He Is the Light

He Is the Light
He Is the Light
Studio album by Al Green
Released	1985
Studio	Royal Studios (Memphis, TN)
Genre	Soul, gospel
Label	A&M Records
Producer	Willie Mitchell
Al Green chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Robert Christgau	B+^[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[1]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	^[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[5]

He Is the Light is an album by Al Green, released in 1985.^[6] It was Green's first album for A&M Records.^[7]

The album peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart.^[8]

Production

The album marked the return of producer Willie Mitchell, who had last worked on 1976's Have a Good Time.^[2] It was recorded at Royal Studios, with many of the same musicians Green employed in the 1970s.^[9]

Critical reception

Robert Christgau wrote that "Leroy Hodges's famous bottom keeps the record flowing like none of Green's other Jesus LPs, but it's still songs that make or break--and in this case do neither."^[3] Rolling Stone declared that "the only great new Al Green song here is 'Power', which builds on 'Jesus Is Waiting' and 'Have You Been Making Out O.K.' but claims its own space in the pantheon."^[10] The Globe and Mail called He Is the Light "a gorgeous record: spare, crisp production, and tunes that haunt you."^[11]

Track listing

"Going Away" (Al Green) – 3:38
"True Love" (Green, Willie Mitchell) – 4:31
"He Is the Light" (Mitchell, Julius Bradley) – 3:24
"I Feel Like Going On" (Green) – 3:13
"Be with Me Jesus" (Sam Cooke) – 2:54
"You Brought the Sunshine" (Elbernita Clark) – 5:10
"Power" (Green, Mitchell) – 5:21
"Building Up" (Green) – 3:10
"Nearer My God to Thee" – 3:46

Personnel

Al Green – lead and backing vocals, guitars, arrangements (9)
Perry Michael Allen – keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, string arrangements, synthesizer arrangements
Andrew Jackson – keyboards
David Cousar – guitars
Angelo Earl – guitars
Teenie Hodges – guitars
Perry Michael Allen – keyboards, synthesizers, percussion, string arrangements, synthesizer arrangements
Steve Cobb – bass
Leroy Hodges – bass
Jimmy Kinnard – bass
Steve Potts – drums
Gary Topper – baritone saxophone
Andrew Love – tenor saxophone
Jack Hale – trombone
Ben Cauley – trumpet
Willie Mitchell – horn and string arrangements
The Memphis Strings – strings
Kelli Bruce – backing vocals
Debbie Jamison – backing vocals
Michelle Omata – backing vocals

Production

Producer and Engineer – Willie Mitchell
Remix – Perry Michael Allen and Willie Mitchell
Mastered by Larry Nix at Ardent Studios (Memphis, TN)
Art Direction – Chuck Beeson and Jeff Gold
Design – Melanie Nissen
Photography – Mark Hanauer

References

^ ^a ^b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 888.
^ ^a ^b "He Is the Light - Al Green | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
^ ^a ^b "Al Green". Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
^ Tucker, Ken (10 Nov 1985). "THE NEW GOSPEL OF AL GREEN". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. M8.
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 290–291.
^ "Al Green | Biography & History". AllMusic.
^ "Al Green's Got Soul To Spare". The Washington Informer. 22 (5): 24. Nov 20, 1985.
^ "Chart History Al Green". Billboard. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
^ Palmer, Robert (31 Oct 1985). "2 MUSIC MEN OF THE 1970'S TEAM AGAIN". The New York Times. p. C22.
^ Sigerson, Davitt (January 30, 1986). "He Is the Light". Rolling Stone.
^ Lacey, Liam (5 Dec 1985). "INSIDE THE SLEEVE POP He Is The Light Al Green". The Globe and Mail. p. D5.