| Be What You Are | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | The Staple Singers |
| Border: | yes |
| Released: | December 8, 1973 |
| Recorded: | 1973 |
| Genre: | Soul |
| Length: | 51:56 |
| Label: | Stax |
| Producer: | Al Bell |
| Prev Year: | 1972 |
| Next Title: | City in the Sky |
| Next Year: | 1974 |
Be What You Are is a soul album by the Staple Singers, released on December 8, 1973. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart. The first single, "Be What You Are", fared poorly; however, the follow-up, "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)", was a top ten hit, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the R&B Singles chart. The third single, "Touch a Hand, Make a Friend" charting at number 23 on the Hot 100 and number three on the R&B chart in 1974.
| Title | Writer(s) | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Be What You Are" | Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton | 5:03 | |
| 2 | "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)" | Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton | 4:29 | |
| 3 | "Medley: Love Comes in All Colors/Tellin' Lies" | Bettye Crutcher/Carl Smith | 8:51 | |
| 4 | "Touch a Hand, Make a Friend" | Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton | 4:04 | |
| 5 | "Drown Yourself" | Bettye Crutcher | 4:38 | |
| 6 | "I Ain't Raisin' No Sand" | Darryl Carter, Mack Rice | 6:33 | |
| 7 | "Grandma's Hands" | Bill Withers | 2:43 | |
| 8 | "Bridges Instead of Walls" | Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton | 4:04 | |
| 9 | "I'm on Your Side" | Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton | 4:00 | |
| 10 | "That's What Friends Are For" | Parsons, Penney, Mack Rice | 4:16 | |
| 11 | "Heaven" | Terry Manning | 3:36 |
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Top LPs[1] | 102 |
| Billboard Top Soul LPs | 13 |
| Year | Single | Chart positions[2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop | US Soul | |||
| 1973 | "Be What You Are" | 66 | 18 | |
| "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)" | 9 | 1 | ||
| 1974 | "Touch a Hand, Make a Friend" | 23 | 3 | |