Soul Survivor (Al Green album) explained

Soul Survivor
Type:	Album
Artist:	Al Green
Cover:	Soul Survivor (Al Green album - cover art).jpg
Released:	1987
Genre:	Soul, gospel
Label:	A&M
Producer:	Eban Kelly, Jimi Randolph, Deborah McDuffie, Errol Thomas and Paul Zaleski.
Prev Title:	He Is the Light
Prev Year:	1985
Next Title:	I Get Joy
Next Year:	1989

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]

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

The Chicago Tribune deemed Soul Survivor "an album of richly moving and vibrant singing."^[7] The Gazette wrote that "it's nice to feel the power of [Green's] healing voice in real material again." The Globe and Mail called the album "a quixotic mixture [that] in every way reflects the rather schizophrenic nature of Green himself."^[8] The Dallas Morning News praised the "secular/funk texture" of the title track.^[9]

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

Notes and References

1. News: Tucker . Ken . Standing fast on principle... . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 22 Mar 1987 . I1.
2. News: Strauss . Duncan . Rev. Al Coasts . Los Angeles Times . 19 Apr 1987 . Calendar . 92.
3. Web site: Al Green . Billboard . 3 May 2023.
4. News: Bream . Jon . Al Green, 'Soul Survivor' . Star Tribune . 1 May 1987 . 3C.
5. News: MacInnis . Craig . Let's face it. The good Rev. Al Green could sing soup commercials and make them sound interesting . Toronto Star . 11 Sep 1987 . E14.
6. News: Gilbert . Calvin . Green never took soulfulness out of gospel music . The Advocate . March 20, 1987 . Baton Rouge . Fun . 2.
7. News: Brogan . Daniel . Al Green, Soul Survivor . Chicago Tribune . 20 Mar 1987 . Friday . 70.
8. News: Kelly . Deirdre . The 'real' Al Green isn't out on stage . The Globe and Mail . 11 Sep 1987 . D9.
9. News: Samuels . Lennox . Al Green, Soul Survivor . The Dallas Morning News . March 22, 1987 . 6C.