Al Green(e) at the wheel!

 

Listen/Download Al Greene and the Soul Mates – Don’t Leave Me

Greetings all

I’d like to get the new week started with another one of those great – had it for years but never really listened to it – bangers.

I picked up the ‘Back Up Train’ 45 – Al Green’s debut (when he was still ‘Al Greene’) from 1967, years ago, and apparently – as was often the case – never flipped it over.

So, a few weeks back, I was pulling 45s for my DJ set at the David Porter tribute, looking for Memphis stuff, and I pulled the disc you see before you out of the crates.

I dropped the needle on ‘Back Up Train’, which is a very tasty ballad, but a little on the slow side, so I flipped it over to check out the b-side, which I was admittedly unfamiliar with.

Whoa, dad…

There, on the flip was a very nice, very upbeat, very Norther Soul-ish bit of gravy called ‘Don’t Leave Me’.

Where had this killer been all my life? Why, right there in the crates, waiting for me to do the right thing and listen to both sides of the record.

Written by Palmer James, who had sung with Green in the Creations with Curtis Rogers, ‘Don’t Leave Me’ (produced by Rogers and James) opens with a tasteful duet of strings and vibes.

The band lays down a pulsing beat, and the backing singers come in before Al starts the verse.

Green’s voice is recognizable, but instead of the slow, love man styling of his big hits, you get a more straight ahead delivery in a record that should have been a hit, instead of a neglected b-side.

The topside of the disc, ‘Back Up Train’ was an R&B Top 5 hit (skirting the outer limits of the Pop Top 40) in December of 1967.

Green would not return to the charts for a little over two years, returning with ‘You Say It’ on Hi in February of 1970.

‘Don’t Leave Me’ has a bit of a following with the Northern Soul crowd (for obvious reasons), with the Hot Line and Stateside issues of the 45 going for around 40 or 50 dollars.

As always, I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

  ___________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).

 

 

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.