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Album Cover Courtesy of Hi Records Exclusive Licensed to Possum Records

Rhythm Reviews Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" (1972)

Al Green's Let's Stay Together has a timeless charm and emotional depth that few other songs in soul music history can match.

1 February 2025

This album, which was released in 1972, solidified Green's status as one of the most significant voices in R&B and soul. Let's Stay Together is a seminal record that still enthrals fans more than fifty years later with its flawless production, poignant lyrics, and Green's distinctive falsetto.


Let's Stay Together, the album's title tune is maybe Al Green's hallmark song. It is immediately apparent that this tune is unique from the first few seconds, which feature a captivating combination of subtle percussion and warm organ tones. Green's voice, which flows naturally between passionate sobs and gentle croons, exudes an emotional honesty that is uncommon in mainstream music. The song, which was produced by Hi Records' renowned Willie Mitchell, is a quintessential representation of the Memphis soul sound: warm, sensual, and silky.


Let's Stay Together offers a diverse range of soul ballads and fast-paced beats in addition to the title track. Green's ability to imbue his music with profound emotion is demonstrated by the sad, almost spiritual nature of songs like "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" In the meantime, songs like "Old Time Lovin'" and "La-La for You" have a light-hearted, upbeat vibe that maintains the album's harmony between celebration and heartache.


Green's ability to combine sensual, romantic themes with gospel influences is what distinguishes him from his peers. Every song becomes a profoundly intimate confession thanks to his vocal delivery, which is frequently accented with sighs, whispers, and exclamations. Green gives the impression that the listener is listening in on a private moment of devotion or longing because he embodies the song rather than merely singing it.


Let's Stay Together is a masterwork of restraint on an instrumental level. Green's voice shines through the album's sumptuous yet simple arrangements. With its distinctive horns and funky basslines from Hi Records, the backup band enhances Green's performance without ever taking the front stage. The album's longevity can be attributed to its harmony between vocal intimacy and sophisticated instrumentals.


Let's Stay Together topped the R&B charts and became a mainstream pop hit when it was released, making it a commercial and critical success. From Tina Turner to Barack Obama (who memorably performed a few lines at a public occasion), artists have covered the title track, which is still one of the most well-known songs in soul music. The record cemented Green's status as a soul icon and paved the path for his ongoing supremacy throughout the 1970s.


Let's Stay Together is still relevant decades later. Green's sultry, expressive approach is a source of inspiration for contemporary R&B and neo-soul musicians such as D'Angelo, John Legend, and Leon Bridges.


Let's Stay Together is a moment in time, an emotion, and a manifestation of love in its most basic form; it is more than just an album. This album is a timeless classic because of Al Green's ability to combine secular themes of romance and longing with spiritual roots. Let's Stay Together is still a must-listen for everyone who values the profound, soul-stirring power of music, regardless of whether you're hearing it for the first time or are just reliving its warmth.

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