Soul Survivor (Al Green album)

Soul Survivor is a studio album by the American musician Al Green, released in 1987. The album peaked at No. 131 on the Billboard 200.

Production

The cover of "You've Got a Friend" is a duet with Billy Preston. Green also covered the Hollies' "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". A gospel choir backed Green on "The 23rd Psalm" and "Yield Not to Temptation".

Critical reception

The Chicago Tribune deemed Soul Survivor "an album of richly moving and vibrant singing." 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." The Dallas Morning News praised the "secular/funk texture" of the title track.

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

References