (Green, Flippen) - 4:10
- "The End Is Near" (Green, Flippen) - 4:06
- "Mighty Clouds of Joy" (Buddy Buie, Robert Nix) - 4:16
- "I Get Joy" (Green, Flippen) - 3:53
- "As Long as We're Together" (Green)- 3:44
- "Praise Him" (Green) - 3:06
- "Blessed" (Eban Kelly, Jimi Randolph) - 4:06
- "Tryin' to Do the Best I Can" (Green) - 3:03
- "Tryin' to Get Over You" (Green) - 2:04
Personnel
edit- Al Green – lead vocals, arrangements (1-7, 9, 10), backing vocals (6, 8)
- Lester Snell – keyboards (1, 2, 3, 5, 7)
- Wayne Perkins – acoustic piano (4), lead guitar (4)
- Lawrence Mitchell – keyboards (6), horns (6)
- Jimi Randolph – all instruments (8), arrangements (8)
- Johnny Brown – acoustic piano (9), organ (10)
- Angelo Earl – guitars (1, 2, 3, 5, 7)
- Gregory McIntosh – lead guitar (9, 10)
- Jimi Kinnard – bass (1, 2, 3, 5, 7)
- George Jouringan – bass (4, 9, 10)
- Archie Mitchell – drums (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7), bass (6)
- Tim Dancy – drums (10)
- Dennis Bates – horns (9)
- Berton Brown – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 7)
- William Brown III – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 7)
- Gloria Robinson – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 7)
- Harvey Jones – backing vocals (4, 9, 10)
- Linda Jones – backing vocals (4, 9, 10)
- Monique Monan – backing vocals (4)
- Reba Russell – backing vocals (4)
- Michael Allen – backing vocals (6)
- Denise Flippen – backing vocals (6)
- John Benton – backing vocals (8)
- Berkley Buckley – backing vocals (8)
- Eban Kelly – backing vocals (8), arrangements (8)
- P. Leon Thomas – backing vocals (8)
- Jasper "Jabbo" Phillips – backing vocals (9, 10)
Production
edit- Al Green – executive producer, producer, engineer
- Paul Zeleski – producer
- Eban Kelly – producer (8), assistant engineer (8)
- Jimi Randolph – producer (8), engineer (8)
- William Brown III – engineer
- Willie Mitchell – engineer
- Robert Nix – engineer (4)
- Kim Venable – engineer (4)
- John Eberle – mastering
- Chuck Beeson – art direction, design
- Jeff Gold – art direction
- Howard Rosenberg – photography
References
edit- ^ "I Get Joy - Al Green | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ a b "Al Green". Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 888.
- ^ Kessler, Ken (September 1989). "Review: Al Green — I Get Joy" (PDF). Hi-Fi News & Record Review (magazine). Vol. 34, no. 9. Croydon: Link House Magazines Ltd. p. 100—101. ISSN 0142-6230. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 290–291.
- ^ Sanders, Charles L. (Sep 1989). "Sounding Off". Ebony. 44 (11): 22.
- ^ a b "AL GREEN'S 'I GET JOY' PUTS SOUL BACK INTO GOSPEL MUSIC". Deseret News. January 4, 1991.
- ^ Jefferson, Graham (16 May 1989). "Al Green preaches his message of 'Joy'". USA Today. p. 5D.
- ^ "AL GREEN "I Get Joy." A&M; **". Los Angeles Times. July 9, 1989.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (6 Aug 1989). "Recordings". The New York Times. p. A26.