Al Green - The Immortal Soul Of Al Green (4 CD) - 2003 FLAC

Review (Allmusic)

Al Green fans will be aware that The Immortal Soul of Al Green actually marks the second time that a four-CD box set of Green's recordings has been assembled, following by seven years its predecessor, Anthology. That being the case, the obvious question is, why do listeners need another Al Green box set? The answer lies in the two conflicting approaches most often employed in box sets. Basically, two different audiences buy box sets: first, those who are looking for a single, omnibus collection of an artist's recordings that is more comprehensive that a "greatest-hits" album; and second, collectors who already have all the hits and are looking for rarities and unreleased material. Many box sets are designed as compromises that split the difference to attract both audiences. Anthology leaned more toward collectors. It featured a mixture of original hit studio recordings and a heavy complement of live recordings, unreleased material, rarities, and interviews. Of the 28 Al Green tracks featured on singles for the Hot Line, Hi, and Bell labels that reached the Billboard R&B charts between 1967 and 1979, only 12 were included on Anthology. As a result, the album is referred to in its All Music Guide review as "a botched job" whose "appeal is solely for collectors." The Immortal Soul of Al Green goes to the other extreme. With the exception of a few tracks drawn from British rarities albums, such as the 15-minute edit of "Beware," a track from Green's Livin' for You LP, this box set consists of familiar studio recordings, sequenced almost chronologically, and relying on the hits. Of those same 28 R&B chart entries, 27 are included this time, the only exception being "I Feel Good" (number 36). The result tells the story of Al Green's hitmaking years, from his early work in the '60s to his move toward gospel at the end of the '70s, more clearly than did Anthology. And for those who would like the story written down, Colin Escott's liner notes do that job well, too.

Track Listing

Disc One

01. Back Up Train (The Soul Mates &) (two twenty-one)
02. Guilty (& The Soul Mates) (2:58)
03. I Want To Hold Your Hand (two twenty-one)
04. One Woman (3:05)
05. Get Back, Baby (two sixteen)
06. Summertime (3:00)
07. What Am I Gonna Do With Myself (2:25)
08. I Can not Get Next To You (3:48)
09. God Is Standing By (three fifteen)
10. You Say It (two fifty-three)
11. Right Now, Right Now (2:52)
12. You are Lonely For Me Baby (3:58)
13. Driving Wheel (3 o'clock)
14. Light My Fire (three fifty-five)
15. Ride, Saluty Ride (Single Edit) (two twenty-four)
16. Tired Of Being Alone (2:52)
17. I'm A Ram (3:48)
18. So You're Leaving (2:56)
19. I've Never Found A Girl (3:42)
20. It Is not No Fun To Me (3:28)
21. Let's Stay Together (three nineteen)
22. Old Time Lovin ' (3:19)
23. La-La For You (3:31)
24. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (six twenty-five)

Disc Two

01. I'm Still In Love With You (3:13)
02. Love And Happiness (five eight)
03. Simply Beautiful (4:12)
04. Oh, Pretty Woman (three twenty-three)
05. Look What You Done For Me (three six)
06. Call Me (Come Back Home) (3:04)
07. How Time Slips funny Away (5:34)
08. Here I Am (Come And Take Me) (4:16)
09. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (three thirteen)
10. You Ought To Be With Me (3:18)
11. Jesus Is Waiting (5:38)
12. Livin 'For You (3:12)
13. Let's Get Married (five thirty-six)
14. Beware (Full Lenght Version) (15:08)

Disc Three

01. Take Me To The River (3:45)
02. Good To Be so Here (two forty-three)
03. My God Is Real (two forty-four)
04. Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy) (2:58)
05. The City (3:25)
06. God Blessed Our Love (3:56)
07. One Nite Stand (2:26)
08. I'm Hooked On You (3:21)
09. Mimi (three twenty)
10. Love Ritual (four twenty)
11. Rhymes (3:35)
12. I Could Be The One? (4:07)
13. LOVE (Love) (3:09)
14. Strong As Death (Sweet As Love) (four twenty-one)
15. Oh Me, Oh My (Dreams In My Arms) (2:48)
16. I Gotta Be More (Take Me Higher) (two forty-five)
17. Eli's Game (four fifty-six)
18. Ritual love (Remix) (4:17)

Disc Four

01. Full Of Fire (five thirteen)
02. I'd Fly Away (four eleven)
03. That's The Way It Is (three forty-one)
04. Again together (five twenty)
05. Let It Shine (three fifteen)
06. A Good Time have (3:37)
07. Keep Me Cryin ' (three eight)
08. Nothing Takes The Place Of You (4:35)
09. I Tried To Tell Myself (3:26)
10. The Truth Marches On (two forty-one)
11. Belle (4:49)
12. Georgia Boy (7 o'clock)
13. Chariots Of Fire (three forty-nine)
14. You loving (three thirty-four)
15. All In All (three thirty-eight)
16. Sir With Love to (4:07)
17. Wait Here (2:44)
18. King Of All (2:22)
19. Starting All Over Again (three twenty-nine)

Media Info

Genre : Soul, R & B
Year : 2003
Publisher (label) : The Right Stuff
Audio Codec : FLAC (*. flac)
Type rip : tracks +. cue
Bitrate : lossless
Duration : 77:52 / 68:00 / 62:57 / 74:41