Let's Stay Together

"Let's Stay Together" is a song by Al Green on his 1972 album of the same name. The Let's Stay Together Songfacts reports that according to Rolling Stone magazine's Top 500 songs, after producer Willie Mitchell gave Al Green a rough mix of a tune he and drummer Al Jackson had developed, Green wrote the lyrics in 5 minutes. However, Green didn't want to record the song and for 2 days he argued with Willie Mitchell before finally agreeing to cut it. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained on the chart for 16 weeks. It also topped Billboard's R&B chart for nine weeks. The song later appeared on the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction. It was ranked the 60th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. "Let's Stay Together" was later covered by Tina Turner, her second collaboration with the British Heaven 17/B.E.F. production team after "Ball of Confusion" in 1982, and served as her comeback single in late 1983, charting at #6 in the UK (one place higher than Al Green's original - and her third U.K. Top 10 single, the first being "River Deep, Mountain High" and second being "Nutbush City Limits", (both with former husband Ike Turner) and also #26 on The Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the U.S. Dance Chart. The song became a turning point in Turner's solo career and was later included on her multiplatinum selling album Private Dancer, released in the Spring of 1984. "Let's Stay Together" has also been covered by Margie Joseph (who had also recorded in Memphis contemporaneous to Green, but offered a Philly-inspired version produced by Arif Mardin), Michael Bolton, Jimmy Smith, Michelle Williams, Boyz II Men, Brian Kennedy,Issac Hayes, as well as by At Last on the first season of America's Got Talent, who performed it a cappella. It has also been covered by soul singer Lemar. An interpretation of the song is evident in the song "Earthquake", on the album Tha Carter by rapper Lil Wayne. An instrumental version very close to the Al Green original was recorded by The Memphis Horns. The company Wavegroup did a cover of the song for the game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol. The song has been performed on American Idol by Justin Guarini, Trenyce, Leah LaBelle, and Joseph Murena. Known as the biggest hit from legendary singer Al Green, “Let’s Stay Together” is an irresistible romantic Soul track that’s perfect for serenading that special someone. The song has appeared on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time", where it was named the 60th greatest song. After being given a first draft of the tune by producer Willie Mitchell, Green wrote the lyrics in the span of only fifteen minutes. As a result of this haste, Green initially did not want to record the song and only did it after heavy persuasion from the producer. Two weeks after its release, “Let’s Stay Together" reached #1 on the R&B charts, the only song from Al Green to ever do so. But despite the sensuality present in the track, Green originally sang this song to an audience full of neighborhood drunks, gathered together by Willie Mitchell. Looking back, Mitchell reminisces fondly: We brought about fifty people in here. All the winos, they’re drinking wine, laying on the floor while we cut the record. “Let’s Stay Together” has become not only the stepping stone that brought Al Green his decades-long fame but a staple for classic 70’s Soul music and an inspiration for future artists in the genre as well.

Let"s Stay Together Lyrics Al Green [Intro] Let's stay together [Verse 1] I, I'm so in love with you Whatever you want to do is alright with me 'Cause you make me feel so brand new And I want to spend my life with you [Verse 2] Let me say that since, baby, since we've been together Ooh, loving you forever is what I need Let me be the one you come running to I'll never be untrue [Chorus] Ooh, baby, let's, let's stay together Lovin' you whether Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad Ooh, yeah Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad [Verse 3] Why somebody, why people break up Turn around and make up, I just can't see You'd never do that to me, would you baby? Just being around you is all I see, it's what I want to do [Chorus] Let's, we ought to stay together Lovin' you whether Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad [Outro] C'mon, let's, let's stay together I'll keep on lovin' you whether Whether times are, oh times are good or times are bad Produced By Willie Mitchell Written By Al Jackson Jr., Willie Mitchell & Al Green Label Hi Records Trombone Jack Hale Baritone Saxophone James Mitchell Trumpet Wayne Jackson Tenor Saxophone Ed Logan & Andrew Love String Arrangement Charles Chalmers & James Mitchell Backing Vocals Donna Rhodes, Sandra Rhodes & Charles Chalmers Vocals Al Green Organ Charles Hodges Guitar Mabon “Teenie” Hodges Bass Leroy Hodges Drums Al Jackson Jr. Mix Willie Mitchell Engineer Willie Mitchell Recorded At Royal Recording Studios, Memphis, Tennessee Release Date November 1971