I Get Joy
Studio album by
Al Green
ReleasedMay 1989
StudioRoyal Studios, Ardent Studios and Colton Row (Memphis, Tennessee); Cheshire Studios (Atlanta, Georgia).
GenreSoul, gospel
LabelA&M
ProducerAl Green, Paul Zaleski, Eban Kelly, John Randolph
Al Green chronology
Soul Survivor
(1987)		 I Get Joy
(1989)		 Love Is Reality
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauB+[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
Hi-Fi News & Record ReviewA:1*[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]

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.

Production

Green 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

Robert 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

  1. "You're Everything to Me" (Al Green, Denise Flippen) - 4:13
  2. "All My Praise" (Green, Flippen) - 4:10
  3. "The End Is Near" (Green, Flippen) - 4:06
  4. "Mighty Clouds of Joy" (Buddy Buie, Robert Nix) - 4:16
  5. "I Get Joy" (Green, Flippen) - 3:53
  6. "As Long as We're Together" (Green)- 3:44
  7. "Praise Him" (Green) - 3:06
  8. "Blessed" (Eban Kelly, Jimi Randolph) - 4:06
  9. "Tryin' to Do the Best I Can" (Green) - 3:03
  10. "Tryin' to Get Over You" (Green) - 2:04

Personnel

  • 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

  • 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

  1. ↑ "I Get Joy - Al Green | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. 1 2 "Al Green". Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 888.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 290–291.
  6. ↑ Sanders, Charles L. (Sep 1989). "Sounding Off". Ebony. 44 (11): 22.
  7. 1 2 "AL GREEN'S 'I GET JOY' PUTS SOUL BACK INTO GOSPEL MUSIC". Deseret News. January 4, 1991.
  8. ↑ Jefferson, Graham (16 May 1989). "Al Green preaches his message of 'Joy'". USA Today. p. 5D.
  9. ↑ "AL GREEN "I Get Joy." A&M; **". Los Angeles Times. July 9, 1989.
  10. ↑ Pareles, Jon (6 Aug 1989). "Recordings". The New York Times. p. A26.
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